Getty AJ Parker celebrates a 2022 interception in Cleveland.
When AJ Parker made the Detroit Lions last season, few folks knew who he was as an undrafted free agent. Now, the young cornerback is one of the more important second-year players on the team.
Parker’s emergence made the Lions a bit deeper on the back end last year, and as a rookie, he grew and developed as the season went on. Heading toward 2022, Parker has a chance to play an even bigger role for the team’s back end as a result.
Right now, Parker hasn’t let the fact that he is another year in the system get into his head, however. As he told the media on Friday, August 5, the only difference between 2021 and 2022 is experience and not mindset.
“The biggest difference is I got the year under my belt. I got the experience, so I kind of know what it’s going to be like, but mindset’s still the same,” Parker said. “I still got to earn every day. I got to earn every play and every rep so every time I go out there, I got to put my best foot forward.”
A major way Parker went about improving? Adding weight to stand up to the rigors of the NFL.
“I’ve probably (added) about 10 pounds, gotten a lot stronger mentally, a lot better and just trying to do what the coaches want me to do,” he said.
Parker praised the Detroit staff for getting him to the right point, and he can already see the dividends paying off.
“The strength coaches did a real good job. I came up here early this offseason and just got to work with strength coaches, got a good meal plan and tried to put on as much healthy weight as I could. It’s just been helping me stay in the box more and and keep people off.”
With a stronger frame and a good frame of mind, Parker might end up being one of the most important Lions players in 2022. His continued emergence could mean a great deal to the defense.
Parker Praises Lions Wideouts for Improvement
One of the things that will help make Parker better in the end is having increased competition at wideout. Already, Parker sees that as a key variable for his 2022 improvement.
“It’s good to have them out there going against them every day. Just sharpening your tools, iron sharpens iron and you know, just trying to get better, make them better, then make us better and just competing every day,” Parker said.
Having plenty of different wideout types also plays a big role for Parker. As he explained, seeing what the Detroit wideouts can do as a whole is big
“It’s just going up against (Amon-Ra St. Brown), Kalif (Raymond), other people. You just go against different guys and different body types and different versions of receivers and so it’s good to go against that and practice so you can get in that game, it’s not your first time seeing it,” he said.
The newfound depth in Detroit should allow Parker to understand the game in a better way and be even more prepared for the players he sees week in and week out.
Parker’s Stats & Highlights
From his years in college to the pros, Parker has taken on the look of a very sneaky, productive player for the Lions.
In college playing for Kansas State, Parker put up very solid statistics for the Wildcats. In four full seasons, Parker collected 145 tackles, 6 interceptions, 17 passes defended and 1 touchdown. Those numbers were solid, but Parker was overlooked in the process.
The Lions benefitted from that in a big way. In 2021, Parker cracked the Detroit roster and immediately made his presence felt statistically and otherwise. He put up 50 tackles, 1 interception, 7 passes defended in 13 games played:
Parker already played a big role for the Lions, but could be in line to do even more with his mind clearly in the right place.