The Detroit Lions already tried to trade for a cornerback once this season and came up short on Joey Porter Jr. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler thinks they need to try again, and on Wednesday he raised a much bigger name in Pittsburgh’s Jalen Ramsey.
“The Lions should make a move for a cornerback,” Fowler wrote in his weekly league notebook, adding that Detroit “must embrace its window of contention, whether it’s slipping away or not.” Then came the question Lions fans will be chewing on for the next month. “Is it worth calling Pittsburgh for Jalen Ramsey?” Fowler asked. “Not sure he’s available, but the Lions’ defense seems far from settled.”
Why Detroit’s secondary needs help now
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Detroit is allowing 304 passing yards per game, the most in the NFL, and has given up 30 or more points in three of four games. Bryce Young threw for 329 yards in Sunday night’s 32-26 loss at Carolina. Rock Ya-Sin left that game with a hamstring injury, and his 40.8 coverage grade from PFF ranks 97th among 103 qualified cornerbacks. D.J. Reed has a 57.5 coverage grade and has allowed 13 catches on 20 targets, according to PFF. Avonte Maddox is out for the season.
Safety Brian Branch is close to returning from an Achilles injury, and Kerby Joseph is expected back later from the physically unable to perform list. Fowler doesn’t think that solves it. Even with both back, he wrote, “the Lions don’t have enough corner help to run the coverages they want.”
“It’s not good enough right now,” Dan Campbell said after the Carolina game. “That’s the bottom line.”
What Ramsey or Kristian Fulton would cost
Ramsey is a three-time All-Pro in his 11th season, and he carries a $17.5 million base salary and a $19.5 million cap number this year, according to Over the Cap. The Lions have the room, with $34.5 million in cap space, the second most in the NFL. Fowler’s other suggestion is cheaper. Kansas City’s Kristian Fulton, who has been “in and out of the Chiefs’ lineup,” has $5 million of his $9.75 million base salary guaranteed, and Fowler floated the two teams splitting the bill.
General manager Brad Holmes has until the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Detroit will face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and then has its bye week, which gives him time to make those calls.
