Lions Urged to Bring Back First-Round Bust

The Detroit Lions departed with the last first-round pick the organization made before the arrival of general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. That was cornerback Jeff Okudah, who the Lions traded to the Atlanta Falcons last offseason.

But on February 16, AtoZ Sports’ Mike Payton included Okudah on a list of four players the Lions should consider bringing back in free agency.

“Jeff Okuadah is not starting corner in the NFL. He’s just not,” Payton wrote. “But that does not mean that he can’t play football. Okudah has shown on a multiple occasions that he can have success on the field.

“So why not give him a second shot as a depth guy?”

With cornerbacks Kindle Vildor, Jerry Jacobs and Emmanuel Moseley set to become free agents in March, the Lions certainly need to replenish their cornerback depth.

The Lions made Okudah the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. But injuries plagued his first two seasons in Detroit, and he underperformed in 2022.

Okudah then spent last season with the Falcons after the Lions traded him for a fifth-round pick.

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What Jeff Okudah Could Bring to the Lions in 2024

Payton made it clear that Okudah isn’t the big splash addition the Lions need to make at cornerback. But if Vildor doesn’t return, Payton argued Okudah could take his place in the cornerback room.

“The Lions should absolutely prioritize better corners in free agency, but Okudah is a guy that can come along and be a back up guy and part of a rotation,” Payton wrote. “I’ve made plenty of arguments about the Lions keeping Kindle Vildor for such a role, but Okudah could fill that role better.

“He also has two years of experience with this coaching staff. It would interesting to see him work with Aaron Glenn again and new defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend has a history of getting the best out of his players.”

Pro Football Talk reported on February 8 that the Lions hired Townsend as the team’s defensive passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Townsend has 10 seasons of experience as an NFL coach and won two Super Bowls as a player.

Okudah suffered an injury during 2023 training camp and didn’t return until Week 3. With his defensive snaps somewhat limited upon his return, Okudah played well in his first four games back.

But after he expanded into a starter’s role, which is what he held in Detroit, Okudah struggled. In five of his last nine games, he posted a Pro Football Focus player grade below 50 (out of 100).

Okudah also didn’t play in two of Atlanta’s final five contests.

Okudah finished the 2023 regular season with 44 combined tackles, including 1 tackle for loss and 3 pass defenses in 13 games.

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Lions Still Need Bigger CB Upgrade than Okudah

If the Lions want an improved secondary in 2024, they can’t re-sign Okudah and expect him to play more than half of the team’s defensive snaps.

Last season, Okudah lined up for 52.24% of Atlanta’s snaps on defense. In the games where he dressed, Okudah played roughly 68% of the team’s defensive snaps.

So, if the Lions do re-sign Okudah, they would also have to make another addition, preferably a more impactful one, at cornerback.

Before the playoffs started, Bleacher Report’s NFL staff connected the Lions with potential Chicago Bears free agent cornerback Jaylon Johnson. The chances Detroit signs Johnson are low because the Bears are probably going to place the franchise tag on Johnson.

But the Lions have also been linked to a few first-round cornerbacks in the 2024 NFL draft. At cornerback, Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry has been the most popular choice in mock drafts for Detroit.

“The idea of pairing Kool-Aid McKinstry with Brian Branch, who is another Alabama defensive back drafted by Detroit last year, is appealing,” CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards, who projected the Lions to draft McKinstry at No. 29, wrote. “Because those are accountable players who should help set the standard for that Lions secondary.”

It will be interesting to see if Okudah could fit in Detroit’s offseason plans. That might not become clear, though, until the Lions make a much more impactful addition at cornerback.

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