ALLEN PARK, Mich. — There are many things the Lions can do in this NFL Draft. Tons of options. Lots of picks.
There are a couple things they can’t do. They can’t draft Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, whose off-field issues have sent his stock plummeting. And they can’t draft a quarterback in the first round, not at the risk of contradicting their own plan.
It might sound stubborn, and I’m sure GM Brad Holmes is keeping all minds and lines open. But few teams in the NFL are as defined by the no-drama mentality of their leadership, including Holmes, coach Dan Campbell, special assistant Chris Spielman and the entire coaching staff. The Lions begged their fan base, and their players, to buy into their high-grit, low-ego, fully-collaborative culture. The result was an 8-2 finish to a 9-8 season that has the Lions generating enormous buzz for a non-playoff team.
Because of shrewd drafting and calculated free-agent signings, the Lions don’t have obvious gnawing needs entering next Thursday’s draft. Theoretically, that gives them room to take a chance on a superior talent that might not fit the franchise profile. Holmes somewhat stepped outside the box last year when he traded up to draft then-injured receiver Jameson Williams.
“I do like the fact we can pretty much go any direction we want,” Holmes said Thursday. “I just don’t feel like we’re pressed. And when I say that, I’m not saying we have a perfect roster. Nothing like that.”
Proceed with caution
They can go any direction except the wrong one. Carter is the most-controversial player in the draft, at one point considered the possible No. 1 overall pick. Then in March he pled no contest to misdemeanor charges for his involvement in a car crash that killed two people, including a former teammate. He followed with an uninspiring effort at his pro day, where he appeared out of shape, raising more red flags.
Carter visited the Lions earlier this week and is trying to rehabilitate his image through agent Drew Rosenhaus. The Lions were right to listen, but I’d be surprised if it goes farther that that.
“It’s always case by case,” Holmes said of Carter. “He came in, we enjoyed our time with him, he did a nice job. I’ll say even after he left his visit, I felt better about him.”
Non-committal and not overly revealing, which was Holmes’ self-described approach in his pre-draft press conference. Previously, Campbell said he had an “interesting” conversation with one of Carter’s teammates, but wouldn’t elaborate.
I don’t think this is poker-facing. I think Carter isn’t worth the risk for many teams, and certainly not for the Lions. Not at a position where they have plenty of talent, and not at such a high draft slot, with other elite players available. Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson is rising and might not even make it to No. 6. One of the top cornerbacks — Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez or Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon — would be tempting, although after adding three free agents to the secondary — Cam Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley — it might be a bit excessive.
The draft is packed with defensive difference-makers, which works out nicely for the Lions, who had the worst defense in the league. You want to aim high, what about this: Would Holmes trade his No. 6 and No. 18 picks to Arizona to grab Alabama’s dominating Will Anderson Jr. at No. 3? Perhaps something to mull.
As for quarterback, Jared Goff has proven he’s the guy, after a 2022 season that featured 4,438 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions (zero in his final 324 pass attempts). Is he the guy forever? Of course not. Is he the best guy to take the Lions to the Super Bowl? Maybe not.
But Goff, 28, is the guy for now, unequivocally. And among the top four quarterback prospects — Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Will Levis — one is out of reach (Young likely going to the Panthers at No. 1), and the others aren’t tantalizing enough to mess with a formula that works. One caveat: Richardson, the 6-foot-4, 244-pounder from Florida, is a fascinating athlete who needs molding.
Decisions, decisions
The Lions are poised for a leap now, considered favorites to win the NFC North by many oddsmakers. Sharp offensive coordinator Ben Johnson didn’t pursue a head-coaching job partly because of Goff and an offense that ranked fourth in total yards and has the potential to be even better.
Holmes reiterated the Lions need to add a quarterback, with backup Nate Sudfeld the only other one on the roster. My guess is, they’ll find a quarterback in free agency (Teddy Bridgewater?) or in later rounds (Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker?) Naturally, Holmes can’t rule out drafting one anywhere.
“Obviously, we like what Nate did, that’s why we signed him back,” Holmes said. “But we’re not pressed, we’re not pinched. If it works out, it lines up, it does. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. We’ll be fine. We’ve got two quarterbacks on the roster now and we’ll definitely have a third at some point.”
Holmes has way too much invested in Goff — from the blockbuster trade that brought him here to the unbending support during tough times — to shake it up. Look at it this way. Are the Lions really willing to make Goff uncomfortable, right after he finally got comfortable? It would be a helluva statement about the position, but it doesn’t make sense to stir a controversy before it’s necessary.
All the Lions’ talk about collecting players that fit their culture actually means something because the culture has been definable and visible. It was evident in their scrappy rise after a 1-6 start and their emotional performances late in the season. All the heartfelt backing of Goff, and how well he fits with Johnson and Amon-Ra St. Brown and the rest of the offense, would seem like a lie if Holmes spent a major asset on someone pegged to be Goff’s replacement.
Holmes and Campbell have repeatedly said Goff is their guy, but they practiced due diligence by meeting with the top prospects. Holmes tamped down the talk after the season when he said, “I think it’s easier to get worse at quarterback than to get better at quarterback.” They’ve vowed to be transparent with Goff, who said this week he appreciated it.
“Everything has been clear and open,” Goff said. “I’ve got all the trust in the world in Brad and Dan, and really excited to see what we do and where we go. … It’s not my job to decide what we need on the roster, but if they need to bring somebody in to be there in case something happens to me, of course that’s their decision.”
Somebody will be brought in, but it’s far more likely to be an experienced backup or mid-round prospect than a big-splash rookie. Holmes likes to make draft-day trades, so there’s always a chance the Lions could leap when you least expect it. But with so many options and picks, there’s no need to leap for something prematurely, or recklessly.
