If the Detroit Lions were to hire Dearborn native Robert Saleh to be their next head coach, here are five players he may bring with him.
As the Detroit Lions continue their extensive search for their next head coach, I can’t help but wonder who someone like Robert Saleh may bring to the organization with him from the San Francisco 49ers. You can make a strong argument that Saleh’s coaching performance in 2020 is greater than in 2019.
In 2019 en route to a Super Bowl birth Saleh had a juggernaut of a defense at his fingertips. Saleh was like an excited disc-jockey excited to push all of the buttons with not much that could go wrong with the talent deployed on the field. In 2020 it’s been much different. The 49ers have been stricken with a plethora of injuries forcing Saleh to scheme a top-ten defense with has-beens and lesser talented players, which he’s successfully accomplished.
Saleh isn’t just a ball of energy that players love; he’s the defensive genius that Detroit Lions’ fans were promised when the organization hired Matt Patricia.
Here are five pending free agents Saleh could potentially bring to the Motor City.
Richard Sherman
The future Hall Of Fame cornerback most famous for his on-field postgame outburst while being interviewed by Erin Andrews, when he took exception to the 49ers trying to score a game-winning touchdown to Michael Crabtree while Sherman had been in coverage.
Recently, Richard Sherman praised his current defensive coordinator, Saleh, saying the Detroit Lions need to hire him.
Sherman isn’t the same player he once was during his time in Seattle anchoring a defense nicknamed the ‘Legion of Boom,’ but he’s still a serviceable veteran corner that excels in Saleh’s three-deep zone defense. With Sherman’s greatest weakness as he’s aged being beat over the top in man-to-man coverage, he’s provided safety help over the top in Saleh’s scheme, or simply playing soft coverage keeping everything in front of him.
Most of the time, Sherman is responsible for his deep third, allowing a linebacker or nickel-corner to have the ‘flat’ responsibility, avoiding having Sherman playing man-to-man later in his career.
Saleh isn’t afraid to be creative. Earlier this season, the 49ers lined up Sherman as a free safety to confuse Rams quarterback Jared Goff, not just one play, but for a significant amount of time during the contest.
According to Pro Football Focus, we’re just a year removed from Sherman compiling a league-best 88.9 grade, but that number has drastically fallen to 67.7 in 2020, a career-worst. For much of the 2020 season, Sherman joined a host of his 49er teammates on Injured Reserve, limiting him to just five starts to date.
Sherman has played 332 total snaps during those five starts, being targeted just 14 times, yielding eight receptions totaling 87 yards and a score.
Sherman is a pending free agent and won’t command a salary to which he’s used to. Sherman is coming off of a deal that pays him nearly $14 million per season. After publically supporting Saleh, it’s not out of the question to see the veteran free agent eager to follow his defensive coordinator to his next destination.
I’d suspect Sherman will earn somewhere around $10 million per season, and the fact that he represents himself rather than having an agent who he would usually pocket a percentage of his deal leaving Sherman the ability to sign more of a team-friendly deal knowing it’s all going into his bank account.
There is a possibility Sherman moves to free safety to finish out his career as he did against the Rams. If that is the case, Charles Woodson proved it could be done at an elite level, and that shouldn’t deter a team from considering signing Sherman late in his career.
Jason Verrett
The former TCU Horned Frogs’ corner Jason Verrett enjoys a rejuvenated career with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 after being an afterthought or forgotten corner.
The Los Angeles Chargers organization initially drafted Verrett, formally the San Diego Chargers, with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The highly touted corner immediately produced a pair of stellar seasons to start his career, recording an 85.1 rookie season rating according to Pro Football Focus, followed by an 88.4 grade in his second season.
Verrett’s athleticism and overall talent have never been in question, but he has had a career filled with various serious injuries.
After enjoying two stellar years, in Verrett’s third season, he suffered a torn left knee that ended his third NFL season in early September. The following year Verrett had been limited to just one game after re-tearing that same left knee like the season prior.
Just when you think it couldn’t get worse, Verrett suffered a grade-three achilles tear during a training session in July of 2018.
The 49ers decided to take a flier on Verrett, knowing the injury history signing him to a one-year deal worth $3.6 million in 2019. This time Verrett played just four defensive snaps before tweaking that heavily damaged left knee, ending his season.
The 49ers once again took a chance on Verrett before the start of 2020, signing the now veteran corner to a one year deal worth less than a million dollars. Verrett has been Robert Saleh’s top corner in 2020, often shadowing the opponent’s top pass-catcher. Verrett recently did a tremendous job trailing DeAndre Hopkins in San Fran’s shocking 20-12 upset over the Cardinals.
