Lions GM Brad Holmes says team doesn’t have to draft OT, EDGE

Detroit Lions executive vice president and general manager Brad Holmes speaks during media availability at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images If you look at any Detroit Lions mock draft these days, you’ll almost certainly see an offensive tackle or defensive end mocked to them with a first or second-round pick (or both).

It’s almost universally viewed as the team’s biggest needs going into next week 2026 NFL Draft. But during his pre-draft press conference on Monday, Lions general manager Brad Holmes insisted that he believes the roster is in a position where they don’t have to draft either of those positions. In free agency, the Lions signed former Dolphins offensive tackle Larry Borom to a one-year, $5 million deal, and defensive end DJ Wonnum to a one-year, $3 million deal.

Holmes believes those players—who have started 38 and 54 games respectively—have put the Lions in a good position in the draft. “I’ve said in the past, I thought Borom put out good tape this year. I don’t foresee that—I don’t have a crystal ball—but from what (the) last thing I saw on tape (was) I do think that he’s got starter-level ability and same as Wonnum,” Holmes said.

“You’re talking about guys that have been starters in the NFL, but you just kinda look at where the trend is going, where the arrow is going. The last time, they’re still young, but we feel good about both of them. So we don’t feel like we have to supplement them.