Lions take a big swing on defense.
According to Sterline Xie of Pro Football Network, the Lions could trade for Dallas Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs to fill the void left by Davis’s likely departure in free agency. According to Xie, the Lions have a pair of young cornerbacks who are poised to take on bigger roles, but going into the season without a proven veteran is risky.
“Even though the Lions drafted Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw last year, relying on a pair of second-year cornerbacks to both hit as full-time starters is dicey for a team with Super Bowl hopes,” according to Xie.
Xie also said that Diggs would not be a good fit for new Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who has shied away from man coverage, where Diggs shines.
“When Eberflus was head coach of the Bears, Chicago ranked only 20th in man coverage rate,” Xie pointed out. “On the other hand, the new Lions defensive coordinator, Kelvin Sheppard, will presumably run a defense similar to the one that led the league in terms of man coverage rate last season (41.4%).”
Diggs established himself as one of the league’s best cornerbacks during his five seasons with the Cowboys, recording 20 interceptions and 215 tackles. With the Cowboys facing a salary limit crunch, Xie speculated that they would be willing to trade Diggs to clear up some space.
“The Lions are stable, 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,” Xie said. “He would likely cost a fair bit in compensation (likely including the Lions’ second-round pick), but the years of team control for a 26-year-old cornerback could be worth it.”
Lions Might Consider Other Veteran Options
The Lions would also have several less expensive possibilities for filling the gap in their secondary. According to SI.com’s Vito Chirco, the Lions could consider signing soon-to-be former Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas, who is regarded as one of the best defensive backs available this summer.
Douglas is a talented cornerback who has played an important role for the Bills since signing before the 2023 trade deadline, despite struggling with coverage at times last season.
“Listed as the 14th-best free agent this offseason by Pro Football Focus, the veteran cornerback spent the last season-and-a-half playing for the Buffalo Bills,” according to Chirco. “In 24 games with the Bills in 2023 and 2024, he logged 87 total tackles, 13 passes defensed, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a lone sack.”
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