Detroit Lions rookie cornerback Keith Abney II took a rough preseason outing and answered it the way teams love to see: by getting right back in the mix.
Abney, who has been thrown into one of the most important camp battles on the roster, is fighting for the open nickelback job and appears to be in strong position to claim it before cutdown day on Sunday. The Lions need someone who can handle the slot, and Abney has the kind of fit that makes the roster picture look pretty clear - provided he keeps backing it up on the field.
That wasn’t exactly how things looked in Week 2 of the preseason, when Abney earned a start at nickel but had a costly penalty and gave up a few chunky plays. But the rookie had a week to steady himself, and Tuesday’s practice brought a much better report.
Going up against Amon-Ra St. Brown, Abney reportedly recorded two stops in coverage.
Abney entered training camp with plenty of deserved buzz after Detroit selected him later in the draft than expected. The former Arizona State cornerback put together a career year in his final season with the Sun Devils, and even with his size, he’s been viewed as a physical tackler who can make his presence felt against the run and slot receivers.
That makes the matchup with St. Brown a useful test, not just a highlight.
If you can hold your own against the best slot receiver in camp, that says something. In Abney’s case, it helped reinforce the idea that his bad preseason showing may have been more of a bump than a warning sign.
He’s not alone in the race, though. Roger McCreary has been pushing hard, and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is also in the conversation, while Christian Izien is reportedly out for a bit with an injury. McCreary has been climbing steadily at camp and recently said he had to adjust to the tone and intensity of Detroit’s practices.
The Lions signed CB Roger McCreary this offseason. He admitted he had to adjust to Detroit’s practices.
“They practice hard, this is one of the toughest practices, I’m not gonna lie,” he said.
McCreary said Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard gives “tough love.” pic.twitter.com/MPWmlyDZYx
- Brad Galli (@BradGalli)
Even with that competition, Abney looks like the frontrunner right now. Getting reps against St. Brown after the preseason stumble is exactly the kind of response that can lock down a role, and it’s part of why his rise feels like one of camp’s better stories - right there with rookie defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard, who also looks like a lock for the final roster.
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