The Detroit Lions have taken some big hits to their secondary in recent weeks, with one analyst suggesting the team may need some veteran help for the playoffs.
The Lions placed cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Khalil Dorsey on injured reserve, a significant blow to an already thin secondary. While the Lions have options on the roster to help fill the void, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder suggested that they may need to turn to free agency to add more depth.
Lions Could Add Accomplished Veteran
Though the Lions currently hold the No. 1 seed in the NFC, they will not have the opportunity to take their foot off the gas and rest players over the final two weeks of the season. The Lions close out the season with a showdown against the Minnesota Vikings, a game that could decide which team earns a playoff bye and which is sent to the wild-card round.
Holder suggested the Lions may need to find a steady veteran cornerback to help for the critical stretch and the playoffs ahead.
“At this point, the club should be looking into any veteran available to give the secondary more options heading into the playoffs. A couple of names to float around would be Patrick Peterson or Xavien Howard,” Holder wrote.
Peterson spent the 2023 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, starting 16 games while making 42 total tackles with 11 passes defensed. The eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro also spent two seasons with the Vikings before that, giving Lions head coach Dan Campbell a close look at his abilities.
Lions Considering All Options on Defense
The Lions also have options already in the building to boost their secondary. As Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website noted, Campbell mentioned that veteran cornerback Emmanuel Moseley could move up the depth chart. Moseley has been a healthy scratch for the last few weeks.
Twentyman added that the Lions could also turn to Brian Branch, who has the versatility to play several positions in the secondary.
“The potential to move Brian Branch out of the safety spot and into a cornerback role is something Campbell said they’ll talk about too. Amik Robertson could also slide outside, per Campbell,” Twentyman wrote.
The Lions could also lean on a returning player, Twentyman added.
“The Lions plan to start the practice window for Ifeatu Melifonwu this week and maybe he can be ready to play Sunday, though Campbell said he’ll have to wait until he sees him practice to make that determination,” Twentyman wrote. “Campbell said they’re open to seeing if Melifonwu can play some different roles in the box when he returns.”
Jeff Risdon of USA Today’s Lions Wire also suggested the Lions could bring back a key player from last season’s run to the NFC Championship game.
“Old friend Jerry Jacobs is the most appealing option on the free agent market,” Risdon wrote. “Jacobs started 29 games in three seasons in Detroit, including 12 last year. His coverage work was inconsistent, and he too has not latched on anywhere despite several workouts with different teams–including the Broncos just last week. Jacobs knows the defensive system and at least provides strong run support on the outside, making him a worthwhile candidate to return to Detroit.”
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