Did Brad Holmes Make A Free Agency Gamble That Will Cost The Lions?

Overall, Brad Holmes strategically addressed the Lions’ biggest roster gaps in free agency with low-cost acquisitions. However, one move looks like a risky gamble that might end up costing the team.

Did Brad Holmes Make A Free Agency Gamble That Will Cost The Lions?

Due to the Lions’ bloated salary cap, Holmes entered free agency with one hand figuratively tied behind his back. Before the restructure of Jared Goff’s contract, the Lions were approximately $8 million to $12.2 million over the limit on their 2026 salary cap.

Restructuring Goff’s contract cleared roughly $32 million in cap space. However, the Lions are still on the hook for over $26.4 million in dead money allocations this year.

Furthermore, with high-cost extensions for Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch looming this season, it left Holmes with very little “wiggle room.” Consequently, there wasn’t enough cap space to acquire premier free agents Maxx Crosby, Tyler Linderbaum, or Trey Hendrickson. It just wasn’t going to happen.

Holmes Working Within A Tight Window of Opportunity

Understanding the very tight window in which Holmes had to operate makes it easier to evaluate the job he did. Holmes succeeded in signing lower-cost quality players to meet the Lions’ needs. He scored high marks for the signing of center Cade Mays and cornerback Christian Izien. Both players seem ready to take on starting roles and fill an immediate roster gap. The additional free agent signings of Isiah Pacheco, Larry Borom, Roger McCeary, and Tyler Conklin provide depth in areas where recent departures left gaping holes in the Lions’ roster. Similarly, the recent additions of LB Damone Clark and WR Greg Dortch strengthen the roster.  

Re-signing talents Rock Ya-Sin and Tom Kennedy were solid priority moves. Both players should see an increased role this season. Teddy Bridgewater’s return provides a reliable veteran quarterback well-acquainted with the Detroit system. Holmes’ bringing back a healthy Malcolm Rodriguez should help alleviate some of the pain of losing Alex Anzalone.

However, one head-scratching move Holmes made still doesn’t quite add up. Did he make a big mistake in allowing Al-Quadin Muhammad to walk away in free agency? Muhammad signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The contract value is reportedly “up to $6 million.” It couldn’t be a cap-saving decision, because days later, Holmes signed Carolina Panthers EDGE D.J. Wonnum for the same amount of money.

Trying to Make Sense of The Muhammad / Wonnum Exchange 

Al-Quadin Muhammad

On paper, trying to compare the two men doesn’t make a lot of sense for Detroit. Last year, Muhammad earned a 74.3 overall grade from PFF with 9 solo tackles, 12.0 sacks, and 53 pressures. He played a total of 457 snaps, with the majority on pass rush plays (353) and only 83 snaps on run defense. Muhammad’s 12.0 sacks ranked 10th in the NFL.

In 2024, playing only a limited backup role in his first year with the Lions, Muhammad had a career-best season in 2025.  He proved to be a strong fit in Detroit and perfectly complemented Aidan Hutchinson.  At 30 years old, the 6’3”, 230 lb. EDGE still has a lot of gas left in the tank.

D.J. Wonnum 

6’5” 258 lb. D.J. Wonnum played 16 games with 15 starts for the Panthers in 2025, recording 42 tackles (26 solo), 3.0 sacks, three PDFs, and one interception. He played a total of 688 snaps and earned a 54.7 overall PFF grade. His snap count was more evenly split, with 271 run defense snaps and 364 pass rush snaps.

On paper, quite frankly, the numbers don’t make sense. The only area where Wonnum was stronger was in the run defense. Perhaps Holmes gambled that Muhammad wouldn’t be offered a multi-year deal because of his age.  Or, did he rely on the fact that before coming to Detroit, Muhammad’s record was lackluster?

Even Muhammad was baffled by the Lions’ decision to let him go. He loved playing for Detroit and made it clear he preferred to stay. At times, an athlete’s performance is elevated by the caliber of talent alongside him. Certainly, playing with elite, supremely talented Hutchinson could elevate anyone’s game. Just as Muhammad was the perfect complement to Hutch, hopefully Wonnum will do just as well and justify Holmes’ confidence in him.