Finding a top cornerback was one of the top priorities for the Detroit Lions this offseason. The Lions appear to have achieved that goal by trading for veteran cornerback Carlton Davis.
At least that’s what Davis declared in his introductory press conference with the team.
“You about to get a lockdown corner,” Davis said on March 13, via Detroitlions.com’s Tim Twentyman. “You about to be able to have one side [of the field] just like unavailable. That’s what I do. I’m here to take the No. 1 receiver on any team. I’m here to take the ball away.
“You guys play good defense for sure looking forward to getting to know these guys, mesh with these guys, and hoping I can lead them to a Super Bowl.”
Davis has received hype as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL for a few years. He also brings championship experience to Detroit. Davis started for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they won the Super Bowl during the 2020-21 season.
In 2023, Davis posted 52 combined tackles with 9 pass defenses and 2 interceptions in 12 regular season games. He also had 11 combined tackles and 2 pass defenses in 2 playoff contests.
Lions Land Lockdown CB in Carlton Davis
Few cornerbacks can do what Davis says he will for the Lions — shut down half the field for the secondary. But even if he doesn’t manage that, Davis is an obvious upgrade for Detroit.
And if he’s playing at his peak in 2024, the Lions could have a top 10 cornerback in the NFL.
That’s what former Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians called him during the team’s Super Bowl campaign four years ago. Arians continued to hype Davis as a star the following season.
“Carlton, I think, is one of the top corners in the league,” Arians said in September 2021. “He does give you a lot of flexibility, defensively, as far as being able to follow guys from inside to outside and both sides.
“Some guys only do it from one side or the other on the outside. He’ll follow his guy around.”
Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase also had high praise for Davis in November.
On an NBC pregame show, former defensive back Devin McCourty asked Chase who has been the most difficult defensive back he has faced in his career. Chase’s answer was Davis.
Davis Hypes Lions Defense as Resilient Group
The Lions saw Davis’ abilities firsthand in two meetings against the Buccaneers last season. On 9 targets, Davis allowed just 5 completions and 29 yards.
But Davis learned about the Lions defense in those two matchups as well. During his introductory press conference on March 13, Davis complimented Detroit’s defense for being a “resilient” unit.
“Just the fight and the dog they had. You can tell that the culture is good here,” Davis said. “When you’re in a tough battle with a team at some point (something) budges when two teams compete really hard and they never budged.
“They kept the same energy. Played with the same physicality. They were just bringing it every play. You recognize and respect those qualities in a team for sure.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 11 that the Lions sent the No. 92 overall selection in this year’s draft to Tampa Bay for Davis, a 2024 sixth-round pick and 2025 sixth-round choice.
The Lions are adding Davis to a secondary that ranked 27th in passing yards allowed and 29th in net yards per pass attempt yielded during 2023.
In addition to Davis, the Lions also signed cornerback Amik Robertson in free agency and brought back cornerback Emmanuel Moseley on a 1-year contract.
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New Lions CB Carlton Davis Issues Bold Statement Upon Joining Detroit