The praise is there, but not everyone is buying it. Even after the Detroit Lions received strong recognition for their offseason, a radio host has taken a deeper look and put forth a different perspective.

While in conversation with Jonathan Ward Jansen on 97.1 The Ticket, the host Jim Costa spoke again about the Lions' free agency acquisitions. Considering Ben Solak’s ranking and analysis of the top picks in the 2026 free agency window, he said, “Everything he said is true. How he got them up to number three is where I disagree.”

He raised some genuine concerns about the present approaches and the signings made by the Detroit Lions.

“Did you do enough in free agency to get starting-caliber impact guys?” and “Are you good enough to win a Super Bowl?”

Let’s hear the other side of the story first. Ben Solak considered these three pointers for his analysis and ranking of the teams. Using these parameters, he ranked the Pittsburgh Steelers first, followed by the San Francisco 49ers as No. 2 and the Detroit Lions as No. 3. 

Firstly, he considered the individual situations of the teams, followed by the salary cap resources, depth charts, and schematic fits.

In a similar way, the Lions follow an approach where they fill the gaps through free agency, acquire the core talent from the drafts, further adjustments are made through internal rotations, and at the end use cap shuffling to retain or to acquire a new talent. 

But Costa has a different approach, and he does not agree with GM Brad Holmes. He believes that the Lions must have gone for strong starters instead of adding more depth to the roster. 

If the Lions are really suffering from financial constraints, then they have done a great job. 

“If the objective is we're broke. We got to get value. We got to get guys with upside. We have to win on the margins. Did a damn good job,” Costa said. “But it's the financial constraints that are handcuffs you put on yourself that yeah sure you did great,” Jim Costa added. 

But he believes that the Detroit Lions have handcuffed themselves, and talking with the same narrative, he said, “Because you handcuffed yourself and this was the only way to move forward, and they absolutely nailed the margins.”

Although there are many like Jim Costa who do not agree with Holmes' approach, the approach makes sense. The Lions may have a cap space problem in the future. Their core talent is going to have their contracts renewed. Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, and Kerby Joseph are up for their big second deal. 

Whereas, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, and Jack Campbell are now eligible for new contracts. Also, the Lions will only be getting two shots on the top 100 draft options due to their aggressive step in acquiring Isaac TeSlaa at the cost of their two picks in the 3rd round for the 2026 NFL draft.

Why Lions Focused on Depth and Fit With Their Free Agency Acquisitions

During this offseason, it wasn’t about making one big splash, for the Detroit Lions it was more about building layers across the roster. 

This approach of GM Brad Holmes shows up clearly in the players they brought in. 

Center Cade Mays (62.4 PFF) and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs give them flexibility inside, while Larry Borom (60.7 PFF) adds depth at tackle. It’s not headline-grabbing, but it strengthens protection across multiple spots.

Similarly, in the defense lineup, the same pattern holds. D.J. Wonnum (54.7 PFF) adds rotational value at linebacker, while corners Rock Ya-Sin (62.8 PFF) and Roger McCreary (69.2 PFF) give the secondary more options. 

None of these moves is built around star power, they’re built around coverage depth and situational use. It allows the defense to adjust based on matchups rather than relying on one or two players.

The offense also gets support beyond the line. Isiah Pacheco (58.6 PFF) brings a different running style, adding balance to the backfield. 

Ben Bartch adds another interior option, while retaining kicker Jake Bates keeps continuity on special teams. Taken together, these moves explain the strategy, not chasing names, but building a roster that can hold up over a full season.

What do you think about GM Brad Holmes’ approach? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker

Edited by

Joyita Das