Detroit Lions: Cornerback carousel continues but Jerry Jacobs a bright spot

Detroit Lions‘ undrafted rookie cornerback, Jerry Jacobs, is quickly turning into a bright spot within a bleak secondary.

Trouble arose when the Detroit Lions lost second-year corner Jeff Okudah for the season due to a serious Achilles injury.  Okudah remains firmly a work in progress, and there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding his future with the Detroit Lions.

It’s been a struggle for the former no. 3 overall draft choice and after back-to-back season-ending injuries in his first two seasons to begin his career, wondering if he will ever live up to his draft position is in real doubt.

This past season the Detroit Lions selected Ifeatu Melifonwu in the third-round with the 101st overall pick.  Melifonwu was expected to step up and fill the teams’ cornerback void with Okudah being injured starting outside opposite Amani Oruwariye.  Unfortunately, Melifonwu was injured in Week Two and has yet to return to the lineup with a severe thigh issue.

The Detroit Lions have found a diamond in the rough with rookie corner Jerry Jacobs.

The cornerback position has been a revolving door in 2021 for the Lions.  I expected the Detroit Lions to turn to Nickell Robey-Coleman or veteran Quinton Dunbar who had been with the organization this summer before having to leave due to a personal family matter.

Instead, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn,  has turned to Jacobs to start opposite Oruwariye, and it’s paying dividends.

Jacobs has totaled 16 tackles and one forced fumble making three starts and 216 defensive snaps this season.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Jacobs has played his way to a team-leading 64.0 overall rating and 61.5 in coverage.  He’s also been a reliable run defender on the edge, having only missed two tackles en route to a solid 70.7 mark in run support.

Jacobs has yielded 191 yards and 13 receptions on 18 targets and has yet to come away with an interception.  I am not ready to pronounce Jacobs as a ‘sure-thing’ when it comes to being an NFL starting corner, but if he continues to develop in this role, he has a chance to stick around for years to come.

The Detroit Lions may have another issue, starting slot corner A.J. Parker was injured this past Sunday in Los Angeles. His replacement Daryl Worley was immediately torched by former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Worley was burnt by Cooper Kupp twice, and Tuesday morning, the Lions decided to release him from the team.

Detroit, already thin at the position, will be once again looking for corner help.  Perhaps recently signed former Michigan State Spartan, Shakur Brown, will get an opportunity, or Robey-Coleman, who has spent the year on Detroit’s practice squad thus far.