The Detroit Lions’ defense has opened the season in rough shape, and that has put the spotlight squarely on the secondary. For a team built to chase a Super Bowl, that kind of start is a serious problem, especially when the offense can only do so much to cover for the other side of the ball.
At this point, the cleanest way to patch the issue may be a trade. Detroit is going to have to explore that route over the next week or so if it wants to stop the bleeding before the situation gets even worse. If the defense keeps trending this way, it could end up costing the Lions not just momentum, but a playoff spot.
That’s where ESPN’s Ben Solak enters the conversation. In looking at possible help for Detroit, Solak pointed to Broncos corner Riley Moss as a player who could make sense.
“There’s nothing about this pass defense that doesn’t stink,” Solak wrote. “A fully healthy Branch, plus a decided leap in sack rate on all of these pressures, alongside another midseason defensive back acquisition (Broncos CB Riley Moss?) and the continued health of the defensive line … and I could see the Lions’ passing defense getting to average by the end of the season.”
Moss, 26, has looked promising since Denver took him in the third round. He isn’t a star, but he’s been solid enough to qualify as an above-average option, and that alone would be useful for a Lions defense that needs help in the secondary.
The bigger question is price. Detroit would likely have to give up meaningful draft capital to land him, especially with its need at cornerback out in the open for everyone to see.
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Sean Payton's Pat Surtain Update Should Relieve Broncos Fans
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Bo Nix Sends Clear Message As Broncos Criticism Keeps Growing
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Sean Payton Suddenly Faces A Broncos Decision Fans Will Debate
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But the picture inside the building sounds less settled than the rumor mill suggests. A Broncos source pushed back on the idea that the organization was aligned on making the switch, saying the room did not appear unified and that it did not look that way in practice. Payton, for his part, has tried to keep the focus on the details of each snap rather than the public fascination with who is holding the call sheet, which leaves this as one of those Broncos questions worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]