Getty ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the Detroit Lions do not plan to tender restricted free agent cornerback Jerry Jacobs.
The Detroit Lions signed free agent cornerback Emmanuel Moseley on March 5. However, the Lions do not intend to do the same with fellow cornerback Jerry Jacobs.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on March 6 that the Lions “do not plan to tender” Jacobs, who is a restricted free agent. That decision will make Jacobs an unrestricted free agent.
Jacobs started 29 games for the Lions over the past three seasons. He started a career-high 12 contests for Detroit during 2023.
However, Jacobs lost his starting job after a Week 14 loss to the Chicago Bears. He played just 1 defensive snap in the team’s final four games. Jacobs was also inactive for all three Detroit playoff contests.
In 15 games during 2023, Jacobs posted 55 combined tackles, 8 pass defenses and 3 interceptions.
Lions Not Bringing Back CB Jerry Jacobs
The writing has been on the wall for Jacobs since the postseason.
The third-year cornerback was dealing with a thigh/knee injury heading into the playoffs. He was limited in practice on January 10, however, Jacobs didn’t practice on January 11. The team then placed him on injured reserve, which ended his season.
Immediately after going on injured reserve, Jacobs appeared to send a goodbye to the Lions on social media. Jacobs deleted the tweet, but The Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett reported that the message read, “Thank you Detroit” with a blue heart emoji.
As a restricted free agent, Jacobs didn’t enter the offseason with the same freedoms as unrestricted free agents do. But without a tender from the Lions, Jacobs will enter unrestricted free agency when it officially begins on March 13.
Jacobs joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He made his NFL debut in Week 1 and then started for the first time during Week 5.
He started nine consecutive games as a rookie before suffering a torn ACL in Week 14.
Jacobs returned from the injury in late October 2022. He ended his second season starting the final eight games.
To begin 2023, Jacobs started the first six games. He then missed Week 7 because of a knee injury. Jacobs returned to start the next six contests before losing his starting job.
In 40 games with the Lions, Jacobs posted 131 combined tackles, including 9 tackles for loss, 23 pass defenses and 4 interceptions. He also had 3 quarterback hits, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
Lions CB Depth Heading Into NFL Free Agency
While the Lions aren’t bringing back Jacobs, they signed Moseley to a 1-year contract. Moseley played just 2 defensive snaps in 2023 because of multiple ACL injuries, but the Lions are taking a flier on Moseley hopefully returning to his 2021 form if healthy this fall.
In addition to Moseley, the Lions have cornerbacks Cameron Sutton, Brian Branch, Craig James and Steven Gilmore under contract for the 2024 season.
Moseley could start opposite Sutton, but with two ACL tears for Moseley the past two seasons, that’s hardly a guarantee. Branch is Detroit’s nickel cornerback, and James and Gilmore are not suitable starters.
So, with Jacobs and the team’s other cornerbacks heading for unrestricted free agency, the Lions will need to add at least one more starting-caliber cornerback this offseason.
Detroit making a cornerback addition via free agency or a trade is the most likely scenario. But drafting a cornerback in the first round is also a possibility.