Lions strengthen their pass defense by drafting two cornerbacks
8 months, 1 week ago

Lions strengthen their pass defense by drafting two cornerbacks

Associated Press  

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The NFL draft enabled the Detroit Lions to turn a potential weakness into a strength by selecting cornerbacks with their first two picks. The Lions traded up five spots in Thursday’s first round to select Terrion Arnold from Alabama and followed it up by taking Ennis Rakestraw from Missouri with their second-round pick Friday. “Yeah, it’s a bloodbath in there now,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said of his team’s cornerback room. “It’s a good feeling to be in the spot where we feel good about the depth we have, to feel good about the future we have,” Holmes said Saturday. “And there’s nothing about him that he doesn’t have the ability to play safety because he can do that, too.” The trade with the Eagles also yielded a sixth-round pick, which the Lions used to select guard Christian Mahogany of Boston College.

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History of this topic

Lions trade for Browns’ Za’Darius Smith, fill need at DE after Aidan Hutchinson injury
2 months ago

Lions trade for Browns’ Za’Darius Smith, fill need at DE after Aidan Hutchinson injury

New York Times  

By Colton Pouncy, Zac Jackson and Dianna Russini The Detroit Lions acquired defensive end Za’Darius Smith on Tuesday, sending a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick, the teams announced. The subject of trade rumors as Cleveland has fallen out of contention, Smith had one tackle for …

GM Brad Holmes expects Lions to be Super Bowl champions after breakthrough season
4 months, 1 week ago

GM Brad Holmes expects Lions to be Super Bowl champions after breakthrough season

Associated Press  

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Expectations for the Detroit Lions have never been higher. “We’ve kept our approach and our process very consistent in terms of how we build it, the opportunities that we provide players, and that’s what gives us confidence,” Holmes said. “He’s an exciting kid to watch play and I’m expecting big things out of him this year …

Discussing Lions GM Brad Holmes’ NFL Draft picks, and the mindset behind the moves
8 months, 1 week ago

Discussing Lions GM Brad Holmes’ NFL Draft picks, and the mindset behind the moves

New York Times  

The Detroit Lions are where they are because of their process. School 1 24 Terrion Arnold CB Alabama 2 61 Ennis Rakestraw Jr. CB Missouri 4 126 Giovanni Manu OT British Columbia 4 132 Sione Vaki RB Utah 6 189 Mekhi Wingo DT LSU 6 210 Christian Mahogany OG Boston College GO DEEPER Lions 2024 NFL Draft takeaways: New picks …

For Lions GM Brad Holmes, chance to draft two cornerbacks was twice as nice
8 months, 2 weeks ago

For Lions GM Brad Holmes, chance to draft two cornerbacks was twice as nice

New York Times  

The Athletic has live coverage of NFL Draft Rounds 4-7. We’re trying to draft football players that contribute and make us a better football team versus just those.” With the selection of @MizzouFootball CB @EnnisRakestraw in the 2024 @NFLDraft, the @Lions have now selected a cornerback with their first two picks of a given Draft for the first time in …

Lions trade up in first round of NFL draft, take Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Lions trade up in first round of NFL draft, take Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold

Associated Press  

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions made a move to address their secondary, grabbing Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold with the No. “You’ve got to have confidence, you’ve got to be borderline cocky but you’ve got to be humble at the same time,” Lions passing game coordinator/defensive backs DeShea Townsend said of what he looks for in a cornerback. We …

Lions are not looking for a starter in the NFL draft for a change, coming off successful season
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Lions are not looking for a starter in the NFL draft for a change, coming off successful season

Associated Press  

DETROIT — The NFL draft is coming to Detroit and for a change, the Lions are coming off a successful season and have appeared to address every need with seemingly sound moves. Holmes, whose contract was extended during the offseason, took over a laughingstock of a franchise three years ago and turned it into one of the NFL’s best last …

How the Lions can improve their struggling pass rush, even amid injuries
1 year, 3 months ago

How the Lions can improve their struggling pass rush, even amid injuries

New York Times  

The Athletic has live coverage of Monday Night Football featuring the Raiders vs Lions. The Lions have one sack through eight quarters and change, tied with the Chicago Bears for second-fewest in the NFL and behind just the New York Giants’ zero sacks. In the still below, you’ll see the Lions dialing up a cornerback blitz — Cam Sutton on …

Lions address wide variety of needs in draft, deal Swift
1 year, 8 months ago

Lions address wide variety of needs in draft, deal Swift

Associated Press  

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Up, down and all around — the Detroit Lions traded picks throughout the NFL draft and wound up adding players to every offensive and defensive unit. Gibbs, who averaged 6.1 yards per carry for the Crimson Tide last season, and free agent signee David Montgomery will form the team’s 1-2 backfield punch. The Iowa product will …

Lions draft Brian Branch: DB with ‘dog mentality’ finds his perfect team match
1 year, 8 months ago

Lions draft Brian Branch: DB with ‘dog mentality’ finds his perfect team match

New York Times  

NFL Draft 2023 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Lions added a major piece for their defense Friday night — a move for the present and the future with the addition of Alabama defensive back Brian Branch. Branch projects as a building block for Detroit’s secondary — a versatile and talented defensive back who can …

