Who Is More To Blame For Poor Defense: Brad Holmes or Kelvin Sheppard? – Sports Illustrated

Who Is More To Blame For Poor Defense: Brad Holmes or Kelvin Sheppard?  Sports Illustrated

Examining whether Brad Holmes or Kelvin Sheppard is more to blame for Detroit Lions defensive woes. Unless you've been living under a rock, you're well aware that the Detroit Lions have had a major problem stopping opposing offenses the first two weeks of the 2026 season. Through two games, Dan Campbell's squad has allowed a completely unacceptable 915 total yards and 71 points. Plus, the Lions have already permitted 13 total plays of 20-plus yards, including seven against the Bills in Week 2. While Detroit's defensive woes can certainly be at least partially attributed to Kelvin Sheppard's shoddy scheming and poor play-calling, they are much deeper rooted. In fact, more than any other reason, the Lions’ lackluster play on defense is due to a lack of talent.

And that shortcoming falls squarely on the shoulders of Brad Holmes. The sixth-year GM did not do enough this offseason to put the team's defense in position to succeed on a weekly basis. For starters, he did not adequately replace Terrion Arnold at outside cornerback. For as much as Arnold struggled in his time in the Motor City, he still was projected to have a major role in Detroit's secondary prior to his release. And no offense to the likes of Avonte Maddox, Roger McCreary and Rock Ya-Sin, but they don't possess the