According to PFF, Verrett has produced a solid 77.4 overall rating that includes a stout 76 mark in coverage over a career-high 739 defensive snaps.
Verrett, a pending free agent, maybe a corner the Detroit Lions could use opposite Jeff Okudah or Amani Oruwariye in 2020-21 rather than the corps of Desmond Trufant, who is proving to be another one of Bob Quinn’s ‘bust signings.’
Kerry Hyder
Here is a familiar face for Detroit Lions fans, defensive end Kerry Hyder. Hyder started his NFL career with the Detroit Lions after not earning a role with the Jets in 2015. Hyder initially landed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2014.
Hyder played a mere two defensive snaps in 2015 before bursting onto the scene in 2016, recording eight sacks as a member of the Detroit Lions. In addition to those eight sacks, Hyder completed 31 tackles and 26 stops. Hyder then suffered a season-ending achilles injury before the start of the 2017 season.
The former Detroit Lions defensive end returned to the field in hopes of following that uplifting 2016 performance in ’18 but had been limited to just one sack on 153 defensive snaps before heading to Dallas in ’19.
Hyder saw a limited, rotational role with the Cowboys last season, playing just 439 snaps, notching 17 tackles and two sacks.
The San Francisco 49ers decided to sign Hyder to a backup role this past March, and good thing they did because they’ve certainly needed him to fill in for both Solomon Thomas and Nick Bosa. Since becoming a starter by default, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has gotten massive production from the former Detroit Lion.
Hyder has recorded a career-high 8.5 sacks and accumulated 39 tackles, although he’s missed a whopping 12. This is just another example of how good Saleh can be; he’s getting concrete production from a backup defensive end.
According to PFF, Hyder has earned a career-high 70.9 rating. He’s a bargain for the 49ers at just $1.5 million, but he’s sure to see a raise this coming offseason and fills a role the Detroit Lions desperately seek.
Solomon Thomas
The 49ers drafted Solomon Thomas with the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The 49ers spent years accumulating defensive linemen with premium picks in the draft. They’ve spent years building a line that consists of Nick Bosa and formally DeForest Buckner, who has since moved onto Indianapolis but don’t forget about Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw, and Thomas.
One could make a fair argument that Thomas is a bust out of this group. He’s undoubtedly the least decorated of these premium picks and hasn’t lived up to his draft position.
At 280 pounds, Thomas provides a defensive-front with an abundance of flexibility because he can play inside as a tackle or out as a true defensive end. Thomas can lineup in a three (over an OG) or five (outside shoulder of an OT) techniques, and Saleh has used him both ways over the last two years.
Thomas played more than 600 defensive snaps in each of his first two seasons. After drafting Bosa and acquiring Dee Ford heading into the 2019 season, the 49ers pulled the reins back on Thomas; he’d only total 425 snaps.
The year 2020 has been a lost season for Thomas, and it comes at the worst time, a contract year. Thomas is a player that will likely hit the open market looking for a fresh start knowing the 49ers have many other, more impactful players to sign.
I could see Saleh having an interest in bringing Thomas with him to use in a rotational role, and he’d fill a need for upfront for the Detroit Lions. Thomas won’t earn nearly what he makes on the rookie deal that pays him over $8 million per season, but he’s worth adding for $3 or $4 million on a one-year prove-it type of agreement after sustaining a season-ending torn ACL in 2020.
Thomas’ best PFF rating came in 2018, earning a mark of just 62.5.
Jaquiski Tartt
The Detroit Lions are in dire need of re-shaping their entire defense, and after spending draft choices on both Tracy Walker and Will Harris, both have become expendable. I’ve hoped to see both safties take a step forward in 2020, but both have struggled mightily at times.
The Lions’ top safety in 2020 has been former New England Patriot Duron Harmon. After that, you could argue recently released Jayron Kearse had been more productive than both Harris and Walker.
Jaquiski Tartt would quickly become the Lions’ top safety if the Lions were lucky to sign him in free agency especially if the team fails to retain Harmon. After spending six seasons with the 49ers, his time there may be coming to an end.
Former 49ers safety Donte Whitner recently envisioned Tartt following his current DC, Robert Saleh where ever he goes;
"“Tartt is pretty much the quarterback of this defense when he’s back there,” Whitner said. “He does all the communicating. If Saleh is going to take this cover-3 system over to Detroit or wherever he lands, he’s going to need somebody who can react and can call out the defense and take control back there.”"
Tartt is a pending free agent coming off of a deal that averages $6.27 million. Tartt has been battling a turf toe injury that prematurely shut down his 2020 season.
Tartt is a strong safety that excels playing in the box. His skill-set would pair perfectly with Duron Harmon or Richard Sherman (if he’s destined to become a safety), who are both better in coverage than they are at defending the run.