The Detroit Lions have been heavily tied to a cornerback being acquired via trade. A lot of speculation has been out there about Joey Porter Jr. However, while he is the biggest fish in the pond, he will also cost the most in terms of trade assets and contract. One name who makes a lot of sense as an alternative would be Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kristian Fulton.
Fulton is entering the last year of his deal, and the Chiefs have some depth in the secondary, according to Christian Booher of Sports Illustrated. This makes him a potential option that the Lions will need to inquire about.
“The Chiefs have some depth at cornerback with first-round pick Mansoor Delane, second-year corner Nohl Williams, and veteran L’Jarius Sneed anchoring the group,” wrote Booher. “Fulton has some upside to potentially help a team like the Lions, and he’s on an expiring contract so it wouldn’t be a hefty commitment for Holmes to potentially acquire him in a deal. If Delane plays well, the Chiefs may be even more inclined to look for a draft pick in return and part ways with the veteran.”
Williams and Delane are both young with potential. If they can be inserted into the lineup, the Chiefs will lean toward those two over the veteran. So, it could make Fulton expendable.
Fulton had a strong performance on Sunday Night Football, which might have helped his stock.
He has a $13M cap hit this year and has made over $28M in his career.
Detroit Lions Could Trade for CB Kristian Fulton
Fulton is a former second-round pick going back to the 2020 NFL Draft. He only started in two games as a rookie for the Tennessee Titans, but turned into a three-year starter in the following seasons.
After his four-year rookie contract with the Titans, he signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. He started 14 games for them and started in 49 games in his four-year NFL career.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed him the following season, but he has not lived up to his deal. Fulton has started in three games in the 19 regular-season weeks since signing.
He was only active for eight games in 2025. Fulton recorded an interception in Week 2, but Kansas City has younger options and a sour taste in their mouth from last year. They do not see long-term potential in him and would be wise to move.
Lions Have to Upgrade Their Secondary
With the loss of Avonte Maddox, Detroit has made an effort to improve their secondary. They worked out three safeties and signed Jalen Mills to their practice squad. They will likely add another safety when they put Maddox on the IR.
Still, the team has to do something at cornerback as well. Rock Ya-Sin has not been good enough in the first two weeks. They have Ennis Rakestraw, but if he cannot beat out Ya-Sin, he might be a problem.
Until the team addresses cornerback, they are going to remain linked to any available veteran. Whether it be Fulton, Porter, or anyone else, they need to make a move.
Lions Urged to Trade for $13M Starting Cornerback