Detroit Lions' Top Free-Agency Targets at Cornerback
One of the questions facing the Detroit Lions as they tackle the NFL offseason is figuring out who will start at cornerback opposite Darius Slay.
Slay (pictured) took a big step forward in his second season. He improved from 92nd to 19th in Pro Football Focus' cornerback rankings. Detroit is in fine shape with Slay moving forward. The other outside cornerback spot, however, is a major uncertainty.
Veteran Rashean Mathis has played even better than Slay the last two seasons, but he is an unrestricted free agent and will turn 35 before the 2015 season kicks off. Even if he returns, Mathis is a short-term solution.
There are several free-agent options if general manager Martin Mayhew and his personnel staff opt to open the checkbook to remedy the cornerback situation. While Detroit likely cannot afford any top-tier corners, there are still some attractive candidates.
Kareem Jackson
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Kareem Jackson presents a common challenge when chasing after free-agent gold. He's coming off an outstanding campaign for the Houston Texans, but it came in a contract year.
Prior to his great 2014, Jackson had been an up-and-down performer. A first-round pick out of Alabama in 2010, he was largely underwhelming in the Gary Kubiak era in Houston, save an unexpected spike in 2012.
Jackson was consistent under a new coach, Bill O'Brien, and a new position coach in 2014. According to PFF, his career grades reflect the spikes in competence.
| Overall | Coverage | QB Rating vs. | PDs + INTs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | -11.6 | -10.3 | 111.8 | 8 |
| 2011 | -3.7 | -9.5 | 111.4 | 6 |
| 2012 | 13.9 | 13.4 | 69.6 | 19 |
| 2013 | -4.0 | -4.3 | 106.5 | 6 |
| 2014 | 9.5 | 9.6 | 74.1 | 9 |
There is important context beyond the numbers here. B/R's Rivers McCown correctly notes:
"Similarly, if you compare Kareem Jackson's targets to Johnathan Joseph's, you find Jackson has a much weaker set of opposing receivers.
— Rivers McCown (@riversmccown) January 21, 2015"
Jackson played in the No. 2 outside corner role opposite Johnathan Joseph in his two good seasons. In the other years, he had to match up with the opposing top receiver more frequently. It's worth noting the Texans opted to not sign him to a new deal after the breakout 2012 season, preferring to see if it was an outlier or a harbinger of greatness to come.
Still, Jackson should merit some consideration. His role in Detroit would be similar, the No. 2 corner playing behind a mighty pass rush from the front seven. B/R's Nick Kostos pegged Jackson as a free agent with the most upside, and the inconsistent play so far should keep his price tag more reasonable.
Chris Culliver
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Chris Culliver makes a lot of sense for Detroit for what he's done on the field for San Francisco.
He's at his best playing outside in a tight press-man coverage scheme, engaging the receiver at the line and disrupting the release. Culliver doesn't lack confidence in his abilities, a nice trait for a position where failure happens quite a bit.
B/R's Peter Panacy recently wrote about Culliver's skills and why the 49ers should keep him. In his piece he notes:
"Culliver ranked second on the team with four interceptions and also posted a total of 15 passes defended.
While he had some bad moments early in 2014, Culliver finished the season on a strong note. His plus-10.7 coverage grade over the last 13 games of the year put him at No. 5 among cornerbacks, per Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus.
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Panacy notes the strong performance likely prices him out of San Francisco. Detroit has the ability to create more than enough cap room, depending on what happens with star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
On his end, Culliver seems to understand the business procedure. As reported by Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group,
"#49ers Chris Culliver could be top-tier CB in free agency. "It'd be nice to stay but I don't know what will happen."
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) December 29, 2014"
There are a couple of factors which could drive down his price tag a bit. He's had some issues following the rules, including being removed from practice for being too physical. Then there are the homophobic comments that got him into hot water, or the arrest and accompanying racial slurs and threats stemming from a March arrest (h/t San Jose Mercury News).
While his off-field actions would bring unwanted scrutiny, his ability to play between the lines might be appealing enough for the Lions to bring him into the den.
Walter Thurmond
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It seems odd to list Walter Thurmond as a New York Giant. After all, he played just two games in New York after signing a one-year deal following four solid seasons in Seattle.
Thurmond's unfortunate torn pectoral muscle could be fortuitous to teams looking for a bargain on the free-agent market. Hello, Detroit!
