The Detroit Lions entered the offseason with major concerns at cornerback, and they've done little to address them. Of course, Keith Abney II might turn out to be good, but he's an unproven, undersized Day 2 rookie who still needs to earn his stripes.
Things only got worse with the whole Terrion Arnold fiasco. He hadn't been good when healthy, but as a former first-round pick, the team still had plenty of expectations for him before circumstances forced them to part ways with him.
That's why, now that the Pittsburgh Steelers might be open to trading Joey Porter Jr., the Lions should be the first to call. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, several teams could be interested in trading for him.
Lions should be all over Joey Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. is listed as a starter for Mike McCarthy's team, so this report was somewhat surprising. That said, he's not signed after this season, and if contract negotiations stall, the Steelers will have no choice but to consider moving him before he walks away without getting anything in return.
Devon Witherspoon, Trent McDuffie, and Denzel Ward have all gotten big raises this offseason. As such, the Penn State product might feel like he should be next in line to cash in on a $30+ million-per-year contract.
If the Steelers aren't comfortable with that, the Lions should at least consider it. He's been mostly good in his three years in the game, and it's not like they have other bona fide options to fill in for Arnold's departure.
A former second-round pick, Porter Jr, made 14 appearances for Mike Tomlin's team last season, logging 52 total tackles, one interception, 14 pass deflections, and one sack. With Tomlin no longer in the building, he may also prefer to take his talents elsewhere.
Porter is the type of potential shutdown corner this team should gamble on. He gave up 29 receptions for 10.3 yards per reception last season, but he held opposing quarterbacks to a 56.2 passer rating in nearly 600 coverage snaps.
The Lions have the firepower to keep up with the cream of the crop. That said, the NFC North is full of gunslingers and downfield threats, and this team can't afford to be vulnerable in the defensive backfield.
Trading for a former second-round pick who's yet to reach his prime might come at a steep cost. Still, beggars can't be choosers, and this team might be a move or two away from a Super Bowl, so they just have to pull the trigger.
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