On Thursday, the Green Bay Packers went against their typical mode by acquiring edge rusher Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys. They gave up two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark in the trade, and they've also given Parsons a four-year, $188 million contract.
The Detroit Lions have become the hunted in the NFC North, and the Packers declared themselves as a significant hunter with the move to acquire Parsons.
Meanwhile, Lions general manager Brad Holmes only bristles at the idea that there's not enough priority placed on adding another capable edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson. But bringing back Marcus Davenport, using a Day 3 pick on the position and doing a long-running dance with Za'Darius Smith (which may now be over, by the way) isn't enough.
Holmes also consistently professes how he doesn't feel the Lions are in a proverbial "Super Bowl window", when most of the rest of the world (including head coach Dan Campbell, to some extent) would say they are. Each postseason run that ends short of the Super Bowl is another year shaved off that window.
Lions beat writer calls a spade a spade in wake of Micah Parsons trade
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press wrote about the impact of the Parsons trade on the Lions*.*
"It's (the Parsons trade) the kind of all-in move Detroit Lions fans have been clamoring for since Aidan Hutchinson broke his leg last October, and while there's no guarantee it works out – just as there's no guarantee the Lions' stay-the-course, build-through-the-draft approach will pay dividends in the near future – it stamps the Packers as a come-and-get-me contender in the wide-open NFC."
Birkett acknowledged all the barriers to the Lions making a big move like the Packers did to get Parsons. In the simplest terms, paying two edge rushers top-of-the-market money, with more big contract decisions to come, is not palatable. And it would not be palatable for any team in a similar circumstance. Birkett then hit the nail on the head when it comes to the broader sentiment that's in play.
"Still, if I was a Lions fan, I'd be frustrated that my team – one that came one win away from the Super Bowl two years ago and possibly a few defensive injuries away from it again last year – didn't do more in recent months to enhance its position as one of the best teams in the NFC."
Holmes has earned ample leeway and trust, since his roster-building plan has clearly worked. But there are also times when some calculated aggressiveness might be nice, especially as teams of similar standing in the NFC (or the league as a whole) do it.
Instead, the Lions largely sit out of those ideas as Holmes laments being able to afford them. In the case of the Parsons trade, a division rival made a bold move that could push them over the top, while Holmes consistently epitomizes the shrug emoji on such matters.