The Detroit Lions' defense has taken a big leap since the first four games of the season. They gave up 30+ points en route to a 2-2 record, but they've held opponents to 21, 17, 15, and 9 points in their four-game winning streak.
However much credit defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard deserves for this turnaround, this unit is far from perfect. They're giving up 23.6 points per game, ranking 17th in the league, and they still struggle mightily against the pass.
That's why watching this team stand pat instead of going for a cornerback might be a season-defining decision. They were one piece away from being a top-tier team in the NFC, and it feels like they wasted a perfect opportunity.
The Detroit Lions will regret not trading for another cornerback
After nine games, the Lions still rank dead last in passing yards allowed per game (260.9). They're elite against the run (94.1 rushing yards allowed per game, 8th in the league), but they're still 28th in total yards (377.3) because of their woes against the pass.
The trade for Andre Cisco led some to believe Kerby Joseph might have suffered a setback in his recovery, but he's nothing more than a depth piece. Joseph's imminent return will undoubtedly help with their pass defense, but he's not a cornerback.
Maybe they think that they can move rookie Keith Abney II back to the boundary once Joseph makes his season debut, or perhaps they feel comfortable with what they're getting from Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and D.J. Reed's latest surge. That makes sense to a degree, but it is a risky decision nonetheless, especially in case of an injury.
Making moves just for the sake of it doesn't always help, and it's not like other teams made splashy moves for cornerbacks. That said, there were more than enough feasible options to go after, even if they didn't want to give up big assets to land someone like Sauce Gardner.
Kristian Fulton, Donte Jackson, Nahshon Wright, and Riq Woolen all made perfect sense as potential mid-season reinforcements. The Lions are knocking on the door of a Super Bowl run, but they still play in the most competitive division in pro football, and a starting-caliber cornerback is clearly the only thing standing between them and elite status.
Maybe this is an overreaction, and they deserve all the credit in the world for their recent adjustments and improvement. That said, there's no margin for error in the division, and watching their season end because of their struggles in coverage should probably be enough to cost some people their jobs at the end of the season.
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