Detroit Lions mailbag: Should we be worried about Teez Tabor?
By Matt Bosko
The Detroit Lions’ competition for cornerback opposite Darius Slay is heating up in camp. Will a savvy veteran win the battle over a former second-round pick?
The back-end of the Detroit Lions’ defense has a lot of talented pieces, including lockdown corner Darius Slay. How some of those other pieces fit around Slay – including who will start on the opposite side of the field – is one of the burning questions of training camp.
Do you or any of your colleagues think Tabor has any shot for the CB2 spot with the relative dominance Shead has displayed in camp thus far?
— Joel VanderHoek (@joel_vanderhoek) August 4, 2018
A lot of fans have echoed this concern on Twitter, Joel, and my opinion is the same now as it was when the Lions signed DeShawn Shead: it’s Tabor’s job to lose. But that doesn’t mean Teez Tabor is a flop, either.
Fans are eager for the final verdict on Tabor, but the reality is the jury is still deliberating. He was a second-round selection last season, and the flawed expectation is that he should be up to the task by now.
Remember, Tabor came on late last season in a supplemental role. Not all corners are ready to make that dramatic leap in year two, especially when you consider he has to learn an entirely new, and what is expected to be a much more complex, scheme.
Such a transition favors a seven-year veteran like Shead, who has done everything before and can rely on his experience. I think Shead’s performance in camp tells us a lot more about him than it does about Tabor. From the looks of things, the Lions seem to have gotten a solid return on their investment. Shead has made plays consistently thus far.
Training camp is about competitions such as this, and the beauty of it is that even if Tabor loses, he still wins. He is surrounded by veterans who can help him polish his game while he continues to develop in one of the toughest positions in the NFL.
If Shead does win this camp battle, it does not mean Tabor is a bust. In fact, he will still be a major contributor this season. Whether he is CB2 or CB3 on the roster is irrelevant.
Why? Because his head coach says so.
Matt Patricia talking the importance of his DBs: “You guys really like to ask me 3-4, 4-3, but you keep missing the point. It’s really sub. So there’s a lot of corners on the field at all times.”
— Tori Petry (@sportstori) August 3, 2018
Matt Patricia’s defense will be dynamic and change based on opponent and match-ups, just as it was with the New England Patriots.
Next. The curious case of Theo Riddick. dark
The Lions will deploy as many corners and safeties as they deem necessary to give them the best chance to win. Even if Tabor’s role is situational, the likelihood is that the situation will be often and critical, and he will be a factor.