The Detroit Lions are 1-6 and have the worst record in the NFL, but general manager Brad Holmes insisted Wednesday he still would have traded tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings for the swap of draft picks he received had the Lions been 6-1 and leading their division.
“This move was not reflective of our record,” Holmes said Wednesday. “If our record was reversed and it made sense for us, then we would have still done it. So it wasn’t anything of that nature, but it made sense for us and we just move forward.”
The Lions traded Hockenson, their leading receiver with 395 yards, to the Vikings at Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline for a 2023 second-round pick and 2024 third-rounder. They also gave up a 2023 fourth-round pick in the deal and a conditional 2024 fourth-rounder that could become a fifth-rounder if the Vikings win a playoff game.
After a year and a half of dancing around the term “rebuild,” the Lions have embraced the fix-it state of their roster during this year’s disappointing start.
Owner Sheila Hamp said last month, when she gave Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell a semi-vote of confidence, that the franchise is in the middle of “a huge teardown and then turnaround,” and Holmes explained Wednesday the trade made sense for both teams because “people are in different windows” to win.
“We’re still in the build phase,” he said. “So I mean, with the capital that we received back from a compensation standpoint, I just think it made a lot of sense for us to continue on this build.”
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The Lions are 4-19-1 since Holmes and Campbell were hired in simultaneous search processes in January 2021 and have lost five straight heading into Sunday’s home game against the Green Bay Packers.
They rank top 10 in most offensive categories, including points, yards, passing yards and rushing yards per game, but have the worst defense in the NFL.
Holmes insisted his team’s offensive success is one reason he would have been willing to trade Hockenson even if the Lions were contenders.
“Just like I said, I think that we’ve proven that our offense can score a lot of points and I’m sure that he was a part of it, but the deal with him made sense,” Holmes said. “It was not based on record whatsoever. I think it was a good deal for the future of our team and that’s my job is; I always got to have a laser focus, not only on the current but also the future. And that’s what I did and it just made sense for us.”
Holmes said the compensation — the Lions now have two first-round picks and two seconds in next year’s draft, valuable chips to add pieces to their roster or maneuver to get players they like in the draft — and Hockenson’s unsettled contract situation also were factors in the deal.
The Lions exercised the fifth-year option on Hockenson’s rookie contract this spring, but had not engaged in talks on a new deal and were reluctant to make him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL.
Hockenson, 25, is scheduled to become a free agent in 2024, with a guaranteed $9.392 million on the books for next season.
“There’s a lot of variables and factors that go into these decisions and I’m not going to say that, that was not one of them that was looked at,” Holmes said. “That’s one of many that was looked at, but it wasn’t solely focused on that at all.”
After dealing away one of their top offensive weapons for draft assets, the Lions must guard against players playing out the season believing the franchise is more focused on the future than the now.
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Campbell said he does not believe that will be an issue, and he told players in their team meeting Wednesday that Hockenson’s departure creates more opportunities for them.
Brock Wright, who is in concussion protocol but expected to play Sunday, and rookie fifth-round pick James Mitchell are expected to take over as the Lions’ top two tight ends, though Campbell said practice squad tight end James Zylstra and fullback Jason Cabinda, who is on the physically unable to perform list, could be in the mix for playing time, too.
“I’ve simply told them that, look, this is a business decision and there’s nothing personal,” he said. “I got a lot of respect for T.J., as does everybody and wish him the best until we play him again, but he’s — and no hard feelings. We talked yesterday, all’s great. And I just told them that and told them that what I have to judge is, ‘Well, where does his production go now?’ And I have to feel OK with that production going to (Amon-Ra) St. Brown, Leaf (Kalif Raymond), (Josh) Reynolds, (D’Andre) Swift, another carry for Jamaal (Williams) and the other tight ends, and I feel OK with that.”
As for the larger state of the franchise, Holmes declined to say whether he has the power to make a coaching change after this season and he would not put a timetable on when the Lions as legitimate contenders in the NFC.
“We don’t go into the season thinking, ‘Oh, well, we’re in build so let’s let the foot off the gas and let’s just lose games,'” Holmes said. “I mean, we’re working hard every single day to win as many games as possible. We still got 10 games left and that’s what we’re working hard to do, so just because we’re in that phase of rebuilding doesn’t mean that we can’t go out, work as hard as we can, compete and win some games.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.