As the Detroit Lions needed a reliable answer at the cornerback position after the exit of Terrion Arnold, Joey Porter Jr. was viewed as a potential top trade option. But all hopes were put to rest last night when the Dallas Cowboys officially traded the Steelers star. Now, Brad Holmes has to look elsewhere to find an option.
With the Lions looking to upgrade the cornerback room, the Denver Broncos‘ Riley Moss has been floated as one of the feasible options by the Lions beat writer, Mike Payton.
“Moss would make a lot of sense for the Lions because he’s young, he’s already proven he can be a full-time outside corner, and he wouldn’t cost much against the cap this season,” noted Payton recently.
Payton also mentioned that the projected price for the trade would be giving up a third-round pick from the 2027 draft. Given that Sean Payton already has CB options like Ja’Quan McMillan and Patrick Surtain II, they can afford to trade a young cornerback like Moss and could turn out to be a long-term solution at CB, replacing the former first-round pick Terrion Arnold.
Riley Moss Checks Several Boxes For The Lions
The Cowboys reportedly traded Joey Porter Jr. in exchange for two draft-round picks: one from the 2027 sixth round and another from the 2028 second round. In comparison, a proposed third-round pick from the next draft would be a reasonable deal for the Lions.
While Porter was a second-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, Riley Moss was a third-round pick from the same draft. Age is another factor in why Moss could be a great option after Holmes missed out on Porter, as both young cornerbacks are only 26.
Entering his fourth season for the Broncos, Moss is currently in the last year of his contract and has yet to sign a new deal, making the potential deal plausible, as Porter was in the same boat, and he couldn’t reach an agreement with the Steelers before the Cowboys trade. The Broncos star’s cap hit for this season is $3.92 million, which could easily fit in the Lions’ cap space before Brad Holmes negotiates a new contract.
The former third-round pick had a slow start to his NFL career in Denver, playing 14 games but starting zero games in his rookie year. However, he quickly became a regular starter from his sophomore year, starting 14 games, while he played all 17 regular-season games and two playoff games last year. Even this year, he has started the first three games of the season. Playing 48 games, Moss has 186 tackles to his name.
Lions currently have a depleted secondary, and a proven CB name like Moss would be a big boost.
The Lions’ CB Room Remains Thin On Starting Experience
The Lions are still searching for the definite answer to replace Terrion Arnold. For now, veteran D.J. Reed has been CB1, and Roger McCreary has been a top choice at nickel. Rock Ya-Sin remains another veteran option, but the depth chart has unreliable and young options with limited starting experience.
Ennis Rakestraw showed promise against the Jets last week, but his past injury makes him unreliable in an already injury-hit secondary. Then Khalil Dorsey is considered a backup player, while Keith Abney is a rookie. That’s where a player of Moss’ calibre could be a game-changer for Kelvin Sheppard.
Lions Floated as Landing Spot for Broncos CB After Joey Porter Jr.’s Cowboys Move