I seem to recall Holmes said he wanted to be more like the Ravens. The Ravens are a team that drafts well and doesn't spend a lot in free agency. The Ravens signed Flacco to a huge contract and were able to remain competitive for pretty much the entirety of his contract. The Lions want to be a consistent winner like the Ravens. They aren't always a Super Bowl caliber team but their floor is usually 9-10 wins and a playoff berth.