A look back at the Detroit Lions’ biggest roster moves of 2024—and whether GM Brad Holmes made the right decision.
Based on our most recent approval poll, most Detroit Lions fans are pretty darn happy with the job General Manager Brad Holmes is doing. He’s currently sitting on a 96 percent approval rating—which is actually the lowest it’s been in nearly three years. That just goes to show you how high the bar Holmes has set for himself.
Much of the focus when discussing Holmes is his stellar draft record, but his job extends far beyond that. So, let’s look back at the 2024 season and re-grade all of his significant roster moves throughout the year.
Biggest free agency adds:
- G Kevin Zeitler: 1 year, $6 million
- EDGE Marcus Davenport: 1 year, $6.5 million
- DT DJ Reader: 2 years, $22 million
- CB Amik Robertson: 2 years, $9.25 million
- K Jake Bates: 2 years, $1.9 million
It was a mixed bag for the Lions’ free agent swings—but certainly more good than bad.
On the positive side, the Zeitler contract was an absolute steal. Detroit received top-five guard play from Zeitler while paying him money closer to that of the 20th-best guard. Detroit also got savvy contributions from Robertson. While he was only credited with four starts last year, he was essentially the team’s starting nickel—playing in at least 17 snaps in every single game. And when the Lions got shorthanded on the outside, Robertson did a fantastic job filling in—including when he helped shut Justin Jefferson down in the regular season finale. Then there was Detroit’s dice roll with kicker Jake Bates. Despite an up-and-down training camp, Bates may have turned out to be the team’s biggest bargain. Bates’ average per year of $990,000 currently ranks 39th out of active NFL kickers, and he proceeded to 26-of-29 last year, including a few game-winners and six made kicks of 50+ yards.
The Marcus Davenport gamble, however, did not pay off. Detroit took a mild swing with the oft-injured defensive end, and he lasted just two games before being placed on season-ending injured reserve.
The jury is still out on whether the Reader deal was worth it. It was a relatively quiet year for the nose tackle, but that could have been expected. For one, nose tackle play is always relatively quiet, but Reader was also coming off a torn quad and forced to take on a bigger role due to injuries around him. With a full offseason to focus on football, a jump in play in 2025 could justify that contract.
Free agency adds grades: B
Biggest free agent losses:
- TE Zach Ertz: 1 year, $3.75 million with Commanders
- WR Josh Reynolds: 2 years, $9 million with Broncos
- G Jonah Jackson: 3 years, $51 million with Rams
Free agency isn’t just about the players you add. Sometimes, it’s about which players you let walk and which you re-sign. From this shortlist, you can see the Lions made just about every possible right decision they could in free agency.
Ertz did go on to have a very successful year with the Commanders (66 catches, 654 yards, 7 TDs), but Detroit only laid claim to Ertz because they were in injury trouble at the end of 2023. He never played a game for the Lions and was never part of their long-term plans.
Letting Reynolds and Jackson walk turned out to be brilliant moves. Reynolds struggled to stay healthy, played in just five games, and caught just 12 passes before Denver cut him midseason. He would land with the Jaguars and log just a single catch in four game appearances. Now, the Lions did get a little fortunate, because they weren’t able to find their Reynolds replacement until Tim Patrick fell in their lap at the end of training camp. Still, they eventually got great production out of a cheaper option ($1.125M for Patrick).
Jackson was a disaster for the Rams, who have already traded the guard away to the Chicago Bears this offseason. Due to injuries and struggles, he played just four games in Los Angeles before eventually getting benched.
Free agency losses grade: A
Trades:
- CB Carlton Davis — Sent 2024 third-round pick for Davis, 2024 and 2025 sixth-round picks
- EDGE Za’Darius Smith — Sent 2025 fifth-rounder, 2026 sixth-rounder for Smith, and 2026 seventh-rounder
There can be a healthy debate as to whether the Carlton Davis trade was worth it. Not only did the Lions lose a third-round pick, but they inherited $14.5 million in cap space from his previous contract (nearly $10 million of which is hitting the 2025 cap). Davis provided strong play for the Lions, but his lengthy injury history proved to be a costly risk for Detroit. Davis suffered a broken jaw and missed the final three games of the season and the Lions’ sole playoff game. On top of that, the Lions weren’t able to keep Davis around, as he signed with the Patriots this offseason. Was he still worth the risk? Probably not, but it’s easy to see why Holmes made the move.
Smith joined the team at the trade deadline as a relatively low-cost move with high upside. In eight games in Detroit, Smith logged 4.0 sacks, three tackles for loss, a pass defended, and 27 pressures (per PFF). As a relatively low investment, this feels like the right move at the right time. It will be made even better if Smith opts to re-sign in Detroit, as he appears to have liked the culture here.
Trades grade: C+
2024 NFL Draft haul:
- 1st round: CB Terrion Arnold
- 2nd round: CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
- 4th round: OT Giovanni Manu
- 4th round: RB Sione Vaki
- 6th round: DT Mekhi Wingo
- 6th round: G Christian Mahogany
It’s far too early to pass any sweeping judgments on the 2024 draft class, but it appears the Lions have produced at least two starters from the group. Arnold enters 2025 as a presumed starter at cornerback, while Mahogany is a slight favorite to win one of the starting guard jobs. With Vaki already providing strong special teams play and Wingo showing flashes of a Day 3 steal, I would say the outlook is relatively good for this draft—although not on the levels we’ve been accustomed to via Holmes.
Draft grade: TBD