Lions GM Brad Holmes Was Overly Confident in the Lions' Wide Receivers

Holmes: "I messed up."

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes admitted that he was overly confident in the team's wide receivers during the 2023 season. The Lions finished the season with a 9-8 record, but their passing offense was one of the worst in the NFL.

Holmes said that he made a mistake by not adding more depth to the wide receiver position during the offseason. The Lions lost their top two wide receivers, Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, to free agency in 2022.

Holmes: "We got a little too confident."

Holmes said that he was confident that the Lions' young wide receivers, such as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, would be able to step up and produce in 2023.

However, St. Brown and Williams both struggled with injuries this season. St. Brown missed five games with a concussion, and Williams missed the entire season with a torn ACL.

Without St. Brown and Williams, the Lions' passing offense struggled to find consistency. Quarterback Jared Goff finished the season with 3,531 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

Holmes said that he has learned from his mistake and that he will be more aggressive in adding depth to the wide receiver position during the offseason.

Holmes: "We're going to make some changes."

Holmes said that the Lions are going to make some changes to their wide receiver corps this offseason. He said that the team is looking to add a veteran wide receiver who can provide leadership and stability.

Holmes also said that the Lions are going to be more patient with their young wide receivers. He said that he believes that St. Brown and Williams have the potential to be very good players, but that they need time to develop.

The Lions' wide receiver corps is one of the biggest question marks on the team heading into the 2024 season. Holmes will need to make some changes if the Lions want to improve their passing offense.