The Detroit Lions are desperate to turn things around defensively. Head coach Dan Campbell has stood behind defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard and taken responsibility for the team's struggles. Both Campbell and Sheppard have talked about the need to improve on that side of the ball and expressed a willingness to make changes.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. So, the Lions aren't ruling anything out, including exploring trying players in new positions.
On Thursday, Sheppard said that they are exploring Keith Abney's potential at safety in addition to his nickel duties, per Lions insider Jeremy Reisman.
Lions' attempt to turn Keith Abney into a safety makes little sense
On one hand, it's understandable that the coaching staff is trying new things to get the team out of the mess that they are in. On the other hand, this is emblematic of what has plagued the Lions defensively over the years.
The Lions drafted Abney in the fifth round because he was one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the country. His defensive snaps in college almost exclusively came as an outside corner. Yet, the Lions have played him everywhere but at outside since he joined the team.
Abney has played the majority of his snaps in the slot so far in the preseason and the regular season. Even though Detroit has a big problem in the cornerback rotation, they haven't given Abney a chance on the outside, the position he is more familiar and comfortable in.
Instead, the Lions have continued to stick with the underwhelming performances of DJ Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, and Roger McCreary. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. has been getting more reps in the last two weeks, but he hasn't been a panacea for Detroit's issues.
Entering Week 5, Campbell revealed that Abney, along with DB Jalen Mills, will likely play a larger role going forward. Instead of seeing what Abney can do on the outside, however, the Lions continue to move him around the defensive backfield.
It's not like Abney's physical and athletic profile screams potential safety in hiding. He can be considered undersized for a corner, let alone a safety, at 5'10" and 185 lbs. He has never even played safety in his career.
The Lions have struggled to develop cornerbacks in recent years. Even though they have drafted several talented young cornerbacks, none of them have panned out. Let's hope that Abney doesn't suffer the same fate, but the way the Lions are treating his rookie campaign doesn't bode well for his development.
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