Detroit Lions keep CB Nevin Lawson on new two-year deal
By Zac Snyder
The Detroit Lions defense is in for change in 2018 but that may not be the case with personnel in the secondary after Nevin Lawson has a new deal.
Day two of the negotiating window ahead of the official start of free agency brought about significant change for the Detroit Lions defense. News broke this morning that linebackers Devon Kennard and Christian Jones would be signing with the Lions when the new league year begins.
Add in a report that Haloti Ngata would be moving on to join the Philadelphia Eagles and the Lions’ front seven is in for an overhaul.
One area that doesn’t appear to have much change in store this offseason is in the secondary. The day’s news began with a new two-year deal for safety Tavon Wilson and then it was a two-year deal for cornerback Nevin Lawson later in the day.
According to Dave Birkett, the deal is for a total of $9.2 million with incentives that could bring the total up to $10 million over two years.
At first glance it appears like Lawson did well for himself – perhaps more money than many Lions fans would like to see for his return. That’s just what happens when you play the free agency game. The Lions gave D.J. Hayden a one-year, $3.75 million deal in free agency last season and so Lawson’s new deal can be thought of as taking that spot contractually.
The cornerback market is such that guys making less than Lawson’s new deal are either guys on rookie contracts or players you really don’t want to be seeing take snaps on defense. As it is, Lawson will still be outside the top 30 highest-paid corners.
Divide the NFL’s 2018 salary cap of $177.2 million over a 53-man roster and you get an average of about $3.43 million. In that context, paying $4 million to $5 million for a player expected to be a meaningful contributor on defense is not out of line.
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That’s not to say this is a great deal and fans should be pumped about Lawson’s return. He has a penchant for committing huge pass interference penalties and needs to be more consistent. But take away those issues and the it’s likely Lawson would command a lot more in free agency. The hope is that there is a next level for Lawson to reach under Matt Patricia.