Swirling rumors in Detroit suggest a rift between Lions general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell about the club's offseason approach following a disappointing 9-8 season.
The Lions have lost several key veteran players, including linebacker Alex Anzalone, left tackle Taylor Decker, center Graham Glasgow, edge Al-Quadin Muhammad, defensive tackle Roy Lopez, cornerback Amik Robertson and receiver Kalif Raymond to free agency, and traded running back David Montgomery. Meanwhile, Detroit was mostly quiet in its acquisitions, handing out a trove of middling-to-low one-year deals. Center Cade Mays' three-year, $25 million pact was the only significant addition made this season.
Given the context, some contention between the coach and GM could be understandable, particularly given last season's struggles and the obvious roster holes. However, during a lengthy sit-down with the "" podcast, Holmes dismissed any rift or fissure between the two most important men in the organization.
"I think the only intensity I would say is just that when you have a disappointment of a season like we had, it's more intense in terms of, I think what I spoke about at the end of the season press conference is that it is a deeper, harder look from top to bottom on everything," Holmes said, . "And that's what me and Dan have done in joint alignment. So that would be the only intensity that was probably a little further because you get this eye opener, it's like, 'Whoa, hold on now.' And so let's just make sure that we're not overlooking something, or if there's not a tweak or an adjustment that needs to be done.
"So I would say that that would be the intensity, that's what's happening. I don't know where the other stuff came from, but no, I mean, if anything, it's me and Dan in total lockstep like we always have been, and we're just kind of looking at everything top to bottom, which we already have done and that we'll continue to do for sure."
It's a fairly straightforward and expected response from Holmes. Even if there were disagreements, neither he nor Campbell would exacerbate the issue by openly discussing the concern.
Holmes and Campbell joined forces in 2021 and led a sweeping turnaround of the perennial doormat. They've been up front about disagreements in the past, but insist that's healthy to keep the organization on the right path. The Lions' disappointing 2025 campaign underscores that success isn't linear. Trains can get derailed. The question is whether the Lions' bump was a complete de-tracking or simply a minor hiccup, and if they return to the postseason in 2026.
The rumors of a rift stemmed from the Lions adding few players of consequence during the offseason despite glaring holes on the offensive line and pass rusher. Detroit has mostly added depth pieces despite Campbell's stated desire in the aftermath of 2025 for more competition on the roster. Holmes insisted the offseason process is far from over.
"We're not done yet," he insisted. "We're not done yet. We got our eyes open, leading all the way up until the draft. So, this thing's not over with yet. Now, I don't have a crystal ball ⌠but no, seriously, we're still actively looking, still actively having discussions with players' agents. So, we're not done.
"Wherever it's set now, we're going to keep adding and keep adding. And then obviously when the draft comes, we're going to add as much as possible there with the right guys, and then when the draft's over, we're going to keep adding post-draft. I think we have a really good process for that as well to identify those guys, because that's the cool thing about the draft. ⌠After the draft, man, there's some exciting guys that are available that have played a lot of ball that you can still add. So, yeah, I think we have the right competition, but it's far from done."
