The NFL offseason is in full swing. The Detroit Lions have already begun to make moves to revamp their roster, trading David Montgomery and releasing Graham Glasgow. But the Lions aren't the only team that has been active on the market. In fact, their NFC rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, made one of the biggest moves of the offseason so far, parting ways with multiple draft picks to acquire Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs.
While it's certainly not a positive development that a team that was already the team to beat in the NFC got even stronger, it could lead to the Lions also bolstering a position of need.
Roger McCreary Could Emerge As an Option for Lions
McDuffie's arrival in Los Angeles likely makes Roger McCreary more available in free agency. McCreary was acquired by the Rams at the trade deadline, but failed to make much of an impact, mostly due to the hip injury he suffered in Week 12. He made his return towards the end of the season and was a key member of the secondary in the divisional round against the Bears.
As much as the Rams would like to keep McCreary, he may be out of their price range with McDuffie now in the mix. Spotrac puts the 26-year-old cornerback's average annual value for his next contract at $6.1 million. Considering that the Rams still have Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Darious Williams, who played the lion's share of snaps at cornerback last season, on their books for 2026, they will understandably be hesitant to sign McCreary to a deal around that annual value.
The Lions, on the other hand, could really use McCreary. Some fans wanted Detroit to go after the former Tennessee Titans defender at the trade deadline. However, GM Brad Holmes didn't spend any resources to address the cornerback room during the season. Instead, the Lions relied heavily on their depth down the stretch, with Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox getting significant snaps.
Detroit suffered a slew of injuries in the secondary last season, with DJ Reed, Kerby Joseph, and Brian Branch all missing extended time. Whether this will force the Lions to add more depth there in the offseason, or make Holmes think that they can survive with a patchwork of backups and practice squad members if the injuries hit like they did last season, remains to be seen. If they opt for the former option, McCreary should be near the top of their list as a high-upside defender still in his prime.