Allen Park — Once the Detroit Lions made the decision to sever ties with cornerback Terrion Arnold this offseason, the logical follow-up was: “Now what?”
The initial response, in both word and action, was effectively “We’re OK with the guys we’ve got.”
“No, we're fired up,” coach Dan Campbell said when asked if the team needed to add more cornerback depth. “Look, it's why we got Rock (Ya-Sin) back. We went and got (Roger) McCreary. We knew we'd get (Ennis Rakestraw) Rake back off injury. We drafted (Keith) Abney. Certainly, (Khalil Dorsey) Dorse is back. (Nick Whiteside) Ironsides is back. We feel pretty good in that room with the competition and those guys — between veterans and young guys — and (their) ability.”
However, in the NFL, where roster construction is a never-ending process, “We’re OK’ actually means, ‘We’re OK… for now.”
On Sunday, the Lions showed they’re at least exploring an upgrade at the position, hosting former All-Pro Trevon Diggs for a workout.
Prior to running into legal trouble, resulting in his release, internal expectations for Arnold had been sky high. The former first-round pick hadn’t come close to his ceiling, but had shown flashes of potential before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in 2025.
Backfilling Arnold’s spot in the starting lineup wasn’t an issue. Maybe not the sexiest solution, the re-signing of Ya-Sin was critical. The former second-round pick turned journeyman flourished as a physical man-to-man option on the outside for Detroit last season.
Partnered with DJ Reed, a more-prized signing in free agency a year ago — and fully healed from last season’s devastating hamstring injury — the pairing should be more than adequate to execute Detroit’s schematic preferences in the secondary.
The question was always going to be depth. Rakestraw has battled injury through his first two seasons, limiting him to 46 defensive snaps during the stretch. Dorsey’s played fewer than 200 during his career. Whiteside, just 66.
McCreary, meanwhile, is far more experienced, but has been at his best in the slot, which is where Detroit signed him to play. It’s also where they intended to move Abney after taking him in the fifth round.
Through a little more than a week of camp practices, there are lingering questions. Reed is a little banged up, missing the past couple practices with a minor groin strain. Ya-Sin, to his credit, is meeting expectations. Whiteside has actually exceeded them, delivering steady playmaking while working against second- and third-team receivers, earning him more opportunity higher up the depth chart.
Meanwhile, the nickel position continues to be in flux. McCreary has unquestionably struggled, opening the door for alternatives, including a long look at Rakestraw. But if it’s determined that’s his best fit, it adds to the need for depth outside.
Which brings us back to Diggs, who was once viewed as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, but is several seasons removed from peak performance.
A second-round pick out of Alabama, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Diggs has an ideal frame for the position. After a solid rookie season for the Cowboys, he exploded during his second campaign, pacing the league with 11 interceptions in 2021.
He followed that up with another solid season, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2022.
Diggs parlayed his success into a five-year, $97 million contract, but just two games into the 2023 season, he suffered a torn ACL. In 2024, he missed six of the final seven games and required a second surgery on the same knee.
Last year, Diggs didn’t look like himself through the first six games before another stint on injured reserve due to concussion symptoms stemming from an off-field incident. He returned for one game before he was released by the Cowboys, finishing the year with Green Bay, where he played in the regular season finale and logged a single defensive snap in the Packers’ Wild Card game against Chicago.
In terms of big names still available on the market, there aren’t any cornerbacks with the credentials or recognizability of Diggs. Still, he’s three seasons removed from his last Pro Bowl selection and a fully healthy season.
Is it worth kicking the tires? Absolutely. Is it an acknowledgement that the Lions need to continue pursuing upgrades to their depth at cornerback? Also, yes.
The Lions could sign Diggs Monday, next week or just before the season. They could also just as easily pass and continue shopping, content to see how Whiteside handles himself in the preseason, whether McCreary turns things around after a rocky start, or Abney hits fast forward on his development, alleviating some of the outside concerns.
We’ve already seen the team go to the veteran well in training camp with linebacker Devin White, another former All-Pro a few years removed from what most viewed as his peak.
A week since joining the team, White looks primed to press Malcolm Rodriguez for the starting weakside job. That only adds to the intrigue regarding whether the 27-year-old Diggs could offer a similar boost to Detroit’s roster.
While only one starter in the back 5 remains from last year, (Reed), Diggs is certainly worth a look see. The Kirby-Branch uncertainty almost demands it.
Certainly worth a look. Although thinking back to his peak years, I'm pretty sure they played far more zone coverage. So Im not sure he is a fit here.