The Detroit Lions’ 2-2 start has made the problem in the back end impossible to ignore. After a crushing loss to the Carolina Panthers on primetime Sunday Night Football, the offense looks fine enough. The real mess sits on defense, where the secondary has become the obvious pressure point.
That reality is what has pushed the Lions into the trade market conversation. With the cornerback and safety rooms both looking shaky, Detroit may need outside help to steady things this season.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler pointed to Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kristian Fulton as one possible answer.
"One potential option is Kansas City's Kristian Fulton, who is in and out of the lineup," Fowler writes. "He is owed real money -- $5 million of his $9.75 million base salary is guaranteed -- but perhaps the Chiefs and Lions could split the bill to facilitate a deal."
Fulton would give the Lions another body for a secondary that needs support, and the fit makes some sense because Kansas City may not view him as a full-time starter. The Chiefs are 4-0, though, so any deal would require them to be comfortable parting with depth at a position where they’ve had enough options to survive so far.
Detroit already missed out on Joey Porter Jr. after the Dallas Cowboys acquired him from the Pittsburgh Steelers, so the urgency to find help is only growing.
Fulton is not Porter, but he would be cheaper to land. And while other names could come into play later, including Riq Woolen of the Philadelphia Eagles if their season falls apart, Fowler’s read is that Fulton is the one to watch for now.
If the Lions do make a move, Fulton would likely be asked to play as much as possible and immediately help a cornerback room that has not held up its end of the bargain.
In Other News...
Darius Slay Just Said What Lions Fans Fear About This Secondary
Darius Slay has never been shy about giving his old team an honest evaluation, and his latest comments land at a time when the Lions are still trying to steady a defense that has drawn plenty of scrutiny. The former Detroit cornerback pointed to Carlton Davis as the player he thought fit best in the scheme and said letting him leave in free agency was the clubs biggest recent misstep, a remark that will sound familiar to anyone who has watched the secondary struggle to find consistency.
Slay also took aim at the broader direction of the defense under Kelvin Sheppard, suggesting the issues in the back end go beyond one departure and reflect a need for a different philosophy. He did leave open a sliver of intrigue about his own future, saying he might entertain a return for the right offer, though he made clear he is comfortable with life after football for now. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Pass Defense Problem Could Force A Trade Fans Didn't Expect
Through the first month of the season, the Lions pass defense has been one of the clearest pressure points on the roster, and it has already pushed the front office into the trade market. Detroit has talked with other teams about cornerback Joey Porter Jr., but the search for help could widen if the right deal materializes. One name floating into the conversation is Philadelphia cornerback Riq Woolen, a player with the kind of tools that can change the feel of a secondary in a hurry.
Woolens contract situation and past performance make him an intriguing fit for a team trying to shore up the back end without overcommitting long term. Philadelphias recent roster changes, including the retirement of Lane Johnson and the trade of Cam Jurgens, have also fueled the idea that the Eagles could be willing to keep moving pieces to stockpile future draft capital. For the Lions, the question is whether a move like that is realistic, and whether solving the pass-defense issue will require a swing more aggressive than the one fans expected. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Goff Has Set A Brutal Standard Against Arizona
Jared Goff has made a habit of making life difficult for Arizona, and that matters again as the Lions head into a matchup that could turn into another test of Detroits offense. Goffs career track record against the Cardinals has been strong enough to stand out on its own, and it has usually come with the kind of production the Lions need when they are trying to stay on schedule and keep pressure on the opponent from the opening series.
The challenge this time is less about whether Goff can move the ball and more about whether Detroit can keep up if Arizonas defense makes the game tighter than expected. The Cardinals have enough strengths on that side of the ball to force a real fight, and Trey McBride looms as one of the names that can shape the flow of the afternoon, which leaves the Lions needing another clean, efficient outing from their quarterback if they want to keep the standard going. [Read more 🡒]