The Detroit Lions’ secondary is set to maintain a strong reliance on man coverage, despite the departure of former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who is now the head coach of the New York Jets.
Detroit’s front office is well-positioned financially, with plenty of cap space to target key free agents as the team looks to bounce back from a disappointing playoff exit last season.
There’s speculation that the Lions are keen on keeping veteran cornerback Carlton Davis in the fold. However, if Davis opts to go elsewhere in free agency, general manager Brad Holmes has a range of cornerbacks on his radar to reinforce the defense.
In a recent report, PFF highlighted the ideal free agent fit for each NFL team, and for Detroit, it was 28-year-old cornerback D.J. Reed. As PFF writer Bradley Locker pointed out, “As the Lions transition away from defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to in-house successor Kelvin Sheppard, the backbone of their defensive structure isn’t yet known — but it’s fair to assume that most of the fundamentals will remain in place.” Locker went on to add, “Either way, adding arguably the top cornerback on the market in Reed wouldn’t hurt.”
Detroit relied heavily on Cover 1 last season, using it on 33.7% of snaps. Since 2022, Reed’s 70.7 PFF coverage grade in Cover 1 ranks 12th among all qualified cornerbacks. Locker further noted, “Even in a bit of a down season, Reed still enjoyed his staggering sixth straight year with a 70.0-plus PFF coverage grade.”
As the Lions continue to develop their secondary, second-year defensive backs Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw are expected to progress alongside veteran Amik Robertson, who had a strong debut season in Detroit.
With approximately $51 million in cap space, Detroit heads into free agency with plenty of flexibility to strengthen their roster. Stay tuned for more updates as the offseason unfolds.
