The good: Lions general manager Brad Holmes knew heading into last offseason he had to increase the talent level and depth at cornerback. He traded for veteran Carlton Davis III, signed veteran Amik Robertson in free agency, and drafted Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Those moves turned out to be a serious upgrade for the Lions at the position.
Davis was having a Pro Bowl caliber season before it was cut short in December due to a broken jaw. He was exactly what the Lions wanted in a veteran No. 1 cornerback, who was a terrific mentor to some of their young cornerbacks like Arnold and Rakestraw. Quarterbacks had just a 77.0 passer rating with two touchdowns throwing Davis' way this season.
Robertson proved to be a versatile player for Detroit's defense starting the season in the nickel and finishing on the outside when Davis was lost for the season. He earned a game ball for his effort containing All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson in the regular-season finale against the Vikings to help the Lions win the NFC North for a second consecutive season.
Arnold was a starter Day 1 for Detroit opposite Davis and proved the moment wasn't too big for him. He defended 10 passes on the season.
Detroit's passing defense forced the second-lowest completion percentage in the NFL this season at just 62.6 percent as they had the No. 1 overall defense in the NFL on third down. Teams had an 82.0 passer rating when playing the Lions in 2024, the lowest rating in the NFL.
| Name | Games | Tackles | TFL | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlton Davis III | 13 | 56 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| Terrion Arnold | 16 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Amik Robertson | 17 | 50 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| Kindle Vildor | 17 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Ennis Rakestraw Jr. | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Dorsey | 14 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
The bad: Though it was more of a problem early in the year than later, Detroit was one of the highest penalized secondaries in the league. Their 19 pass interference penalties were second only to Washington's 22 and accounted for 274 yards lost. Detroit led the NFL with 11 defensive holding penalties, though it should be noted not all these penalties were on the cornerback position.
Arnold was a big culprit from a penalty perspective the first month of the season but worked hard to improved his technique, and the more experience he got, those penalties weren't as much of an issue the second half of the season.
Detroit's 16 interceptions during the regular season were tied for the fifth most, but only two of those came from the cornerback position with Davis collecting both. The Lions need more ball production from the position moving forward.
The Lions will also be looking for Rakestraw, the team's second-round pick in last year's NFL Draft, to take a big step forward in Year 2. He played in just eight games due to injury and only 46 snaps on defense.
Key stat: Opposing passers had just a 39.6 passer rating and were 7-for-52 with seven touchdowns and six interceptions on throws to the end zone during the 2024 regular season.
Free agents: Davis, Khalil Dorsey, Kindle Vildor, Emmanuel Moseley
Davis is the big one here and will probably be one of Detroit's biggest decisions this offseason with their own free agent class.
Davis, 28, should be able to do well for himself on the free-agent market. He's experienced and fit Detroit's scheme and culture. Will the Lions spend the resources on retaining his services or look to Robertson and some of the youngsters to fill the void?
Dorsey's season ended with a broken leg in December, but he was having a terrific year on special teams as one of the league's top gunners and cover men. He also added depth at the position on defense.
View photos of the Detroit Lions defensive backs from the 2024 NFL season.
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 8, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 5, 2025 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 30, 2024 in Santa Clara. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 3, 2024 in Green Bay, Wis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) recovers a fumble during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 13, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) intercepts a pass during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 13, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) intercepts a pass during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 20, 2024 in Minneapolis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 5, 2024 in Detroit. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) breaks up a pass during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 8, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 22, 2024 in Chicago. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) catches an interception during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Nov. 10, 2024 in Houston. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Nov. 10, 2024 in Houston. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 24, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 17, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 17, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 28, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 27, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) breaks up a pass during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 22, 2024 in Glendale, Ariz. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 3, 2024 in Green Bay, Wis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 27, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 5, 2025 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (42) and Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 30, 2024 in Santa Clara. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 5, 2025 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 30, 2024 in Santa Clara. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 22, 2024 in Chicago. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (4) during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 24, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Morice Norris (40) during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 30, 2024 in Santa Clara. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (15) during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 27, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 8, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 17, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) forces a fumble during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 27, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46), Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 3, 2024 in Green Bay, Wis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Loren Strickland (24) during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 24, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (29) during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 28, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (29) during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 17, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Draft: Holmes used Detroit's top two picks in the draft last season to select Arnold and Rakestraw. That was a serious commitment to the future of the position, but Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell certainly aren't afraid of adding competition to any position on the roster, and cornerback is usually a position where depth is tested the most throughout the course of a season.
NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah had five cornerbacks on his initial list of the Top 50 draft prospects in this year's class. With the Lions drafting at No. 28, premier cornerbacks like Will Johnson (Michigan) and Jahdae Barron (Texas) are probably off the table, but players like Azareye'h Thomas (Florida State), Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky) and Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame) could be possibilities if the Lions want to bolster the position late in the first round or into Day 2 of the draft.
Quotable: "We knew that it wasn't going to be big for him," Holmes said after the season of Arnold's rookie campaign. "Psychologically he's a highly confident kid, and had some up-and-down moments early on, had some aggressive moments, which was a good thing, didn't have any timid moments, but I think all those snaps that he played are going to serve him well going forward.
"Then you just saw, the waters were a little choppy early and then you saw the waters kind of calm down, kind of midpoint to later in the season. So, very high expectations for him going forward. Again, we all know how he's wired, he's wired the right way, he's long, he's athletic, he's got instincts, he's tough, he'll tackle, and so all those reps are just going to improve his confidence even more."
