The Detroit Lions were on their way to a dominating defensive performance early against the New Orleans Saints. But things obviously fell apart late.
In the fourth quarter and overtime alone, the Saints registered 256 yards on offense. Of that total, 219 yards came through the air.
Detroit’s secondary was a question mark entering the regular season. But after Sunday’s performance with a big lead, the Lions might have to think seriously about a potential trade to shore up cornerback or safety.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler had a suggested trade for the Lions after Week 1 — Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
“The Lions were looking for corner help even before they released Terrion Arnold in June. Detroit can spend the early weeks of the season evaluating how D.J. Reed, Keith Abney II, Roger McCreary and others play together,” wrote Fowler.
“Detroit has ample salary cap space — around $38 million as of Sunday, according to OverTheCap.com — but has committed more than $1 billion in extensions for star players, which could lead to a cap crunch very soon. Detroit also could decide to pay 2027 free agents Sam LaPorta (tight end) and Brian Branch (safety).
“Detroit likes man-coverage corners, and Porter definitely qualifies.”
Could Lions Acquire Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.?
Pundits linked the Lions to Porter long before Sunday evening for the exact reasons Fowler mentioned.
Detroit’s starting cornerbacks and the team’s depth at the position are concerns. The Lions moved on from cornerback Terrion Arnold after his arrest. As a result, veteran Rock Ya-Sin started opposite D.J. Reed in Week 1.
Both of those starters played 89 defensive snaps against the Saints. Detroit’s CB3, Roger McCreary, lined up for 39 defensive snaps.
Clearly, the Lions have a lot more trust in their two starting cornerbacks than their depth. Behind McCreary, rookie cornerback Keith Abney II played just 25 defensive snaps.
Acquiring Porter would give the Lions not only another starter but one who has Pro Bowl potential.
Last season, Porter posted 52 combined tackles and 14 pass defenses in 14 games. He also had one interception. Porter only has three picks in three seasons, but he’s a guy who can take away the opposition’s top receiver.
Lions Pass Defense After Nearly Blowing Week 1 Win
With how the Lions secondary finished Sunday’s game, calls for the team to make an addition at cornerback are likely only going to get louder.
The Lions, though, could be in the safety market too, especially after Sunday. Safety Avonte Maddox left Sunday’s contest versus the Saints with an apparent arm injury.
Detroit is also already missing safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. Both began the regular season on the PUP list and will be out until at least Week 5.
Porter could be available for trade from Pittsburgh because the cornerback didn’t receive a contract extension before the start of the regular season. Porter is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he was seeking an extension this summer.
Any team that acquires the cornerback is going to want to sign Porter to a long-term deal.
That could be tough for the Lions. As Fowler indicated, the team has already spent a lot of its upcoming cap space in future years. Branch and tight end Sam LaPorta need new contracts soon too.
But as good as Porter is, the Lions would be wise to try to see if a deal could work. He could be a true difference maker for the Lions defense.
Lions Could Trade for Projected $128 Million CB: Insider