After spending significant resources on their secondary during the 2024 offseason, the Detroit Lions landed in a solid spot in the rankings of Pro Football Focus.
According to Pro Football Focus' John Kosko, the Lions sport the No. 11 secondary in the NFL going into the 2024 campaign, which is a very good ranking considering all the new faces in the cornerbacks room.
Before we get to that, here's what Kosko had to say about Detroit's secondary:
The Lions have completely rebuilt their secondary in the hope that the new pieces will help develop the group into a top unit. Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu was the ninth-highest-graded safety in 2023, while Brian Branch posted a 78.9 overall grade in his excellent rookie season. The team added cornerbacks Amik Robertson and Carlton Davis this offseason and picked up Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft. The speed at which this unit can mesh together will determine its effectiveness in 2024.
The Lions were already solid at safety and in the slot with guys like Kerby Joseph, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Brian Branch, but were in desperate need of upgrades at cornerback after a season in which their pass defense was the sixth-worst.
Detroit brought in a pair of veterans in Amik Robertson and Carlton Davis, and the team drafted Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw in the first two rounds. Arnold is expected to start opposite Davis, and Rakestraw and Robertson will battle it out for the slot job should the Lions move Branch to safety. If that doesn't happen, they'll be excellent depth options.
Because of the uncertainty Arnold brings to the table, we suspected the Lions may get a lower ranking. However, it's not shocking for Detroit to be this high thanks to the overall depth of the group and the high expectations for the Alabama product.
If Arnold can acclimate quickly and Detroit's secondary can stay healthy, the unit has the potential to be one of the league's best in 2024.
