There's no way to sugarcoat it: the Detroit Lions have the worst pass defense in pro football. They got exposed again on Sunday night, letting Bryce Young and Tetairoa McMillan march down the field at will for another tough loss.
The Lions have already ruled out making a big trade, and they watched the Dallas Cowboys steal Joey Porter Jr. right in front of them. However, there are still some guys out there who could help them improve while maintaining their precious financial flexibility.
With the Los Angeles Chargers getting off to a 0-4 start to the season, chances are they will be sellers at the November 10 trade deadline. That means the Lions should be all over Donte Jackson before someone else gets him.
Donte Jackson could help with the Lions' cornerback woes
At 30, Jackson may not be a long-term solution for Kelvin Sheppard's defense, but he's a seasoned veteran who would be a plug-and-play option and an immediate upgrade at a position of need. He's in the final year of his contract, so the struggling Chargers have obvious motivations to let him go at a discount.
Jackson hasn't gotten the strongest start to the season, but it's hard to blame him, given the context. Even so, Pro Football Focus has given him coverage grades above 82 in two of his team's first four games of the season.
Thus far, the former second-round pick has given up seven catches on 11 targets for 103 receiving yards and no touchdowns. He has two pass breakups, and he's held opposing quarterbacks to a 94.1 passer rating when going against him.
While those numbers may not necessarily pop off, we're talking about a player who's always been a steady contributor to the running game. Also, beggars can't be choosers, and the worst pass defense in the league can't afford to be that picky. They'd probably be better off with any guy they hire off open tryouts.
The Lions are giving up the most total yards, most passing yards, and most points per game through four games, and it's not necessarily close. The offense is getting the job done and staying ahead of the sticks, but they can't expect to just outscore every team in the league; that's not sustainable in the playoffs.
This team has been reluctant to make major additions. That said, Jackson's $7 million base salary will look more and more appealing to multiple teams as the weeks go by, and the Lions can't afford to let someone else steal another prime trade candidate standing right in front of them.
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