By Jeremy T. Ballreich
For all the praise Brad Holmes has earned since arriving in Detroit — the culture shift, the draft hits, the offensive identity, the restored relevance — there remains one glaring, undeniable flaw in his tenure: the Detroit Lions have consistently fielded one of the worst secondaries in the NFL by passing yardage allowed. Year after year, scheme tweaks, coaching changes, and new faces have failed to solve the same recurring problem. And when you dig into the trades and free‑agent acquisitions meant to address it, the pattern becomes even clearer: Holmes has been the architect of a roster that can score with anyone, but still can’t stop anyone through the air.
This isn’t a narrative built on emotion. It’s built on results — and the results have been brutal.
The Secondary Problem: A Chronic Issue, Not a One‑Off
Detroit’s passing defense has been a liability in nearly every season of the Holmes era. Even as the offense surged into top‑five territory, the defense routinely finished bottom‑five in passing yards allowed, explosive plays surrendered, and EPA against the pass. The Lions have been able to win shootouts, but they’ve rarely been able to prevent them.
Holmes has drafted well at many positions — offensive line, wide receiver, running back, defensive line — but the defensive backfield has been his blind spot. And the moves he’s made to fix it have either failed outright or failed to move the needle.
FAILED TRADES
1. The Jeff Okudah Trade Fallout (2023)
Holmes didn’t draft Jeff Okudah, but he inherited the problem — and the trade that sent Okudah to Atlanta for a fifth‑round pick was supposed to be a clean reset. Instead, it left Detroit without a starting‑caliber outside corner and forced the team into a scramble of short‑term replacements.
The Lions never replaced Okudah with a true CB1 that offseason. The result? Detroit finished near the bottom of the league in passing yards allowed, explosive pass plays, and third‑down conversions surrendered.
Holmes didn’t create the Okudah problem, but he failed to solve it.
2. The Failed Pursuit of a Veteran CB (2024)
Detroit explored multiple trade avenues in 2024 — including calls on players like Carlton Davis, Marshon Lattimore, and others — but never closed a deal. The Lions were aggressive in conversations but conservative in compensation, unwilling to part with premium picks.
The result was predictable: Detroit entered the season with a patchwork secondary that again finished among the worst in football.
Holmes’ discipline is admirable. But discipline without solutions becomes stagnation.
3. The 2026 Rumored Trade‑Up for Reuben Bain Jr.
This wasn’t a secondary move, but it reveals a pattern. Holmes reportedly attempted to trade up to No. 10 with the Giants to draft EDGE Reuben Bain Jr. — a move that would’ve cost significant future capital. The Lions backed off when the price became too steep.
The problem? Detroit needed a blue‑chip defensive back far more than another pass rusher. Holmes’ focus on the trenches is understandable, but the secondary remained the team’s most urgent weakness. Passing on a premium DB in favor of a rumored EDGE pursuit shows how the Lions’ roster priorities have been skewed.
FREE‑AGENT MISSES
1. Cameron Sutton (2023)
This was supposed to be the fix. Sutton arrived from Pittsburgh as a reliable, versatile corner with strong coverage metrics. Detroit paid him like a CB1 — and he played like a CB3.
Sutton struggled in man coverage, gave up explosive plays at an alarming rate, and never became the stabilizing force Holmes envisioned. His tenure ended abruptly and controversially, leaving Detroit with yet another hole at the position.
This was Holmes’ biggest swing at cornerback — and it was a miss.
2. Emmanuel Moseley (2021)
Holmes signed Moseley as a low‑risk, high‑reward option. Instead, Moseley tore his ACL almost immediately and never contributed meaningful snaps.
In isolation, this isn’t a catastrophic miss. But in context — paired with Sutton’s struggles and the lack of depth behind them — it compounded the problem.
Holmes bet on upside instead of certainty. The Lions paid the price.
3. The 2024 Veteran Safety Carousel
Detroit cycled through multiple veteran safeties in 2024, none of whom provided the impact needed to stabilize the back end. Names came and went, but the production never improved.
Holmes has drafted well at safety — Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are legitimate building blocks — but the free‑agent additions meant to complement them have been forgettable at best.
4. The Joey Porter Jr. Trade that Never Happened (2026)
Holmes missed out on Joey Porter Jr. by only offering a third round pick in 2027. Which is better than what the Cowboys offered next season, but they added a second round pick. Thus getting Porter in the middle of Wednesday night. Big whiff on potentially the best CB available for trade.
5. The 2025 CB Market Misses
The Lions were linked to several free‑agent corners in 2025, including Stephon Gilmore, Kendall Fuller, and Chidobe Awuzie. Detroit showed interest but never landed any of them.
Holmes’ approach has consistently been:
- Don’t overpay
- Don’t panic
- Don’t sacrifice future flexibility
But when your secondary is consistently bottom‑five, refusing to invest becomes its own form of overpay — because the cost shows up on Sundays.
THE ARCHITECT OF A LOPSIDED ROSTER
Brad Holmes deserves credit for building one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses. He deserves credit for drafting foundational pieces like Amon‑Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and Aidan Hutchinson. He deserves credit for reshaping the culture and making Detroit a destination.
But he also deserves criticism for the one flaw he has not fixed: the Lions’ secondary has consistently been the worst in the league by passing yardage totals.
This isn’t a coincidence. It’s a roster‑building philosophy.
Holmes prioritizes:
- Offensive line
- Defensive line
- Offensive skill positions
- Culture and continuity
He does not prioritize:
- Premium cornerback investment
- Veteran defensive back stability
- Aggressive trade compensation for DBs
- High‑end free‑agent spending at CB
The result is a roster that can win shootouts but rarely control them.
THE PATH FORWARD
Detroit doesn’t need a complete defensive overhaul. They need one thing: a legitimate, top‑tier cornerback and a renewed commitment to the secondary.
Holmes has built a contender. But contenders become champions when they eliminate their fatal flaws — not when they learn to live with them.
The Lions have lived with this flaw long enough!
