Detroit Lions: Will Harris is the Next Man up in the Secondary
By Bob Heyrman
After Bob Quinn decided to trade starting safety Quandre Diggs to the Seattle Seahawks for merely a fifth-round pick, it signals yet again another youth movement for the Detroit Lions.
Quandre Diggs is only 26-years old, but with the emergence of the second-year pro, Tracy Walker, who I believe is a star in the making. It allows the Detroit Lions to clear up some salary space by moving a veteran team leader in Diggs.
The move also opens up a starting spot for rookie safety Will Harris who the Detroit Lions selected in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Harris is a 23-year old that played his college ball at Boston College. Harris has yet to make a start this season but has performed in Detroit’s nickel/dime packages when they use a plethora of defensive backs on passing downs.
Harris hasn’t fared well as of yet, but he’s still learning the ropes. Through his first 6 games of the season, he’s recorded 10 tackles. However he’s yet to force a turnover, but in his defense, he hasn’t had the opportunity to play a bunch yet. His time is coming now. There is sure to be some growing pains, but Will has the potential to grow into a tremendous talent similar to Walker.
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I believe Harris will be much more valuable helping to stop the run rather than in pass coverage but, of course, playing as a safety you need to be efficient in both aspects of the game. These stats back the logic.
Over the first six games, quarterbacks have a QB rating of 105.8 when targeting Harris while in coverage. That’s not a perfect rating but a very close. To compare, Quandre Diggs is allowing a QB rating of 86.1, and Darius Slay 74.5.
Will Harris has been targeted 5 times in man to man coverage this season, allowing 4 catches allowing on average nearly 11 yards per grab. I understand it’s a small sample size, but he’s not pitching a shutout or anything. Slay, who is a corner who plays much more man to man coverage than a safety, is allowing a catch rate of 55%. Diggs was allowing a catch rate of 50%.
The Detroit Lions were very deep at the position, which also leads me to believe that Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia are clearing up some salary space for something else either this season or potentially in the offseason. The Diggs move remains a head-scratcher because he did just sign a three-year extention taking him through to the conclusion of the 2021 season.
dark. Next. Lions Gift the Seattle Seahawks Quandre Diggs
If Will Harris isn’t quite ready to start week in and week out, the Lions still have veteran Tavon Wilson, who can fill in nicely. He’s a significant drop off from Diggs and is also a liability defending the passing game, but he’s a functional run support first safety.