Even though their defense crumbled late last season, the Detroit Lions decided to retain the core of their defensive unit for the upcoming year. The front office is betting that improved health—particularly on defense—can push the team further. Consequently, the defensive lineup will stay mostly intact, with the main change being D.J. Reed stepping in for Carlton Davis.

Still, that doesn’t mean the team saw no exits on the defensive side. Along with Davis, veterans such as Za’Darius Smith, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Emmanuel Moseley, and Ben Niemann remain free agents and are not expected to return. Another player who logged meaningful snaps last year but won’t be back in Detroit is cornerback Kindle Vildor.

This offseason, Vildor signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After playing a significant role for the injury-depleted Lions defense in 2023, he secured a new opportunity in Tampa. However, his time with the Bucs could end before he ever takes the field in a game.

Tampa Bay aggressively addressed its secondary after recording just seven interceptions last year. Alongside bringing in Vildor, they drafted Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison in Round 2 and Kansas State’s Jacob Parrish in Round 3. With Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum locked in as starters, and Tykee Smith pegged as the nickel back, spots are filling up quickly—leaving little room for Vildor.

In fact, USA Today’s Jason Kanno recently shared a projected 53-man roster for the Buccaneers that excluded Vildor from the cornerback group. The final picks at the position included Dean, McCollum, Morrison, Parrish, Bryce Hall, and Josh Hayes.

To crack the lineup and edge out one of these players, Vildor will need to significantly elevate his play in both minicamp and training camp.

If he fails to stand out, the ex-Lions defensive back could be job-hunting once again before the season even begins.