The Detroit Lions entered the season with a glaring flaw. Even before moving on from Terrion Arnold, their cornerback room was one of the thinnest and most underwhelming in the league, and their first matchup confirmed that.
Having Saints QB Tyler Shough look like a Hall of Famer should've been alarming enough to make a big move. Instead, general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell are keeping the status quo.
They just shut down any potential trade rumor, meaning those tying him to Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. will have to snap out of the dream. That's a decision they'll come to regret soon enough.
Joey Porter Jr. is the perfect trade target for the Detroit Lions
The Lions don't have a true press-man coverage specialist. Porter Jr. is strong and knows how to hold his own in space, even when his guy manages to create separation. He'd immediately be this team's CB1.
He's looking to get paid, and the Steelers may not feel comfortable helping him join the list of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the game. Even so, it's not like the Lions would have to give him more money than the Patriots just gave Christian Gonzalez, so they can always keep the financial flexibility they're preaching while also adding him to the mix.
Porter Jr. is a sturdy and physical player, and with the NFC North's plethora of playmaking wideouts, the Lions can't afford to double down on a CB corps that has shown time and time again that it's not good enough. How will they hold up against Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, or Justin Jefferson? They just can't.
The Lions are fooling themselves into thinking they can simply outscore everybody else in the league. Of course, they have the potential to do so on any given Sunday, but history has shown that's simply not a sustainable formula for success in this league, especially in win-or-go-home situations.
Contending teams have to get the job done in all three facets of the game. The Lions' forgiving schedule gives them a perfect opportunity to bounce back after an alarming campaign in 2025, and failing to recognize and address this team's most glaring flaw will only doom their aspirations.
Porter Jr. and the Steelers still don't see eye to eye, and it's hard to believe he got hurt at the same time he asked for a new deal. Hopefully, the Lions will reconsider their stance on adding external stars before it's too late.
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