As part of the effort to overhaul their cornerback depth chart last offseason, the Detroit Lions acquired Carlton Davis from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Davis went out and had a nice 2024 season in a contract year, and despite missing the end of the season due to a broken jaw he's arguably the top cornerback available as free agency gets closer.
The Lions could, to replace Davis if he leaves as a free agent or just to add another corner to the mix, do something similar this offseason by trading for a cornerback who's entering his walk year.
So following that simple template, a trade for a cornerback who's entering the final year of his contract, here are five potential options for the Lions could make a deal for.
5 potential Carlton Davis trade pivots for the Lions
5. Jack Jones, Las Vegas Raiders
By surface stats, Jones had the best season of his career last season (69 total tackles, three interceptions, 16 pass breakups) while playing in all 17 games (16 starts) for the Raiders. Deeper stats were more mixed (98.5 passer rating allowed, 62.8 percent completion rate allowed, 53.9 overall Pro Football Focus grade).
It's a new regime in Las Vegas, and the coach Jones had history with going back to high school (Antonio Pierce) is gone. Pierce is also the coach that has been able to best handle Jones, and Pete Carroll may not want to deal with that as decisions are made this offseason.
Jones has had legal issues in the past, but that stuff appears to be behind him. The Lions' locker room and coaching staff could be just what Jones needs, and he could be acquired cheaply as a third or fourth corner with the idea Davis sticks around.
4. Jaycee Horn, Carolina Panthers
Let's put this one in the "incredibly unlikely, but you never know" category. Horn was finally able to mostly stay healthy last season, and he earned his first career Pro Bowl selection. As he enters the final year of his contract, his fifth-year option actually, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan gave a promising update on a contract extension during his media availability at the NFL Combine last week.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler passed along similar insight coming off combine week, reporting the Panthers want to get an extension done with Horn "sooner rather than later" before the cornerback market takes off.
The question is if the two sides will be able to get a deal done as quickly as the Panthers want to, or if Horn wants to see where the cornerback market goes in free agency apart from others who are in line for big extensions. If he wants top of the market money ($20-$25 million?), any contract talks that have started could go bad quickly. Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac outlined that potential scenario.
Even if a contract extension is not done as soon as they hope, it doesn't seem like the Panthers would entertain trading Horn at all. But if he expresses public frustration about contract talks, or talks simply don't get substantial traction, that could be a Bat-signal for teams to try to trade for him.
Horn would clearly be a Davis replacement if the Lions are in that position. The cost of a new multi-year contract could be close for both, and Horn is younger. Even a one percent chance Horn is available lands him here.
3. Darius Slay, Philadelphia Eagles
Slay's future with the Eagles is up in the air, and as he eyes playing out his contract before retiring he has said he wouldn't mind coming back to the Lions if it's not for the Eagles. Eliott Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com recently reported the Eagles are not expected to bring Slay back.
Slay is up in age at 34 years old, but he still playing very well (PFF's 23rd-highest graded cornerback last season, 13 pass breakups in 14 regular season games).
Any move the Eagles make with Slay (cut or trade) before June 1, barring a contract restructure, would leave them with $22.7 million in dead money and actually decrease their cap space. Post-June 1, they'd at least clear some cap space.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is smart enough to get something for an asset, and Slay is an asset a lot of other teams wouldn't mind having in their secondary. If it takes a restructure to make a trade possible and the Lions want him, Slay could get what he said he would want if the Eagles want to part ways.
2. DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys
After leading the league with nine interceptions in 2023 (and an NFL single-season record five pick-sixes), with Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro nods as he finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting, a foot injury delayed Bland's 2024 season debut until almost Thanksgiving. He was pretty good in the seven games he played though, with 41 total tackles, five pass breakups and a top-30 PFF coverage grade among cornerbacks.
Bland is now entering the final year of his contract, and barring something unforeseen the Cowboys have another big contract coming to their books as Micah Parsons is lined up to get a new deal at or toward the top of the edge rusher market. So the idea of them entertaining trade offers for Bland is not egregious, and his 2025 cap number is just shy of $5.3 million.
Bland would also be a replacement for Davis if the Lions have to do so. But in a broad sense, in case Davis is gone, it makes sense to have him somewhere on the trade pivot radar.
1. Greg Newsome, Cleveland Browns
This one is obvious, but absolutely true.
Newsome is coming off a down year in 2024, as he allowed 9.6 yards per target and a 112.5 passer rating along with a dismal 54.0 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. All of those numbers were noticeably better in 2023 (6.7 yards per target allowed, 74.8 passer rating allowed, 69.9 coverage grade). He was also far better than last season in each of his first two seasons (2021 and 2022).
Newsome is set to play out his fifth-year option this year ($13.37 million), and he'll turn 25 in May. The Browns have shown zero inclination to keep him around long-term, as trade rumors linger (some tying the Lions to interest in him) going back about a year.
Newsome has solid size (6-foot, 192 pounds) and he can play outside or in the slot. The idea he could be traded is not new, and as the Browns look to get right with the salary cap they can clear his entire $13.37 million off their books by moving him. If they have to replace Davis, most likely, this former first-round pick is as easy a trade pivot as it gets.
