The Detroit Lions secondary has spent the first two weeks looking vulnerable, and the numbers tell the story. Through two games, Detroit has already given up 621 passing yards, with the back end getting exposed in the Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
If the Lions want to keep themselves in the championship conversation, the easiest fix may come from outside the building. General manager Brad Holmes could look to the trade market, especially at cornerback, and reports also say Detroit has checked in on free agent corner Kenny Moore II.
With that in mind, four names stand out as possible trade targets if the struggles continue.
The biggest one is Porter, who has emerged as the top cornerback on the market early in the season. A former second-round pick out of Penn State, he has flashed enough to draw attention, but contract talks have become part of the equation. Detroit has been tied to him for the past couple of weeks, and the fit makes sense on paper.
There is one obvious complication: Porter has not played this year and is listed with a back injury. If he’s healthy, though, he would check a lot of boxes for the Lions. His man-to-man style and physical edge make him the kind of defender Detroit could plug in and trust.
Fulton is another veteran who could be on the move. He signed a two-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs last year, but the fit has not gone the way either side wanted. Fulton played in eight games last season and started two of them.
Kansas City does have depth at the position, with first-round pick Mansoor Delane, second-year corner Nohl Williams and veteran L'Jarius Sneed in the mix. Fulton also helped his stock with a first-quarter interception against the Colts on Sunday Night Football.
Because he’s on an expiring contract, he would not require a massive investment from Detroit. If Delane keeps performing, the Chiefs may be even more willing to take a draft pick and move on from Fulton.
Campbell brings a different kind of profile. The Browns veteran was dealing with an ankle injury before Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he still suited up. In six NFL seasons, he has played in 74 games and started 73 of them.
He has also shown a knack for takeaways, with seven career interceptions. The trade-off is the contract: Campbell is signed through the end of the 2028 season, which would make him a much bigger commitment for the Lions.
Still, Cleveland could decide it wants more draft capital, and that could put veterans like Campbell on the block as the deadline approaches.
Jackson is another name to watch, and he already has a small Detroit connection. He played one game for the Lions as a rookie in 2019.
Now a starter for the Carolina Panthers, Jackson helped them improve to 1-1 with a dominant win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. A fifth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2019, he has bounced around the league and spent time with four teams.
Last season, Jackson picked off four passes for Carolina, a career high. Like Fulton, he’s in the final year of his deal, which could make him a sensible rental if the Panthers’ season goes sideways. Carolina won the NFC South last year and has bigger goals this season, but if things start to slip, Jackson could be available near the deadline.
In Other News...
Lions Secondary Issues Are Forcing Detroit To Act Fast
The Lions are trying to stabilize a secondary that has been hit hard early, and that urgency showed up this week at the Allen Park Performance Center. Detroit has allowed 71 points through the first two games, a rough start that has put even more pressure on a defensive back group already dealing with injuries, including safety Avonte Maddox.
Among the players getting workouts are veterans Jordan Fuller and Jalen Mills, both of whom bring NFL experience and familiarity with the league grind. Mills also has a prior connection to Detroit after being claimed off waivers by the Lions in 2025, and the teams decision to bring in that kind of depth suggests it is moving quickly to find answers before the schedule creates even more problems. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Secondary Issue They May Need To Solve Fast
When the Lions get back from their break, the defensive backfield will be worth watching closely. Detroit plans to work out a group of defensive backs, including Jordan Fuller and Jalen Mills, as it continues to sort through both health questions and performance concerns in the secondary. Avonte Maddoxs foot injury is part of the picture, and the team has already been forced to keep an eye on a unit that has needed help at times.
There is at least a path toward relief if the timing breaks right. Safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph remain on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but both may be nearing a return to practice, which could help stabilize a group that has been thinned out. Until then, the Lions may need these workouts to do more than just add bodies, because the back end of the defense has become a spot they may have to solve quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Badly Need Cade Mays Back For This Brutal Stretch
Jared Goff has already spent too much of the early season dealing with heat in the pocket, and it has put a spotlight on a Detroit offensive line that has not looked nearly as steady as the Lions need it to be. The issue becomes even bigger with the schedule turning toward a pair of division tests against the Packers and Vikings, both of whom can make life miserable for a quarterback when they get to the front of the pocket.
Cade Mays absence has been part of that problem, with the starting center still working back from a wrist injury that has kept him sidelined. The bye week offers the Lions a natural reset, and there is at least a chance he could be back by mid-October, which would give Detroit a much-needed reinforcement right when the trenches figures to matter most. [Read more 🡒]