Detroit Lions: 10 Players Who Could Be Gone in 2017
By Zac Snyder
Cornelius Lucas
One of the most appealing things about drafting Taylor Decker was the opportunity to improve two spots on the offensive line with one pick. That has quickly happened with Decker supplanting Riley Reiff on the left side and Reiff solidifying the right side.
Cornelius Lucas was one of the players who had an opportunity to lock down the right tackle spot long before Decker was in the picture but it didn’t happen. It was Michael Ola who came in as a street free agent to add some stability at right tackle last season and this year Lucas finds himself behind Corey Robinson on the depth chart. When Riley Reiff had to miss a game due to injury, it was Robinson, not Lucas, who stepped in.
As the fourth tackle, Lucas finds himself inactive on gameday more often than not. Maybe there is an opportunity for a return depending on what happens with Riley Reiff’s impending free agency, but this is the last year on undrafted free agent contract Lucas signed in 2014.
If Bob Quinn’s first draft as Lions general manager is any indication, he’ll use the draft to build depth on the offensive line. That’s bad news for guys like Lucas currently on the bottom end of the depth chart.