Lions Still Have Perfect CB Upgrade Available in Free Agency

Despite being in the midst of one of the best seasons in franchise history, Lions fans are concerned heading into the final three games of the regular season and the playoffs. While Detroit still has a chance to clinch the first-round bye and establish themselves as the Super Bowl favorites before the postseason, the piling injuries are a major point of concern.

The defensive side of the ball is a particularly big problem. The Lions defense is missing six starters from their ideal rotation after losing defensive lineman Alim McNeill and cornerbacks Khalil Dorsey and Carlton Davis to serious injuries. As a result, the Lions failed to slow down the Bills in Week 15, allowing a whopping 48 points.

The need for more depth and talent, especially on the secondary, is obvious. Terrion Arnold and Kindle Vildor will likely start opposite each other while Emmanuel Moseley will get an expanded role with Amik Robertson potentially moving outside as well. That doesn't instill much confidence in Lions fans as Robertson and Arnold are ranked as the 90th and 108th-ranked cornerbacks among 115 players per PFF, respectively. Vildor has an even lower defensive grade at 46.3 in his limited snaps.

Before the start of the playoffs, the Lions need to address these concerns. Fortunately for them, there is a competent veteran cornerback available in free agency that could help.

Patrick Peterson, the three-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback is still a free agent and could help a team in a small role.

The 34-year-old defender is obviously not the star he once was. It is hard to be an elite backfield defender in this league in your mid-30s. At the same time, Peterson has been a solid cornerback even in the last few seasons.

Peterson did not miss a single game in his last two seasons, with the Vikings in 2022 and the Steelers in 2023. He played over 95% of defensive snaps during that span, defending 26 passes and putting up seven interceptions. He allowed less than 60% completion when targeted. In 2022, he had an 80.7 defensive grade on PFF and followed that up with a 60.5 last season. Both of those numbers are higher than any active Lions cornerback this season.

Postseason success and a Super Bowl win have eluded Peterson throughout his illustrious 13-year career. Signing with the Lions could help him get what he has been missing, creating a win-win scenario for both sides. Whether the Lions front office feels the same way remains to be seen.

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