Brad Holmes said this week at the Annual League Meetings that this offseason was the best free agency he's had since becoming general manager of the Detroit Lions in 2021 because they were able to sign all of their top targets.
Next up for Holmes and the Lions is working on contract extensions for some of their own players, particularly quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Lions head coach Dan Campbell said this week it's important to get both deals done.
"Yeah, those are priorities," Campbell said. "Those are certainly priorities. I'm not going to get into those, but certainly there's conversations that are being had."
A fourth-round pick out of USC in 2021, St. Brown has the third most receptions (315) and eighth most receiving yards (3,588) through a player's first three seasons in NFL history. He set career highs with 119 catches, 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns, and earned All-Pro honors last year.
Asked what makes St. Brown special, Campbell responded, "What doesn't make him special?"
"Everything he does is why he's who he is. His work ethic, his desire to be good, his will to overcome. The amount of film that he watches, the pre-practice warmup, the post-practice routine that he has.
"I mean, it's just everything about him is about being the best player he can possibly be. Being the best player he can be. He wants to be the best, and everything he does, it's not lip service. Like, he literally does everything he can possibly do to be the best, and that's why.
"There's no secret. Just walk around with him. Why don't you go live with him for a while if you really want to know what it looks like. Half of the guys will say, 'Well, I'm going to be great,' and they would go, and they would quit Day 2 or Day 3. This guy just keeps going."
Goff is entering his fourth season in Detroit and is coming off a 2023 season that saw him complete a career-high 67.3 percent of his passes. He was second in the NFL in passing yards (4,575), fourth in touchdown passes (30) and first in passing first downs (227). His play is the No. 1 reason the Lions made it to their first NFC championship game since 1991.
"I love this place," Goff said back in January after the season concluded. "We'll see what happens as time goes on here, but yeah, I love this place and love Dan (Campbell) and all the coaches and all of my teammates.
"I've loved every second of my time here and would love more. Again, I love Dan and love the players here and my teammates. Yeah, it would be great (to get an extension) but it's not up to me."
