The Detroit Lions secondary is expected to continue to deploy man coverage at an elevated rate, even though former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is now the head coach of the New York Jets.
Detroit's front office has ample funds to be able to target impactful free agents to help the team regroup following a disappointing playoff exit last season.
It is believed the team would like to retain the services of veteran Carlton Davis, but should the free agent decide to sign elsewhere, there are a handful of cornerbacks general manager Brad Holmes could target in free agency.
PFF recently compiled a list of the perfect free agent match for each NFL team. For Detroit, 28-year-old cornerback D.J. Reed was listed as the player to target.
"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," writer Bradley Locker explained. "Either way, adding arguably the top cornerback on the market in Reed wouldn’t hurt.
"Last year, Detroit leaned primarily on Cover 1, running it on 33.7% of snaps. Meanwhile, since 2022, Reed’s 70.7 PFF coverage grade in Cover 1 is the 12th best among qualified cornerbacks," Locker further explained. "Even in a bit of a down season, Reed still enjoyed his staggering sixth straight year with a 70.0-plus PFF coverage grade."
Second-year defensive backs Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw are expected to continue their development alongside veteran Amik Robertson, who had a successful first season in Motown.
Detroit is entering free agency with approximately $51 million in cap space.
