The Detroit Lions were the No. 1 seed in the NFC last season but came up short against the Washington Commanders in a stunning upset during the playoffs.
The sheer number of injuries the Lions were dealing with on defense certainly contributed to this surprising loss. Six defensive starters landed on the injured reserve list throughout the season for the Lions, highlighted by superstar pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Among those who were out in their matchup against the Commanders were cornerbacks Carlton Davis III, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., and Amik Robertson (injured in the first quarter).
Because of their depleted secondary, Washington QB Jayden Daniels passed for nearly 300 yards, while wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown each went over 80 receiving yards.
Lions Predicted To Upgrade Secondary by Acquiring Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs
Dallas Cowboys All-Pro CB Trevon Diggs is arguably the boldest player at his position, constantly going for boom-or-bust plays. It’s hard to imagine a better system for that style of play than the one run by Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
The Cowboys brought in Matt Eberflus as their defensive coordinator and the reality is the 26-year-old’s skill set could go to waste under him. This could open the door to a trade request or mutual parting of ways. PFSN’s Sterling Xie predicts the Lions will swoop in and add him to their secondary.
“Carlton Davis had a successful year with the Detroit Lions but could get priced out of their range in free agency. Even though the Lions drafted Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw last year, relying on a pair of second-year cornerbacks to both hit as full-time starters is dicey for a team with Super Bowl hopes,” Xie wrote. “If the Lions get creative, they could add someone who has proven to excel in a man-coverage-heavy defense.”
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Detroit had the fifth-best defense in the NFL last season, according to PFSN’s Defense+ metric, and the unit would’ve come in higher if it wasn’t for the plethora of injuries down the stretch.
However, there’s no guarantee the Lions will avoid this issue next season, which is why Diggs is not only brought in as a star defender but also added depth.
Alternatively, the Cowboys’ defense finished No. 25 in Defense+, meaning this trade would be quite the upgrade for Diggs as well.
“The Lions are solid, with over $52 million in cap space. If the market for Davis becomes too rich, Diggs will be under contract for three more seasons and have a very reasonable $9 million cap hit in 2025,” Xie added.
“He would likely cost a fair bit in compensation (likely including the Lions’ second-round pick), but the years of team control for a 26-year-old cornerback could be worth it.”