While it’s no surprise that Philadelphia’s Howie Roseman and San Francisco’s John Lynch are presumed front-runners for NFL General Manager of the Year, the job Brad Holmes has done with the Detroit Lions shouldn’t be overlooked.

In a recent column for The Athletic, national NFL writer Mike Jones named Holmes as one of six GMs whose stock is on the rise.

“He flipped Matthew Stafford in 2021 for Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third, and now Goff (top 10 in passing) looks like he could be more than just a short-term bridge,” Jones said. “Meanwhile, smart draft selections are paying off. Rookies Aidan Hutchinson, Malcolm Rodriguez, James Houston and Kerby Joseph are making key contributions, as are picks from last year’s draft. Holmes acquired more draft capital by trading tight end T.J. Hockenson to Minnesota. As the young talent has rounded into form, the Lions have scratched and clawed their way back from 1-6 to force their way into the wild card race at 7-8.”