The Lions’ secondary is still a work in progress, but Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is giving Detroit a reason to pause before making a move at cornerback.
Week eight has brought a bit of clarity to the back end of the defense. Brian Branch came back against the Green Bay Packers, and Kerby Joseph has returned to practice, which should help stabilize things. But the corner room remains the soft spot, even as Rakestraw has started to stand out.
Among cornerbacks with at least 80 snaps, Rakestraw has been one of the best at limiting separation. He has also been elite at getting into a receiver’s hands when the ball gets there.
That’s encouraging for a player whose first two seasons were thrown off by injuries, especially since he has now played in every game since week three this year. For Detroit, the upside is obvious.
That said, the timing matters. Rakestraw may look like a future CB1, but he has still only appeared in ten total games, which means he is nowhere near his ceiling yet.
He may not reach his true peak for a couple more seasons, and the Lions do not have that kind of time if they want help at the position right now. Their Super Bowl window is open in the present.
The numbers back up the idea that Rakestraw is emerging. Among Lions defensive backs with at least 100 snaps, he owns the second-best passer rating allowed at 76.4, according to NFL NextGen Stats. The only Detroit defensive back ahead of him is Keith Abney II at 76.0.
At the same time, DJ Reed has been taking on the outside role and has been picked apart far too often. His 140.6 passer rating allowed is rough enough that only nine players across the league are worse in coverage.
Still, Reed is not the entire story. He was never viewed as a true CB1 before the season, and Detroit’s defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard also struggled to get things lined up over the first six weeks.
Put those pieces together, and the shaky start makes more sense. But the Lions still have time to make a deal before the trade deadline on Nov.
And despite the league’s worst passing defense, Detroit sits at 4-2 and remains in control of its season. The offensive line has been dominant, Jared Goff is in the sneaky MVP conversation, and the playmakers are delivering when it counts. This team does not need a perfect defense, just a respectable one.
The problem is that the Lions share a division with Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, and that keeps the demand for a true CB1 front and center. Minnesota comes to Detroit in week eight for the first meeting between the teams this season, and if Jefferson has a big day, Brad Holmes may have no choice but to take another look at the market.
In Other News...
Lions Timeout Became A Fans Miracle In A Terrifying Home Crash
A routine Lions timeout turned into something far more jarring for Michael Pingel on Sunday night in Chesterfield Township, when a car crashed into his home while Detroit was facing the Packers. Pingel had just stepped away from his couch during the break in play, and that small timing shift likely kept him from being in the path of a vehicle that smashed through his living room wall.
Four people got out after the crash, and one was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Pingel was not hurt, but the aftermath left him dealing with more than just a broken wall, as hes now trying to track down his missing cat after the terrifying scene inside his home. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Are Juggling Two Injury Timelines That Could Matter Soon
Dan Campbells latest injury update brought a little clarity to a Lions defense and offense still sorting through the back half of the season. Brian Branch is already back with no limitations after his Achilles injury, while Thomas Harper is working his way through an ankle rehab that could put him in the mix again in the coming weeks. For a team trying to keep its footing, those kinds of incremental returns can matter as much as any splashy move.
Kerby Joseph is the more immediate name to watch on the defensive side, with the safety limited in practice because of a left knee injury but expected to do much more next week. On offense, the longer-term calendar points to Isiah Pacheco, who is progressing well after back surgery and has a path toward a late-December return. The Lions are still waiting on the full picture, but the next wave of health news could have real implications soon. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Secondary Suddenly Has A New Concern Before Vikings Game
A mostly clean Week 8 injury report took an unexpected turn for the Lions on Friday, when the secondary suddenly carried a little more uncertainty heading into Sundays meeting with the Vikings. Cornerback Roger McCreary was added to the report and is now questionable with a foot injury, leaving Detroit with a late-week concern at a spot that has otherwise been one of the steadier parts of the defense.
Kerby Joseph remains out with a knee injury as he works through the first week of his 21-day return-to-play window after getting back to practice Wednesday. Beyond those two, the Lions are in good shape physically, but any new defensive issue before a division game is worth watching closely, especially with Minnesota on deck and every matchup carrying added weight this time of year. [Read more 🡒]