The Detroit Lions are not waiting to try to fix their secondary. After allowing 71 points in two weeks, the team is bringing in three different defensive backs for workouts on the Monday before Week 3. Detroit reportedly is planning to work out veterans Jordan Fuller and Jalen Mills. After those two were reported, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN added that Mike Edwards will also be in the workout mix.
Edwards is a seven-year veteran with 30 career starts.
Detroit Lions Plan to Work Out Veteran DB Mike Edwards
Edwards is a former third-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent his first four seasons with Tampa Bay and won the Super Bowl in 2020. In 2023, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. He won his second Super Bowl with Kansas City and was a four-game starter in the Chiefs’ playoff run.
He started 2024 with the Buffalo Bills, but ended up back with the Buccaneers to close out the year. Last year, Edwards returned to Kansas City. He started from Week 13 on.
Edwards has 3,589 career snaps. However, last year he only played 159, and the year prior he played 251. He is mostly a safety, but he does have 615 snaps in the slot for his career.
So, his versatility could be valuable in the Lions’ secondary.
Lions Workouts Suggest Serious Avonte Maddox Injury
The Lions have secondary issues across the board. However, the team seems to be looking for a specific type of defensive back right now. They are looking for a safety who has slot experience. Jalen Mills was signed to replace Brian Branch last season. He has slot experience.
Fuller is more of a true safety, but has shown versatility in his career. Edwards also has experience in the slot shows that they are looking for someone to replace Maddox.
Maddox has been stepping in for Branch, but got banged up both weeks, and the injury he suffered in Week 2 appears to be more serious.
Detroit has Thomas Harper and Chuck Clark on their roster. However, these two have platooned at safety, and neither has been trusted with a full workload. Beyond that, neither has the slot experience to replace Branch.
Harper and Clark are stepping in for Kerby Joseph, while Maddox replaced Branch. The defensive back that gets signed this week will likely replace Maddox. Both Joseph and Branch are on the PUP. Both are going to miss at least the first six weeks of the season.
Neither is a lock to return by Week 7.
The Lions looking at safeties does not fix their cornerback issue, either. Rock Ya-Sin has struggled this season and most would like for him to be benched. Even D.J. Reed has struggled in the first two weeks. However, Detroit has not worked out an outside cornerback yet.
That might signal the team is willing to give Ennis Rakestraw a chance. That also could line up for a Joey Porter Jr. trade.
Lions Workout 2-Time Super Bowl Champion to Help Defense