Getty Jeff Okudah upends DeAndre Hopkins.
The Detroit Lions have been busy in free agency and have re-shaped the image of their team in a big way, but there are some obvious needs that still remain as it relates to the roster.
One of the biggest is on the defensive side of the ball in the secondary, where the Lions haven’t signed anyone yet in spite of having some clear needs. Cornerback and safety have taken some hits in recent weeks, and the team could still look to make additions at those spots.
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Speaking this week, Lions general manager Brad Holmes was asked about what position he might consider targeting the rest of the way to shore up the roster. While he said he likes the roster and depth in the defensive backfield, that could be a spot where the team looks for help in the weeks ahead.
Holmes said he’s a big fan of the secondary in currently in place but Lions will continue to try and address that position in FA and the draft: It’s “not going to be a position that’s going to be ovelooked or ignored.”
Holmes’ analysis is certainly correct. The Lions could still use some help in the secondary, and could use either a cornerback or a safety or both. While adding a young player could make sense, bringing in a veteran could also help given the Lions have multiple young players at both spots already. Detroit has chased after multiple safeties in free agency but hasn’t landed any. News on them looking at cornerback has been sparse at this point in time, but the team did reportedly look in on K’Waun Williams before he re-signed in San Francisco.
Add it all up and it looks as if the Lions could make more additions to their defense on the back end, even though they are not in a rush to do so.
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Lions Secondary Seeing Major Changes
Detroit has sustained multiple losses in the secondary, cutting big money cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Justin Coleman as well as not choosing to bring back safety Duron Harmon. They brought back cornerback Mike Ford for depth, and also have plenty of young players on the roster at this point in Amani Oruwariye, Jeff Okudah, Tracy Walker and Will Harris. That’s a good start, but more could be needed in a big way in order to get the kind of depth a team can rely on to carry them moving forward.
Lions Have Major Defensive Needs This Offseason
The Lions have needs not only in the trenches and at linebacker but on the back end of their defense as well. Detroit could use a safety but could also look to add a cornerback to the mix as well to help out their young players in finding a footing. The team could also look to make more additions at linebacker and along the defensive line, although bringing back Romeo Okwara was a great start for Detroit as it relates to that up front. Getting Michael Brockers in the mix will help the Lions to fortify their line in a big way, too.
With young players like Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye at cornerback, the depth is a concern after some cuts recently, but adding a player there could help as well. Getting another free agent or two and supplementing through the draft should be the goal for the Lions at this point in time.
It seems as if that could be the focus for the team when all is said and done when listening to the words of Holmes after the first wave.
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