Getty Desmond Trufant gestures after a big play.
The Detroit Lions are in the middle of a huge offseason makeover, and the latest shoe to drop is cornerback Desmond Trufant.
After Trufant was released by the Atlanta Falcons, the Lions snapped him up quickly. According to ESPN’s Jordan Schultz, Trufant was signed to a 2 year, $21 million dollar deal which included $14 million in guaranteed money.
CB Desmond Trufant is signing with the #Lions, per source. The deal is for 2 years, $21M, $14M guaranteed.
Trufant had been with the Falcons since 2013 and was a draft pick of the team. Now that Trufant is in the mix, ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes the Lions can continue to shop cornerback Darius Slay, who’s been the subject of trade rumors this offseason.
Could Slay and Trufant co-exist? Possibly, but the wise idea is to continue to watch the Lions closely as it relates to a Slay trade as Schefter says.
Desmond Trufant Statistics
The former Washington Huskies cornerback is 29 years old and certainly has made his mark in the league from a statistical standpoint. Trufant was a Pro Bowler in 2015, and has put up 329 total tackles and 13 interceptions in his career. Trufant also has put up 79 pass deflections in his career.
Trufant will come to Detroit with some major upside as it relates to being a key player in the defensive turnaround.
Lions Free Agency Signings
The Lions have reached reported previous free agency agreements with offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai, linebacker Jamie Collins, quarterback Chase Daniel and defensive lineman Nick Williams. Defensive tackle Danny Shelton also agreed to join the team on Wednesday. They also agreed to trade for Patriots safety Duron Harmon. The group upgrades some important spots on the team and will help the Lions boost the spots that are most needed for 2020. The Lions have managed to get things going quickly and effectively this offseason in free agency to be able to try and reshape their team.
Lions Biggest 2020 Free Agency Need is Defense
In order to get back into the playoffs and turn themselves around, the Lions are going to need an infusion of talent, especially on defense. Detroit did not pressure the quarterback meaningfully in 2019 and struggled stopping the pass as well, something that has been painfully obvious for weeks and that is a glaring problem given what the team has done in the last few offseason periods. Part of the problem has been injuries, but beyond Trey Flowers and Da’Shawn Hand, the Lions simply don’t have any young building blocks they can count on right now. The team has to find some form of consistency in the trenches, and that is why it’s a major need for them moving forward.
In free agency, the Lions will undoubtedly have to look at the defensive line and the backfield for potential upgrades, with another eye at linebacker. Having some extra money could help the team make some key additions there, and patch some of their other depth holes on the offensive side.
Trufant now joining the mix helps the Lions cross off another major need in the defensive backfield, but the spot of cornerback could still be counted as a major focus for the Lions moving forward.