The possibility that the Detroit Lions could lose starting cornerback Carlton Davis this offseason. Davis, a veteran and one of the top defensive players in free agency, is drawing significant interest from several teams. If Lions general manager Brad Holmes can’t manage to retain him, there’s a growing expectation that the team may target Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs via trade to fill the void opposite Terrion Arnold.
As predicted by Pro Football Network’s Sterling Xie, while Davis has had a successful run with Detroit, his free-agent price tag could be too high for the Lions to match. Xie noted that despite the Lions drafting Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw last year, relying on a pair of second-year cornerbacks as full-time starters might be risky for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
“If the Lions get creative, they could add someone who has proven to excel in a man-coverage-heavy defense,” Xie wrote. “The Lions are solid, with over $52 million in cap space. If the market for Davis becomes too rich, *Diggs* will be under contract for three more seasons with a very reasonable $9 million cap hit in 2025. He would likely cost a fair bit in compensation, likely including a second-round pick, but the years of team control for a 26-year-old cornerback could be worth it.”
Diggs, who has battled injuries in the past two seasons, played just two games in 2023 due to a torn ACL and 11 games in 2024 because of a left knee issue. Despite the injuries, he remains a two-time Pro Bowler, recording two interceptions and knocking down 11 passes with an impressive 89.3 passer rating when targeted last season.
Though the injury concerns are valid, Diggs is an elite talent when healthy and could provide a boost to Detroit’s defense. Should he be traded, Diggs would immediately slot in as a starter under Kelvin Sheppard’s defensive system and could even regain his All-Pro form in a new environment.
Even with Diggs’s sizable $97 million contract, his 2025 cap hit is manageable at just $12.6 million, and there’s no guaranteed money left on his deal, which runs through 2028. The cost to trade for Diggs might not be too steep, with a late Day 2 or early Day 3 draft pick likely enough to bring him to Detroit.
However, there is a considerable risk involved, especially given Diggs’s injury history. He’s expected to miss the start of next season’s training camp as he recovers from knee surgery.
If the Dallas Cowboys decide to part ways with him this offseason, the Lions should strongly consider making a move for Trevon Diggs, a player who could elevate their young secondary and help them make a deeper run in the postseason.