Detroit Lions NFL Draft picks 2023: Grades, fits and scouting reports
1 year, 8 months ago

Detroit Lions NFL Draft picks 2023: Grades, fits and scouting reports

New York Times  

Follow Monday Night Football as the Detroit Lions face-off against the Las Vegas Raiders. — Diante Lee Dane Brugler’s analysis A two-year starter at Iowa, Campbell was the Mike linebacker in defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s 4-3 base scheme. — Diante Lee Dane Brugler’s analysis A four-year starter at Iowa, LaPorta was the featured target in offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz’s offense, …

Lions 2023 NFL Draft takeaways: Unconventional picks can help team win now, and later
1 year, 8 months ago

Lions 2023 NFL Draft takeaways: Unconventional picks can help team win now, and later

New York Times  

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Lions GM Brad Holmes entered the weekend with a single objective. “We don’t want to take a step back and we don’t want to stay stagnant,” Holmes told local reporters Saturday, putting a bow on the 2023 NFL Draft. The picks Round Pick Player Position School 1 12 Jahmyr Gibbs RB Alabama 1 18 Jack Campbell …

Lions draft Hendon Hooker: QB help for now, and perhaps a starter for the future
1 year, 8 months ago

Lions draft Hendon Hooker: QB help for now, and perhaps a starter for the future

New York Times  

NFL Draft 2023 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis ALLEN PARK, Mich. — All offseason, the quarterback discussion was one of great interest for these Detroit Lions. Draft grades: Scott Dochterman on Round 1 | Round 2-3 Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300? When you combine this with the touch on his deep ball and …

NFL Draft best available players for Detroit Lions: Brian Branch, Joey Porter Jr.
1 year, 8 months ago

NFL Draft best available players for Detroit Lions: Brian Branch, Joey Porter Jr.

New York Times  

Follow Monday Night Football as the Detroit Lions face-off against the Las Vegas Raiders. NFL Draft 2023 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis Draft grades: Scott Dochterman on Round 1 Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300? NFL Draft Round 1 winners and losers: Mike Jones’ analysis ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Lions provided plenty of …

NFL draft gives improving Lions a chance to add to momentum
1 year, 8 months ago

NFL draft gives improving Lions a chance to add to momentum

Associated Press  

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions are going into the NFL draft set up to build upon the relative success they had last season, finishing with a surge that gave them a winning record for the first time since 2017. “You definitely want to take advantage of having this kind of capital,” Holmes said Thursday, a week before the draft. “Those …

How do Lions fill Jameson Williams’ hole at WR after 6-game suspension?
1 year, 8 months ago

How do Lions fill Jameson Williams’ hole at WR after 6-game suspension?

New York Times  

For a while there, it felt like nothing could derail the Lions’ offseason buzz. That is, until Friday, when the NFL announced it was suspending four Lions players and Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney for violating the league’s policy on sports betting. Four Lions team employees were also fired last month for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, according to a …

Lions likely looking for help on defense with No. 2 pick
2 years, 8 months ago

Lions likely looking for help on defense with No. 2 pick

Associated Press  

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions have been so bad in recent years, winning an average of four games since 2018, that they desperately need an influx of talent at a lot of positions on both sides of the ball. HOT TAKE Former Tampa Bay general manager and SiriusXM analyst Mark Dominik said if Hutchinson is not available, he would take …

Lions NFL Draft takeaways: Best picks, Penei Sewell’s impact, questions and more
3 years, 8 months ago

Lions NFL Draft takeaways: Best picks, Penei Sewell’s impact, questions and more

New York Times  

Matthew Stafford’s request for a trade pushed the Lions into a full-on rebuild they really couldn’t dodge any longer. But it wasn’t until the NFL Draft — three-plus months later — that GM Brad Holmes had a true opportunity to start laying a proverbial foundation in Detroit. He’s a player people already are talking up as a “generational” talent and …

Lions GM Brad Holmes ran a strong draft for Detroit but the work is just starting
3 years, 8 months ago

Lions GM Brad Holmes ran a strong draft for Detroit but the work is just starting

New York Times  

Brad Holmes’ mom texted him Saturday morning, told him to get some sleep. “After we drafted St. Brown,” Holmes began with a grin, “I felt like people would finally get off my ass about not getting a receiver.” Holmes’ first NFL Draft as a GM was, he admits, a learning experience. The critical first serious step in what will be …

Lions take Ohio St cornerback Jeff Okudah at No. 3 overall
4 years, 8 months ago

Lions take Ohio St cornerback Jeff Okudah at No. 3 overall

Associated Press  

The Detroit Lions became the first team in more than two decades to take a cornerback in the first three picks in the NFL draft. Detroit drafted the Ohio State standout with third overall pick Thursday night, making him the highest-drafted cornerback since Shawn Springs was selected from the same school by Seattle in 1997. The Lions were last in …

Lions might fill void with Ohio State CB Okudah in NFL draft
4 years, 8 months ago

Lions might fill void with Ohio State CB Okudah in NFL draft

Associated Press  

The Detroit Lions should have an opportunity to turn a weakness into a strength in the NFL draft. While Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons may end up being NFL stars, Okudah fills a bigger need. Team owner Martha Firestone Ford decided late last season general manager Bob Quinn would be back for a fifth year and …

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