The Detroit Lions have made some moves in free agency to address their secondary, but things aren't quite shored up on that front ahead of the 2024 campaign.
The Lions' options to start opposite Carlton Davis aren't exactly ideal, with Emmanuel Moseley and free-agent addition Amik Robertson being the top candidates.
The safety position isn't really set, either, as Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu both have concerns, both in terms of health and overall quality of play.
At the very least, Detroit could use depth at both spots, but significant additions could be in the cards for cornerback and safety, with head coach Dan Campbell specifically naming the latter as a position of need recently.
“We're still going to look for safety help,” Campbell said, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “That's not over, either. We know we need some, there again, to bring in some competition in that room. So our eyes are there.”
Campbell mentioned Brian Branch as someone who could play safety, but that would obviously come at a cost, as the Alabama product proved to be an asset as a nickel corner.
“Certainty Branch has got flexibility to be able to play the safety position, we believe, here in time,” Campbell said. “And we already feel very confident about the nickel. He'll only get better and better. And I think really — it’s really and we do believe he'll be able to get there, it's how fast do you get him there? Cause what you don't want to do is, he can play nickel and safety, but it takes away from his nickel play. How good he is as a nickel or how good he can become? And so it's finding that fine balance between the two.”
As far as the free-agent market is concerned, the Lions do have the funds to target some of the top available options, a group headlined by Justin Simmons, Micah Hyde and Quandree Diggs, all of whom would provide upgrades over the team's projected starters.
If that avenue doesn't work out, the Lions are in a good spot in the 2024 NFL draft to land an impact defensive back.
In our recent three-round mock draft, we have the Lions taking Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean with the No. 29 overall pick. DeJean has the ability to play outside, inside, and at safety.
It remains to be seen how the Lions will address the issue, but it's clear making another addition on the back end is a priority moving forward.
