The Detroit Lions have announced that they have hired the Los Angeles Rams now-former director of college scouting Brad Holmes to a five-year deal to become their general manager.
The Lions parted ways with general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia midway through the 2020 NFL season following an underwhelming stint in charge. They had since wasted no time in finding potential suitors to help fill the vacancies.
The Rams have enjoyed quite the resurgence in recent years and this is thanks to the efforts of those on the coaching staff and in the front office. Holmes has helped play an integral role in establishing a strong core of talented, young players that are currently featured on the roster.
Rams general manager Les Snead thanked Holmes for all his hard work and wished him the best of luck on his future endeavors, via the team’s official Twitter:
“We are all excited for this opportunity for Brad. He has spent his entire career with the Rams and he earned his position with the Lions due to his dedication to being an astute evaluator of football talent, dynamic intelligence, unwavering leadership. All of those qualities will ensure that he is set up to be successful in the next chapter of his career.”
Holmes started off as a public relations intern with the Rams back in 2003 when the team was in St. Louis. He eventually made the switch over to the scouting department the following year and worked his way up to becoming one of the youngest GMs in the league at just 41 years old.
It is safe to say that Holmes has a tall task ahead of him with the Lions considering they have been in the rebuilding process for quite some time now. Fortunately, he will have some assets to work with since the Lions own the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
He has already gotten a head start on that rebuild, and he worked with Snead to do it as the Rams traded Jared Goff and three draft picks for Matthew Stafford in what was an early blockbuster trade.
Holmes now has the draft capital necessary for a rebuild, while the Rams get a veteran quarterback to help get them over the top.
Regardless of the trade, the Rams may have lost an integral part of their front office, but they will be the first to benefit from the NFL’s new hiring rules of minority candidates since they are going to receive a third-round compensatory pick this year and next.
