Staying true to his word, it hasn’t been the splashiest of free agency periods so far for Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes. Both Holmes and Dan Campbell have said from the beginning that their goal is to draft, develop, and retain their own players. In fact, if you look around the league at the teams who are consistently good year to year, that is typically the case for them, too.
However, that strategy has its own obstacles to overcome—especially as the young core that Holmes has drafted comes of age. Players like All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown were among the first of the foundational players to get their extensions, and others such as running back Jahmyr Gibbs and linebacker Jack Campbell are likely up next. To supplement those bigger contracts being handed out, NFL executives need to find contributions elsewhere from players that are on more cost-controlled contracts. And for the most part, there are two ways to do that—via the NFL Draft, and smart, calculated moves in free agency.
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Now that we are about two weeks into the 2026 free agency period, we are seeing the vision begin to come together. There are obviously still issues that need to be addressed, but then again, it is the middle of March. That brings us to today’s question of the day—what has been your favorite move of the Lions’ free agency period thus far? If you need a quick recap, be sure to check out Jeremy and Erik’s free agency tracker.
My answer: I am going with one of the first big moves that Detroit made with the signing of center Cade Mays. Simply put, I believe the easiest way the Lions can get back to where they want to be in 2026 is by getting their offensive line back to its former glory. And with the addition of Mays, it improves not only the center position, but will allow second-year right guard Tate Ratledge to settle in between Mays and the perennial All-Pro to his right.
What about you? What has been your favorite signing thus far in 2026 and why? Let us know in the comments below.
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