The Detroit Lions are being urged to sign a recently released player to address some gaps in their roster.
The Detroit Lions are making adjustments to ensure their roster is in prime condition for the upcoming season, with the team aiming for another shot at the Super Bowl and to make history. It’s surprising to realize the Lions are the only team that has never reached the Super Bowl, but they hope that will change in the near future.
Now, the Lions are being advised to pursue the perfect player to fill a roster void.
On Friday, February 14, the Miami Dolphins announced they were cutting several players, one of whom was cornerback Kendall Fuller. He had signed a two-year, $15 million contract with the Dolphins last offseason.
Before joining Miami, Fuller had an outstanding 2023 season with the Washington Commanders, but an injury in 2024 impacted his performance. His Pro Football Coverage grade dropped from 82.8 in 2023 to 62.4 during his first season with the Dolphins.
In a February 16 article for Detroit Jock City, NFL analyst Devon Platana advocates for the Lions to target Fuller.
“Although his stint with the Dolphins didn’t go as planned, Fuller is still a name the Lions should monitor in free agency,” Platana writes. “Carlton Davis, Emmanuel Moseley, and three other cornerbacks are set to become free agents next month, so it would be wise for Detroit to start considering replacement options.”
Platana also points out that even though Fuller’s 2024 season wasn’t ideal, “joining a Super Bowl contender like the Lions could help him revive his career.” He adds that head coach Dan Campbell and his team “know how to get the best out of their players, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Fuller could return to form under their guidance.”
In a February 13 article for Bleacher Report, Kristopher Knox suggests another cornerback for the Lions: Greg Newsome II of the Cleveland Browns. Knox mentions that the Browns are facing a “projected $34.2 million cap deficit” and are in “one of the worst financial situations in the league” heading into the offseason.
“With no way out of Deshaun Watson’s huge contract,” he adds, “Cleveland will likely need to offload salary and reload with rookies.”
As a result, the Browns may consider trading one of their top cornerbacks. ESPN’s Ben Solak discussed this scenario, stating, “With no contending future in sight, I expect the Browns to trade players for draft picks.”
Solak believes both of the team’s cornerbacks, Denzel Ward (who had an excellent season) and Greg Newsome II (who had an uncharacteristically tough season), should be made available, with one likely being traded.
Knox notes that while both Ward and Newsome would bring “value on the trade market,” trading Ward before June 1 “would cost Cleveland an additional $5.8 million in cap space. Trading Newsome would eliminate his entire $13.4 million salary from the books.”
He believes the Lions could benefit from adding a “young cornerback of Newsome’s caliber.”
The NFL’s free agent tampering period begins on Monday, March 10.
