Getty Daryl Worley runs to try and tackle Cooper Kupp in 2021.
The Detroit Lions continue to try and find the right mix in their defensive backfield, and part of that mix will no longer be on the roster in the form of cornerback Daryl Worley.
A month ago, the Lions signed Worley when they were worried about the health and depth of their backfield. But Detroit has seen the growth and emergence of names such as Jerry Jacobs, Bobby Price, A.J. Parker and other young players, so they elected to move on from Worley on Tuesday, October 26.
The latest Lions news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lions newsletter here!
With a tweet, the Lions revealed that they were going to be letting Worley walk back to free agency this week. Here’s a look at how they broke the news:
For the Lions, this can only mean the team believes they might be in good shape already at cornerback. It’s possible the team could also need roster spots for several players slated to come off injured reserve such as Taylor Decker, or perhaps even fellow cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu.
Lions Cornerback Situation a Bit More Settled
If there’s been a silver lining to the disasters on the field in 2021, it’s been the fact that the players the Lions have stuck with have all been legitimate. Bobby Price has proven himself on the field, and Jerry Jacobs had an impressive week and hasn’t looked overmatched at cornerback at all. For the most part, the Lions problems have not been at the position consistently, and the worst play of Week 7 was ironically turned in by Daryl Worley himself when he struggled to make a read and was exposed on a deep pass.
The Lions clearly have to like their depth at the spot to make a move like this at this point in the season with the amount of injury problems they have endured.
Worley’s Career Stats and Highlights
At 26, it’s clear that Worley still has plenty of time to latch on and get something done in his career, even though he is out of Detroit now. Coming out of West Virginia in 2016, Worley was a third-round pick in the NFL draft of the Carolina Panthers, and had a solid rookie season in the league in which he improved from start to finish. After 2017, Worley was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for wideout Torrey Smith. The move to the Eagles didn’t rejuvenate Worley’s career, though, and the cornerback ran into some legal troubles stemming from a DUI and arrest. Worley then signed with the Las Vegas Raiders where he collected 58 tackles, 1 interception, 8 passes defensed and one fumble recovery in 2019. Worley then spent time with the Cowboys, Bills, Raiders and Cardinals before being added in Detroit.
To this point in his career, Worley has been productive with 265 total tackles, 2 sacks, 37 passes defended and 5 interceptions in his NFL career. That followed on the heels of a solid college career in which he was first-team All-Big 12 in 2015 and would finish with 143 tackles and 10 interceptions. He’s got plenty of talent as his highlights show:
Now, Worley will have to move on after not sticking in Detroit. From here, it will be interesting to see where his career might take him.
READ NEXT: Internet Explodes Over ‘Fun to Watch’ Lions vs. Rams