The Detroit Lions made an under-the-radar move to add a defensive back this week by signing Corn Elder to a contract, and while that move may have seemed minor to some, it was huge to others.
Elder isn’t an established name in the league, but those who know his talent understand what he can bring to the mix. One such person is Los Angles Rams defensive back Jalen Ramsey.
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Speaking after Elder’s visit to Detroit was revealed, Ramsey admitted that he’d been trying to get Elder to come in and visit the Rams considering he’s a good player.
Sadly for Ramsey, that ship has sailed and Elder reportedly is a newly minted member of the Lions for the 2021 season. If Ramsey’s words are right, Lions fans are going to like Elder a lot too, and his game could be very strong when he comes on the roster next season.
It could be a major way Brad Holmes and the Lions out-foxed the Rams this offseason.
Elder Visited Lions, Signed Thursday
Elder’s visit to the Motor City was reported early in the day on Thursday. The move to sign him was first revealed by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. It will be a one-year deal for Elder in Detroit for the 2021 season.
The #Lions are now signing free agent DB Corn Elder, per @AgentButler1 of @agency1amg. Elder, on a visit today, gets a 1-year prove-it deal for the opportunity to contribute in Detroit.
With the Lions, Elder can be expected to be a depth piece for the team’s secondary. He’s not an everyday cornerback, but the kind of player who can fill in with nickel snaps and add a hitting dynamic to the group as well as bring some toughness to the position. He’s a tough player and the kind of guy who can play a solid role on a young defense and in a young secondary.
He has talent that is obvious, considering Ramsey was willing to go out on a limb and try and stump for him to get a role in Los Angeles.
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Elder’s Stats and Highlights
A former fifth-round pick out of Miami (FL) by the Carolina Panthers in 2017, Elder lasted a couple of seasons in Carolina before signing with the New York Giants in the 2019 offseason. He then went back to the Panthers in 2019 where he stayed until 2021 when he became a free agent. In the NFL, Elder hasn’t done much but be a solid special teams player and a cult hero. He’s put up only 43 tackles, one forced fumble and one pass deflection. With Miami, Elder was productive with 117 tackles, six sacks, three interceptions and five fumble recoveries with 27 passes defended.
Obviously, if the Lions could get the kind of player in Elder who was dominant in college, it could prove huge for the depth in their backfield moving forward.
The fact that a successful defensive back is speaking to his talent might make this signing a huge win in the end for the Lions.
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