The Detroit Lions came into the season shorthanded in their secondary after a pair of big injuries, then lost more depth with a season-ending injury for another cornerback.
But one NFL analyst believes the Lions could intentionally shed another starting cornerback. Reporter Christian Booher of SI.com identified some of the team’s top trade candidates as the deadline nears, putting cornerback Rock Ya-Sin on the list.
Lions Could Consider Change of Scenery for Veteran CB
Booher noted that the Lions already moved Ya-Sin down the depth chart, taking him out of the starting lineup in last weekend’s win over the New York Jets and moving Ennis Rakestraw — who had yet to appear in a game before that point — ahead of him.
“With the younger Ennis Rakestraw and Keith Abney possessing some potential, the Lions could find Ya-Sin more expendable if the younger options yield better results,” Booher wrote. “As the deadline gets closer, the Lions will have a more thorough evaluation and could get healthier in the secondary which could lead them to be more open to a trade.”
Booher tempered his prediction by noting that the eighth-year Ya-Sin wouldn’t have a big trade value, but noted it could be similar to the team’s decision to trade Tim Patrick at the start of the 2025 season.
“The cornerback position is always in demand, and Ya-Sin is a veteran option who has a history of being reliable when called upon,” Booher wrote.
Lions Get Good News on Another Defensive Back
The Lions were shorthanded even before this season started, placing starting safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph on the reserve/PUP list before Week 1. Though neither are eligible to return until at least after this week’s game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell hinted that Branch may not need much more time than that.
“He’s close,” said Campbell. “He’s ready to go. I’m tired of listening to him. I mean that in a good way; man, he has put in a ton of work, and he looks really good.”
Branch suffered a torn Achilles in December, an injury that often requires a 12-month recovery window or more. Campbell’s update on Branch shows that he remains ahead of schedule to return.
The Lions have a Week 6 bye, so they could give Branch an extra two weeks while only missing one additional game beyond the required four.
The team has suffered some other losses since the start of the season, placing defensive back Avonte Maddox on season-ending injured reserve after he was hurt in a loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Lions Predicted to Trade Starting Cornerback Amid Struggles