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This is the seventh in an eight-part series providing an overview of the positional needs of the Detroit Lions as free agency approaches. The negotiation window officially opens on Monday and agreements can be signed from Wednesday. Today: defensive backs. Previously: Wide receivers | Running backs | Quarterback | Tight ends | Offensive line | Defensive line
Under contract: CB Jeff Okudah, CB Amani Oruwariye, CB Mike Ford, S Tracy Walker, S Will Harris, S CJ Moore, S Bobby Price, S Godwin Igwebuike (futures), S Jalen Elliott (futures)
Expiring contracts: CB Darryl Roberts, CB Tony McRae, S Duron Harmon, S Miles Killebrew
Best available: CB Patrick Peterson (Cardinals), CB Shaquill Griffen (Seahawks), CB Richard Sherman (Cardinals), CB Chidobe Awuzie (Cowboys), CB Desmond King (Titans), S Anthony Harris (Vikings), S John Johnson III (Rams)
Other names to watch out for: CB Michael Davis (Chargers), CB Lamarcus Joyner (Raiders), CB Mackensie Alexander (Bengals), CB Quinton Dunbar (Seahawks), CB PJ Williams (Saints), CB Troy Hill (Rams), S Rayshawn Jenkins (Rams), S DJ Sworn in (Saints), S Karl Joseph (Browns), S Malik Hooker (Colts)
Breakdown: The Lions have made significant investments in cornerback over the past four years, including spending first, second and two fifth-round picks in position. They also spent a lot on guys like Darius Slay, Desmond Trufant, and Justin Coleman. That’s four draft picks (one of which was in the top five) and three big contracts in just four years, a massive investment that somehow produced one of the worst defenses in the world. passage of the whole league last season. They allowed the most passing yards and the third most passing yards per game while picking the second fewest passing to become one of the worst defenses in NFL history.
Quinntricia’s mismanagement of high school was astounding, and she is already being taken apart. Kill, gone. Trufant, gone. Coleman, gone. Teez Tabor, a second round pick, is gone. Jamal Agnew, a fifth round pick, has changed positions and is now a free agent. The only turns under contract are Jeff Okudah, a top five pick who was one of the worst cornerbacks in the NFL last year; Amani Oruwariye, a strong end-of-round pick who continues to improve; and Mike Ford, a staple of the special teams who has just left. That’s all. And with $ 12.1 million in dead money wrapped up in Coleman and Trufant this season, it’s not like they can do much in free agency, either.
The Lions’ free agency plan is starting to emerge after the first signings from guys like wide receiver Tyrell Jackson and tight end Josh Hill. They want reasonably priced free agents who have previous relationships with these staff and can help entrench the new culture – all without a long-term financial commitment. This is where this team is in the early days of a total rebuild, and they won’t be competitive for high end corners like Patrick Peterson, Shaquill Griffen and Richard Sherman.
But Detroit still needs at least one more corner it can trust, at an affordable price. Think of a guy like Troy Hill, who started all 16 regular-season games last year, defended 10 assists, intercepted three more and returned two for touchdowns. And he did it all while playing for the Rams, where Lions general manager Brad Holmes worked as director of college scouting.
If the Lions open up spending, maybe someone like Michael Davis will interest them. Davis is tall (6ft 2in), can run, and is still only 26 years old. He also broke 23 passes in the past two seasons and intercepted five assists. And he did it all playing for the Chargers under current Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn. Davis ticks all the boxes except the price, which could be north of $ 9 million per year.
Another corner to watch: PJ Williams, a sixth-year player who has spent his entire career under Aaron Glenn, the former Saints defensive back coach who has just been hired as Detroit’s defensive coordinator. Williams is the kind of versatile player teams love on the bench in the defensive backfield. “PJ, just the ultimate Swiss Army Knife for us,” Glenn said. “He’s a guy that I sometimes think I take for granted, but I’m glad we’re taking him back.”
Lions also have a job to do when it comes to safety. Duron Harmon arrived in a trade last year and led the team in the shots to position, but wasn’t very effective on the stretch. Now his contract is about to expire. Jayron Kearse has been out before too, while Will Harris remains under contract but never did anything to show why he was worth a 2019 third round pick. These are three of the four safeties that have played the most clichés for Detroit la last season, all with serious or already released question marks.
Tracy Walker, the other security in this mix, has just had the worst season of her career. But he’s been open about the challenges he faced in the last year, from his cousin’s shootout to the birth of his first child, and then the Lions demoted him for Will Harris at training camp. Walker has vowed he’ll come back a better player in 2021, and he’s certainly got the size and speed to do it. He was also a good player in 2019, and a return to that form would serve the Lions well.
But there is still a long way to go for Lions to figure out how to replace all of those clichés. The name that has floated the most in free agency is John Johnson III, who was drafted by Holmes four years ago and has become one of the league’s best collateral. He made 105 tackles for the Rams last season, defended eight assists and maintained quarterbacks at a 71.9 passer rating. It’s rather good. In fact, he was the third best security in the entire league according to PFF. But the Rams are in dire financial straits and Johnson should test the market. It will cost a lot of money to hang it, and Detroit might not have that kind of cheddar.
A cheaper alternative could be Rayshawn Jenkins, who has only missed one start the past two seasons for the Chargers, where he played for Anthony Lynn. He played both strong and free safety positions, as well as in the slot machine. “Putting him in free safety, it made it difficult for our second round pick to get to the football pitch,” said Anthony Lynn. “Rayshawn just got better and better. I mean, it finished as one of the top five free safeties in the game last year, in my opinion. And he’s just going to take it to another level.
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