Detroit Lions finally lose a player drafted by Brad Holmes to free agency

Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes’ incredible drafting streak is coming to an end, losing his first of 23 draft picks to freea gency.

Through three years, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes accomplished something quietly remarkable. By the end of the 2023 season, every single Lions draft pick under Holmes—from 2021 to 2023—was still rostered by the team in some fashion. Of his 23 draft picks, 22 were still on the 53-man roster (or injured reserve) while one (Jermar Jefferson) was on the practice squad.

That will finally change in 2024.

Cornerback Chase Lucas, the Lions’ seventh-round pick in 2022, is signing with the San Francisco 49ers, per several reports.

Lucas was an interesting situation, as he entered the offseason as an exclusive rights free agent. Typically, that means the player will return under a minimum salary deal with no issues. And while there was reported interest from the Lions to bring back Lucas, according to our own Erik Schlitt, the Lions and Lucas agreed prior to the offseason to let the 27-year-old cornerback test free agency.

Lucas spent two years with the Lions on and off the roster. When active on game days, he was a heavy special teams contributor, often playing the important role of punt coverage gunner. In two seasons, Lucas played a total of 18 games and made six tackles. Only five Lions players had more special teams snaps than him in 2023.

That said, the Lions have done a lot this offseason to overhaul and bulk up the cornerback room. They’ve re-signed Emmanuel Moseley, traded for Carlton Davis, signed Amik Robertson, and they’re reportedly still looking, hosting Tavierre Thomas on a free agency visit on Friday.

While it’s sad to see Lucas go and Holmes’ incredible streak come to an end, it’s still quite amazing that 22 of Detroit’s 23 draft picks over the past three years remain on the roster.