PFF has confirmed what Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes has been reluctant to acknowledge: the team’s “Super Bowl window” is very much “open.” Despite last season’s playoff defeat to the Washington Commanders, Holmes has consistently downplayed the idea of the team being in any specific “window” for a championship. Back in January, Holmes said, “We’ve done our best to avoid the concept of windows. I know contracts come up and things change, but we’re excited about our young core… All the pieces are in place, and I don’t feel like any walls are closing in.”
However, Holmes’ refusal to acknowledge a “window” doesn’t change the reality that the current roster is in its prime. The team’s decisions regarding contract extensions and offseason moves, including player releases, are clear indicators that now is the time to compete for a Super Bowl with this group of players. After consecutive playoff losses in recent years, the opportunity to win with this roster is increasingly limited.
In a ranking of NFL teams with the biggest Super Bowl windows heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, Zoltán Buday of Pro Football Focus placed the Lions at No. 5, between the Baltimore Ravens at No. 4 and the Houston Texans at No. 6. While the loss of coordinators Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson raises concerns, the Lions still boast a wealth of young talent, which should keep them in championship contention. Quarterback Jared Goff, who will turn 31 in the 2025 season, is the second-oldest projected starter on offense, highlighting the youth surrounding him. Key players like wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, tight end Sam LaPorta, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs all ranked among the top 10 at their respective positions in 2024.
Defensively, the Lions have one of the top safety tandems in the NFL with Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, both under 25 years old. Plus, edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who was a contender for Defensive Player of the Year before a season-ending injury, is also just 24.
Holmes may try to avoid the idea of a “window” with his calculated roster construction, but the truth is the Lions are in a Super Bowl window, and it shouldn’t be dismissed as mere exaggeration. Many teams have believed their window would remain open longer, only to find it closing faster than expected. The Lions may not have much time left with this core, as Buday’s ranking suggests the window is slowly closing for them.
