If you asked me right now what the best offseason acquisition for the Detroit Lions has been, it would be tough to not say Amik Robertson. He’s played such a key role in the resurgence of this secondary this year.
Robertson has been exceptional in the nickel corner position throughout the season. However, when Carlton Davis suffered a jaw injury in Week 15, the Lions decided to shift Robertson to the outside and move Branch to nickel.
Robertson has adapted to this new role seamlessly, performing at a high level. In three games as an outside corner, he’s allowed just 47.1% of passes thrown his way to be completed—eight receptions for 123 yards. He’s also broken up four passes, ranking second in the NFL for the most pass breakups over the past three weeks.
The standout performance came on Sunday night against Justin Jefferson, where Robertson held the All-Pro receiver to just three catches for 54 yards on nine targets. That game really showcased his talent and caught the attention of many.
Right now, the Lions are clearly the team most aware of Robertson’s skills. With his current level of play, they’ll face a tough decision this offseason regarding Carlton Davis.
Detroit traded a third-round pick to bring Davis in, and he performed admirably as well, allowing just 50% of passes thrown his way to be completed and giving up only one touchdown all season. He also recorded two interceptions.
If you had asked after Week 14 whether the Lions should re-sign Davis, the answer would have been a clear “yes.” At that point, we even projected a contract for him—three years, $52 million, with $35 million guaranteed.
The Lions could still afford this, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they went this route. However, they now have the option of moving forward with Robertson at a much lower cost. Even if they extended him in the offseason, it would likely be cheaper than Davis’s potential deal.
Perhaps something similar to the three-year, $30.7 million extension the Bills recently gave Taron Johnson. It also helps that Robertson is two years younger than Davis and seems to have more potential for long-term growth with the team.
Regardless of what the Lions choose, they’re in a good position. It seems likely Robertson will get an extension after this season, and they could stick with either one of these players. This is a good problem to have.