It's not an ideal fit if Thurmond, now 28, wants to cash in on a long-term deal. After all, he got burned last year by betting on himself on a short deal to parlay into a bigger one. Also, Thurmond is at his best in the slot and not outside.
Detroit struggled badly with slot corners in 2014, but youngsters Bill Bentley and Nevin Lawson are both coming back off early-season injuries and figure to provide an upgrade in the slot in 2015.
Still, Thurmond brings a swagger with him as a legacy of his time with the Legion of Boom in Seattle. He even brashly pointed out weaknesses in Calvin Johnson's game heading into New York's date with Detroit's superstar wideout.
If the price is right, the Lions would add another experienced veteran with a winning pedigree.
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Tramon Williams
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Lions fans probably have a good feel for Tramon Williams. He's been starting for the rival Green Bay Packers for several seasons.
Williams has been solid yet somewhat streaky in his Green Bay career. A look at his Pro Football Focus profile reveals several games each year in both the green (good) and red (bad) every year. His postseason did not go well.
"Cowboys WR Terrance Williams is destroying CB Tramon Williams. Holding call set up first TD and missed tackle allowed T. Williams 38-yd TD.
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) January 11, 2015"
He followed that up by being victimized on Seattle's game-winning touchdown pass in overtime the next week.
Williams still makes sense for Detroit on a few levels. He's 31 years old and has already cashed in his giant contract, a four-year, $33 million deal, which is now expiring. Signing him away from a division rival helps weaken the one team the Lions are chasing in the NFC North.
Also, his aggressive style with the ball in the air is a real asset. Williams has recorded at least 14 passes defended every year since 2008. That speaks loudly to a Lions team which values making big plays.
Antonio Cromartie
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If Detroit is interested in a playmaking corner, the Lions will want to closely examine Antonio Cromartie.
The four-time (including this year) Pro Bowler has bounced around a little, spending 2014 on a one-year deal in Arizona after four years apiece with the Jets and Chargers.
He was Arizona's top-graded outside corner in 2014 according to PFF, beating out more heralded Patrick Peterson. Cromartie also makes things happen on the field.
"In the last three games, #AZCardinals CB @CRO31 has three INTs and a fumble return for a touchdown. Not bad. #STLvsAZ
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 10, 2014"
Cromartie, who turns 31 in April, ranks eighth in active career interceptions with 31. He's scored six touchdowns on various returns, too.
At 6'2" and 210 pounds, he's got the coveted length as well as the deep speed to turn and run with the faster wideouts. There is still plenty of gas in his tank.
B/R's Sean Tomlinson nicely broke down Cromartie's value to the Cardinals and why Arizona should do whatever it can to keep him. No doubt the veteran will be highly coveted in free agency.
He would make a great fit for Detroit, but for Cromartie to come to Detroit, it would take some favorable bounces with long-term negotiations with Suh and other players the Lions wish to keep.
Rashean Mathis
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Even at his advanced football age, Mathis might still be the best option. He certainly hasn't shown signs of slowing down in his two seasons in Detroit.
Signed off the scrap heap during the 2013 preseason, Mathis has provided the Lions with reliably consistent play. He finished 26th and 12th in Pro Football Focus ratings in '13 and '14 respectively, with the bulk of the positive grading in the coverage category.
Moreover, Mathis has been an invaluable mentor for Slay and the young slot corners. He's the cagey veteran who has been through the ropes and is eager to share his wisdom.
A great example of this happened in training camp last summer. Slay overplayed his receiver to the outside and allowed an easy release to the post. That was the wrong technique because the safety was pulled shallow with the tight end on that side, and Mathis let the second-year protege know he needs to be more aware of what's going on with the rest of the defense.
Knowledge of defensive coordinator Teryl Austin's complex scheme is also invaluable. There will be no learning curve involved as there would be with an outsider.
Mathis has indicated he wants to return. As Dave Birkett indicates in the linked piece there, Mathis "likely won't command much more as a free agent this offseason."
The price should be right for Mathis to come on down for one more year. There is a real risk the veteran loses another step and can no longer perform to such a high level, but Detroit might need to take that risk.
All statistics and historical date is from Pro Football Reference. You can follow Jeff Risdon on Twitter @JeffRisdon.
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