The Detroit Lions need to find a plan to replace Terrion Arnold, who is facing a long list of serious charges. Before his arrest, the expectation was for him to be a starter on the outside, so the team has to find someone capable of starting. A trade might be too hard, and the free agents available are not great. So, the Lions might look to their previous free agent signing, Roger McCreary.
McCreary was a serious winner of the OTAs and minicamp, per Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit. Reisman noted that McCreary was the first-team slot starter, and it was the former Tennessee Titans draft pick’s job to lose.
However, while defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend did say that he was excelling in the slot, he was quick to mention that McCreary could get work on the outside as well.
“He’s given us another competitive piece that’s inside, and he also can play outside,” added Townsend. Because that’s what he was drafted to do at Tennessee. He’s a capable veteran that’s going to push the entire room.”
That could make McCreary the leading in-house candidate to replace Arnold.
The Detroit Lions Might Work Roger McCreary at Outside Cornerback in Training Camp
GettyRoger McCreary of the Detroit Lions.
This will be the fifth season for McCreary in the NFL. He spent the first three-and-a-half years with the Titans before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams last year. He was not very healthy during his stint with the Rams and played just 110 snaps in six games. Most of his work came after Week 17.
While he hardly played on the outside for the Rams, he does have that experience. In his career, McCreary has 1,780 snaps in the slot and 944 snaps as an outside cornerback. Most of that came during his rookie season, when he played 662 snaps on the outside.
As Townsend mentioned, he almost exclusively played outside in college. It might not be the NFL teams’ preferred spot for McCreary, but his ability to do it in a pinch could pull the team out of a tough spot.
The Lions Have a Bigger Need at Outside Cornerback than the Slot
When taking away Arnold from the depth chart, the Lions outside situation is just as wide open as the backup slot competition.
Ennis Rakestraw and Rock Ya-Sin would be the two to compete on the outside. Rakestraw has not been able to stay healthy enough to see the field in two seasons. Meanwhile, Ya-Sin is more of a journeyman and a spot starter.
However, they have some slot options. Both Christian Izien and Avonte Maddox could compete at safety. However, whoever is not at safety can easily slide into the slot.
The team also drafted Keith Abney. Although he was taken in round 5, he is similar to McCreary in that he is moving from the outside in college to the slot in the NFL. So, the projection could be why he fell.
Abney or Maddox in the slot could be just as beneficial, if not more than, Rakestraw or Ya-Sin outside. The versatility of McCreary could allow them to play what fits them best.
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