OTAs are mostly about getting all of the new players on the same page and sorting out how the depth chart will look as the team gets ready to enter training camp. One position group on the Detroit Lions that will be under the spotlight through the offseason is the cornerback room. The name that could make the most noise in OTAs is fifth-round rookie Keith Abney, who will be working both outside and in the slot this year, according to Tim Twentyman on the team website.
Abney played on the outside during his college career, but his size had scouts and evaluators wondering if he could handle the same duties in the NFL. With no experience in the slot, he slid into the fifth round because he was hard to project.
Still, Lions General Manager Brad Holmes is seeing this as a positive and thinks he can work in both spots.
“I think he can do both,” Holmes said. “I’m not pigeon-holing him or putting him in a box that he’s a nickel only.”
This is going to make him the player to watch during OTAs.
Detroit Lions Have Big Plans for Rookie Cornerback Keith Abney
GettyDetroit Lions fifth-round cornerback Keith Abney
The Lions cornerback depth chart is one of the more wide-open rooms entering training camp. Terrion Arnold has been up and down so far and is coming off a season where he suffered a torn shoulder. So, he is now entering an important campaign. The team placed D.J. Reed on the IR with a hamstring injury last year, so both of their projected starters on the outside are coming off of significant injuries.
Meanwhile, they lost their starting slot cornerback, Amik Robertson, in free agency. The Lions also liked to play Brian Branch in the slot, but he is coming off a torn Achilles tendon injury, and his status in Week 1 is up in the air at this point.
So, the team is without their top two options in the slot from last year, leaving a hole for Abney to step into.
Keith Abney Will Compete Both in the Slot and Outside for the Lions
The Lions signed Roger McCreary in free agency, but the Titans benched McCreary and traded him to the Rams. The Rams did not start him last year despite having cornerback issues, so there is a real chance that McCreary is just a placeholder until Abney adjusts to the slot.
Still, the Lions are smart to give Abney work on both the outside and in the slot. While his path to playing in the slot is easier, the Lions liked that Robertson had inside and outside versatility for them.
In his two seasons with the Lions, Robertson had 675 snaps on the outside to go with 696 snaps in the slot. Injuries had to do with his role, but the versatility gave the Lions a lot of options, and they are looking to replace that with Abney this year.
The biggest things to watch with Abney will be when he lines up with the first team defense, and what spot is he in more often? Also, what does the split between outside and the slot look like for a rookie with a lot on his plate?
Detroit Lions Cornerback Room Is Must-Watch Group at OTAs