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We all know Brad Holmes likes to move around the draft. If there’s a player he is passionate about, he will trade up for him like he did for Jameson Williams, moving up 20 spots in round one a couple of years ago. If there is no one catching his eye or the offer is too good to refuse, then he will trade back like he did for Gibbs, going from pick 6 to pick 12, while also acquiring the pick used on Sam LaPorta in the process.

With the draft coming up later this week, I wanted to look at the moves he’s made in the past and let the fans out there know there’s a 50/50 chance we are not even picking at 28. Since Brad Holmes has been the general manager of the Detroit Lions (2021), he has made moves all around the draft, sometimes up, sometimes down, and sometimes even down again after trading down before. He is unpredictable, and you can never walk away from your TV without a chance of missing the Lions making a move.

2021 NFL Draft

In Brad Holmes’ first draft as the Lions GM, he only made one move. Sending pick number 153 overall and a 2022 4th-round pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for 130 overall and 257 overall. The Lions used No. 130 to draft linebacker Derrick Barnes, and pick number 257 on running back Jermar Jefferson.

Pick No, 153, the Lions traded away, became linebacker Tony Fields II from West Virginia, and the 2022 4th round pick turned into running back Dameon Pierce from the University of Florida after that pick was traded from Cleveland to the Houston Texans.

Totality of trade:

Lions gain: Derrick Barnes and Jermar Jefferson.

Cleveland gain: Tony Fields II and Dameon Pierce (Pierce pick traded to Houston in later trade)

2022 NFL Draft

In 2022 Brad Holmes made his biggest move, moving up 20 spots in the first round from 32 all the way to 12 with their division rival Minnesota Vikings, to select WR Jameson Williams from Alabama. To move up to 12, the Lions had to give away picks 32, 34, and 66, while gaining picks 12 and 46. With pick 46, the Lions selected DE Josh Paschal from Kentucky.

The Vikings used the picks they acquired from the Lions to select #32 safety Lewis Cine from Alabama, #34 WR Christian Watson North Dakota State (After the pick was traded again, this time to the Green Bay Packers) and #66 linebacker Brian Asamoah from Oklahoma

Later in this draft, Holmes made another move, this time trading down, sending pick 181 to the Philadelphia Eagles for picks #188 and #237.

At pick 181 the Eagles took DE Kyron Johnson from Kansas, as the Lions used their new picks on LB Malcolm Rodriguez from Oklahoma State, and CB Chase Lucas  from Arizona State

Totality of trades:

Lions gain: Jameson Williams, Josh Paschal, Malcolm Rodriguez, and Chase Lucas

Vikings gain: Lewis Cine, Christian Watson( trades to GB), and Brian Asamoah

Eagles gain: Kyron Johnson

2023 NFL Draft

In the 2023 NFL Draft, Holmes made 5 trades, the most of any year so far. He traded down 3 times and up twice, once again showing how he can dance around the draft wherever he needs to go.

The first move he made was trading down from 6th overall while adding in pick 81, to gain picks 12, 34, and 168 from the Arizona Cardinals. The Lions used those picks to select RB Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama, TE Sam LaPorta from Iowa, and pick 168 (Owen Pappoe) was traded away again in a later trade.

The Cardinals, who acquired picks #6 and 81 from the Lions in this trade, selected OT Paris Johnson Jr. from OSU, and traded pick 81 (RB Tyjae Spears from Tulane) again in a different trade.

The next move Holmes made was a trade up, as he sent away picks 48 and 159 to the Green Bay Packers, in exchange for pick 45. The Lions used pick 45 on Pro Bowl Safety Brian Branch from Alabama.

The Packers later traded pick 48 (Cody Mauch G from North Dakota State)  to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While using pick 159 on WR Dontayvion Wicks from Virginia.

After the move up that landed the Lions Branch, Holmes seemed to want more picks back because he traded down, trading away picks 55 and 194 to the KC Chiefs in exchange for picks 63, 122, and 249. The Lions traded away pick 63 (WR Marvin Mims Oklahoma), as well as pick 122 (OG Jon Gaines II from UCLA), and also pick 249 (DE Moro Ojomo Texas) in the trade I’ll talk about next.

KC used pick 55 they received from the Lions on WR Rashee Rice  from SMU.

As I mentioned above, the Lions once again traded down from pick 63 and 183, sending them to the Denver Broncos in exchange for picks 68, and 139. The Lions used pick 68 on QB Hendon Hooker from Tennesse and then re traded pick 139 (QB Clayton Tune from Houston).

The Broncos took WR Marvin Mims Oklahoma with pick 63 they got from the Lions.

With his last trade of a crazy 2023 NFL Draft the Lions traded up sending picks 122, 139, and 168 to the Arizona Cardinals for pick 96. With that pick the Lions selected DT Brodric Martin from Western Kentucky.

While pick 122 became OG Jon Gaines II from UCLA, pick 139 turned into WR Dontayvion Wicks from Virginia, and pick 168 was LB Owen Pappoe from Auburn.

Totality of trades:

Lions gain: Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, Hendon Hooker, Brodric Martin

Packers gain: Dontayvion Wicks

Cardinals gain: Paris Johnson Jr., Owen Pappoe, Jon Gains II, Clayton Tune,

Broncos gain: Marvin Mims

Chiefs gain: Rashee Rice

Eagles gain: Moro Ojomo

Buccaneers gain: Cody Mauch

Titans gain: Tyjae Spears

After so many trades, then some re-traded picks this is how many teams were involved with the Lions’ picks at one point in time. Clear winners are the Lions in all of this.

2024 NFL Draft

In the most recent draft, Brad Holmes moved all around the draft board with four more moves. This time moving up in the first round, sending picks 29, 73 and 2025’s pick 204 to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the 24th pick. With that pick the Lions select CB Terrion Arnold from Alabama.

Dallas used pick 29 on OT Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma, and pick 73 on OG Cooper Beebe from Kansas State.

The next move sent the Lions 2025 3rd round pick (92 overall this year) to the New York Jets for OT Giovanni Manu from British Columbia.

The Jets later traded that pick to the Seahawks who have yet to use it.

The Lions then stay aggressive and trade up again, sending picks 205, and 249 to the Houston Texans for pick 189. With that pick, the Lions selected DT Mekhi Wingo from LSU.

The Houston Texans used picks 205 on RB Jawhar Jordan from Louisville, and pick 249 on OG LaDarius Henderson from Michigan.

With his last trade, and the most recent, the Lions sent pick 164, 201, and a 2025 4th (pick 134 in this years draft) to the Eagles for pick 132 and 210. With pick 132, the Lions select RB Sione Vaki from Utah, and pick 210 on OG Christian Mahogany from Boston College.

The Eagles traded pick 164 to the Colts, it was used to select S Jaylin Simpson from Auburn, and pick 201 CB Micah Abraham from Marshall, while the 2025 4th round pick (134 overall) has not been used yet.

Totality of trades:

Lions gain: Terrion Arnold, Giovanni Manu, Mekhi Wingo, Sione Vaki, Christian Mahogany

Eagles gain: Pick 134 in this years draft

Colts gain: Jaylin Simpson, Micah Abraham

Texans gain: Jawhar Jordan, LaDarius Henderson

Dallas gain: Tyler Guyton, Cooper Beebe

Seahawks gain: Pick 92 this year.

Conclusion

The total number of draft day trades listed above is 12 (1 in 2021, 2 in 2022, 5 in 2023, 4 in 2024), in Brad Holmes’ four drafts as the Lions GM. The Lions hold the 28th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but if this article is any sign of things to come, there’s literally a 50/50 shot of the Lions not making the pick at that spot.

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