2026 NFL free agency preview: Detroit's free agency approach at CB could hinge on faith in Ennis Rakestraw
The NFL’s negotiating window for pending free agents opens on March 9, and players will be eligible to sign with new teams on March 11 at 4 p.m.
Ahead of those dates, we’ve previewed each position, looking at the top options expected to hit the market, the Detroit Lions’ pending free agents, plus three outside players who could be fits.
Today, we’ll close out the series with a look at the cornerbacks.
Quick overview
Detroit has invested heavily in cornerbacks the past couple of years, with mixed results.
First-round pick Terrion Arnold logged more than 1,000 snaps as a rookie, but didn’t make a anticipated second-year jump prior to his season being cut short by a shoulder injury in 2025.
And DJ Reed, signed to replace Carlton Davis III, wasn’t quite the steady man-to-man coverage option for Detroit that he’d been for the New York Jets the previous three seasons.
With both starters missing time due to injury, at least the depth proved to be solid. Amik Robertson kicked outside from the nickel spot and held his own, even if the performance was a little up and down, and journeyman Rock Ya-Sin was a clear schematic and cultural fit.
Robertson and Ya-Sin are both set to be free agents. More on that a little further down the post, but at least some of the Lions’ 2026 vision will hinge on how the team feels about Ennis Rakestraw, the 2024 second-round pick who has missed most of his first two seasons with various injuries.