Boy, Brad Holmes sure doesn’t waste any time.
Just hours after the Detroit Lions announced that Holmes had been hired as the team’s new general manager, they also announced the signing of three players to future deals. Cornerback Godwin Igwebuike, defensive end Robert McCray and Hunter Thedford have all signed with the team.
Of course, Holmes’ influence in these decisions were likely very little, if any. Thedford’s signing was done on Wednesday night, prior to Holmes’ hiring. Detroit’s personnel decisions were likely decided by Detroit’s interim group of personnel employees, including Kyle O’Brien, Lance Newmark, Rob Lohman and Mike Disner.
As for the players, Igwebuike is a former undrafted safety from Northwestern. He’s bounced from the Buccaneers to the 49ers to the Eagles to the Jets since entering the league in 2018. Most recently, he played in five games for the XFL’s Seattle Dragons, picking up one interception, two passes defended and 21 tackles.
Robert McCray also went undrafted in 2018, as an Indiana Hoosier. The Chiefs initially swooped him up, but he spent all of his rookie year on the practice squad. The Browns picked him up the following year for the final month of the 2019 season, but he only made one game appearance. He was waived after the season, and spent 2020 out of the NFL. In his senior year at Indiana, however, he tallied 6.0 sacks, earning himself an honorable mention for All-Big Ten.
Finally, Hunter Thedford is a big, bulking tight end from Utah. Listed at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, Thedford transferred from Southern Methodist, where he played for three season. Mostly used as a blocking tight end, Thedford had just five career catches in college.
Last week, the Lions signed five players to future deals, all in house: Victor Bolden, Tom Kennedy, Evan Brown, Jalen Elliott and Anthony Pittman.