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The Lion’s Offense was a top 5 unit. The Lion’s Defense was not. So the draft should prioritize the Defense, right? Well…
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I strongly believe the best Defense is a good Offense. Win time of possession and keep the other teams O off the field, and watch your Defensive ratings improve dramatically. In addition, if you could magically and accurately apply “Madden Ratings” to a unit, and you had a 100 Madden Rating Offense vs a 100 Madden Rating Defense, the Offense would win every time based on current rules. So in my mind, targeting Offense early can actually HELP the Defense as much or even more than an additional new rookie Defensive player.
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Day 1 and 2 in the draft are about impact. Players who can help from the 1st snap of the 1st game. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the Lions roster is as good as I’ve ever seen it, and finding both a player and position in the draft who can provide early impact is limited. Draft an OL or a DT in 1st? Ok… but who you gonna bench? That rookie is gonna sit all year (barring really bad things happening). I really see only 1 place on the roster ANY rookie in this draft has a chance to earn meaningful minutes: Pass Catcher (either WR or TE). Caveat: Edge or CB are possible… but barring a trade up, I don’t see many options for a pick at 29 or Day 2 that would become starters/earn meaningful minutes over the vets already on the roster. As such, I have absolutely no problem strengthening a strength and focusing on Offense early in this draft…specifically at pass catcher. To be clear: I am NOT saying “don’t draft Defense”…but I AM saying draft O early, and D later.
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Pass catcher early in the draft? That’s crazy! The argument I hear all the time “who you gonna take targets away from?” or “you want to spend a 1st round pick on the 5th or 6th option for Goff?” Simple answer is yes. The NFL is all about mismatches. If that 5th or 6th option for Goff is a 1st round talent vs the 5th or 6th option on D, that is a huge mismatch, and one that is both infinitely exploitable and has the additional benefit of freeing up coverage for options 1-4 as the Defense needs to shift focus to helping that poor UDFA trying to cover a 1st round talent. So its far less about “taking targets away” from Amon Ra, Jamo, LaPorta, etc and instead giving them BETTER targets against a strained Defense.
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I’m 98% sure that Brad Holmes will not read this post and immediately change his draft philosophy based on it. Brad gonna Brad, and he has earned my trust to go out and Brad all he wants, and make everything written above completely wrong and irrelevant. Go Lions!
Great post this part was the best tho
2% chance Brad reads this and changes his mind lol
I like it !!
Welcome home, HonoluluBlueKoolaid.
Brad is well positioned to take value however the draft falls this year. Yet it’s not too hard to see further into the future where our OL will need an infusion of talent. Doing that via FA can be expensive. So the only stone cold lock of the draft for me is OL with our first pick–wherever that ends up–or on Day 2. News falsh: Goff needs to be protected like the crown jewels.
I like offense. Never too much offense. 
Two part system here…what you say is true
Then you gotta Have dawgs to rush the QB once we jump on them
That’s why SF, PHI, Dal, GB always at the top in the nfc
Playmaking DBs always a bonus
Demoralizing when your defense is putting up pts along with your sick Offense
Agree with what you say completely. I meant this in context of current roster, current draft order, and current draft talent available.
I just don’t see much chance that in this draft, there is going to be a pass rushing dawg at Edge or a play making DB at the bottom of the 1st/ Day 2 that I would want starting and/or taking meaningful minutes away from anyone currently on the roster.
I simply think any OL, DL or DB taken early with the Lions current draft position won’t have much chance to make an impact because there is solid talent in front of them already on roster.
However if they trade up and get a shot at an upper-tier talent like Dallas Turner or Jared Verse or Terrion Arnold or Quinyon Mitchell, (or if any of these guys slide for some crazy reason) I will change my mind right quick…
These guys start getting into the teens it’s possible
No doubt. The OL is the heart and soul and the crystal-clear best unit on the team, and should be invested in this draft, maybe even more than once.
Just not Day 1. Heck even if the Lions somehow had a shot at one of the top 1 or 2 best OL in the draft, whoever they got would not start…and likely spend the season on the bench.
But again… Brad gonna Brad and while I’m looking at “impact” with an “instant impact” lens, Brad has proven to look at “impact” as “future impact is still impact”
We have 3 starters on the Oline over 30… and another with a chronic big toe injury. The only starting lineman still on the team in 3 or 4 years is Sewell. Need some young studs either this year or next.
If Amarius Mims is there at 29 I’d take him even if he rides the kind in year 1. But I’d absolutely let him beat out Graham if he could.
OL is my preference in the first and tbh would like 2 of them with high upside in this draft for exactly the reasons you state. One who could start this year if needed or ready to step in when someone goes down.
Granted depends who’s there who isn’t blah blah blah
Voice of Reason
My money is on CB 1 , OL 2
Cooper Dejean or Kool Aid round 1
Kingsley Sumataia or Cooper Beebe round 2
Totally uncalled for.
Haha. Especially if we give Goff a big fat extension. Oline couldn’t be more important cause Goff moves like a turtle. 
Agree 1000%. My point is the SuperBowl window is NOW. Maximize the impact of a day 1 pick NOW.
I’d be fine (and hope they do) add both an OT and G/C in this draft. I’d just rather they do that day 2 or 3…where I don’t mind that player riding the bench and learning for a year.
Then, next year, they can make the decision whether those players are ready to take over for one of over 30 crew and if not, make OL a day 1 priority for next years draft.
Well it’s settled we all want to draft some linemen…which means Holmes probably goes tight end, long snapper and linebackers 
If you think the starting 5 on the line will play every game this year you have a better chance of winning that 1 bil plus lottery.
Yup - IMO goal should be to have thee most offensive Offensive Line ever assembled
Our offense goes through our OL
DMONT/GIBBY. Saint & Sam
Deep shots to Jamo
Everything else is complimentary
OL much more priority than a complimentary piece .
Especially when the draft is deep for complimentary pieces