On Friday, 2024 compensatory picks were announced. As expected, the Detroit Lions did not receive a compensatory draft pick for next month's draft. However, this in no way means that Brad Holmes isn't preparing the Lions to be in contention for compensatory draft picks in 2025.
If unfamiliar with how compensatory picks are awarded, generally, teams that lose more in free agency than they gain receive comp picks. For example, when the Lions didn't resign Kenny Golladay, who received a massive contract from the New York Giants, the Lions received a comp 3rd round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. That wasn't the only pick they received in 2022, as they also received a 5th and a 6th for losing Jamaal Agnew and Jarrad Davis. Those picks were used to select Kerby Joseph, James Mitchell, and James Houston.
When looking at teams dominating the league in bringing in comp picks, you'll see several of the best run organizations on the list, and more importantly, teams with ties to the Lions front office and Brad Holmes himself. The Los Angeles Rams (5), San Francisco 49ers (5), and New Orleans Saints (3) will all receive nice hauls of comp picks in the 2024 draft because of their savvy moves in the 2023 offseason.
This brings us to the 2024 offseason -- an offseason where the Detroit Lions have over $50M in available cap space to use and several glaring needs to fill. While the Lions have the available cap space to bring in several "big name" free agents, this is not Brad Holmes strategy in free agency, and he's said as much. Brad plans on resigning key players while being "very strategic" in the free agents that he brings in.
So how does Brad secure comp picks in 2025? Here are five quick thoughts:
The Lions let CJGJ walk in free agency.
The Lions let Jonah Jackson walk in free agency.
The Lions let Josh Reynolds walk in free agency.
The Lions use the bulk of available cap space to resign ARSB, Goff, Sewell, and/or other pending free agents.
The largest "splash" the Lions make this offseason is through a trade (or several).
The Lions being rumored to be in on a potential trade for a top CB has only furthered my belief that Brad Holmes could position the Lions to get several compensatory picks in 2025. Since trades don't count against comp picks, bringing in several top talents via trade and signing them to new contracts will still allow the Lions to receive comp picks for players walking in free agency.
What do you think?
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