Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is getting exactly the kind of daily stress test a young corner needs in Lions camp, and the matchup handing him that push is Jameson Williams.
Detroit has been lining Rakestraw up across from Williams on plenty of reps, and the early buzz out of camp suggests the corner is handling the work well enough to keep moving toward a real shot at a consistent role in the secondary. The Lions still don’t know for sure whether he’s ready to be that kind of starter, but the signs so far point in the right direction.
Williams, for his part, isn’t just trying to win the rep and move on. He’s also giving Rakestraw the kind of feedback that turns practice battles into teaching moments.
"It helps me a lot. In a game, you aren't going to win every repetition, and you aren't going to lose every repetition.
It's about competing for the football. He won one, and then I got a punch-out.
We both keep getting better. He'll improve on protecting against the punch-out, and I'll improve on defending the fade.
You just keep getting better. That's all I can do."
That kind of back-and-forth matters for a Lions defense that could use every bit of help it can get in the secondary. Rock Ya-Sin and Nick Whiteside are also in the mix, but if Rakestraw can emerge as a homegrown starter, that would be a major boost for both the team and its fanbase.
It’s been a long time since Lions fans could point to a corner they developed themselves and feel good about it, with Darius Slay standing as the last one that really fits that bill. Since then, the team has gone through a rough run of cornerback swings that never quite hit, including Jeff Okudah, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Chase Lucas, and most notably, Terrion Arnold.
That’s part of why Rakestraw and newly drafted cornerback Keith Abney II are under so much pressure this season. The Lions have real questions in the secondary, and the urgency only grows with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph’s availability up in the air.
Detroit needs help everywhere back there, whether it’s creating turnovers or holding up against the run, and decent play from Rakestraw, Abney, Whiteside, Ya-Sin, and D.J. Reed could go a long way toward patching the problem quickly.
Rakestraw has spent the offseason adding weight and strength, and he’s hoping that added bulk helps him stay healthy enough to be the defender Detroit thinks he can become. At the same time, the Lions need Williams to keep bringing the speed and challenge that force a corner to sharpen up every day. Right now, both players are getting what they need out of the matchup.
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For a team that had Bridgewater penciled in as a reliable insurance policy behind Jared Goff, the timing creates a clear need to act fast. Detroit is expected to add a veteran backup quarterback soon, and with the preseason opener against Cincinnati approaching, the Lions would like that situation settled before the next round of live game reps makes the depth chart even more important. [Read more 🡒]