The Detroit Lions have found themselves bit by another injury bug.
After already losing Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in training camp and D.J. Reed last week against the Cleveland Browns, the Lions lost two more cornerbacks this past week. Khalil Dorsey suffered an injury during the week and Terrion Arnold suffered a shoulder injury against the Cincinnati Bengals, and both are expected to be out for “a while” per Dan Campbell. Entering the season, cornerback looked like one of Detroit’s deepest positions, yet just five games into the season, the Lions are already trotting out the deep reserves.
Not only are the Lions running low on starters, they are running low on cornerbacks in general. Detroit’s current skeleton crew can suffice for the short-term, but they are an injury away from a completely decimated cornerback room. As such, they will need to add players.
The question for general manager Brad Holmes will be who to add—and how much will it cost them? Let us look at some potential avenues for the Lions to explore.
Currently on roster
Active: Terrion Arnold (injured), Khalil Dorsey (injured), Avonte Maddox, Amik Robertson, Rock Ya-Sin
Practice squad: Tre Flowers, Erick Hallett, Nick Whiteside
As of this writing, both Arnold and Dorsey are on the active roster, but that is not expected to last long—an Injury Reserve move could happen within the coming days. That leaves just Robertson and Ya-Sin as outside cornerbacks with Maddox in the slot—a very gutted depth chart.
As for the practice squad, expect at least one of Flowers, Hallett, or Whiteside to get promoted to the active roster. Flowers was elevated for the Bengals game despite having signed with Detroit on October 1. He is the only practice squad player with starting NFL experience (44 starts to his name), so he is the likeliest candidate to step into the lineup. However, both Whiteside (who was also signed on October 1) and Hallett were with the Lions in training camp and played well went called upon.
Former training camp players
Luc Barcoo, Dicaprio Bootle, Allan George, Gavin Holmes, D.J. Miller, Stantley Thomas-Oliver, Tyson Russell, Divaad Wilson
Due to a multitude of training camp injuries, the Lions had to shuffle their cornerback depth chart on a near weekly basis. Of the names on this list, only Holmes is currently signed to a football team, having signed with the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Elks on October 6.
Bootle and Thomas-Oliver were released with injury settlements, meaning they would need to miss an unknown length of time (based on their injury) plus three weeks in order to sign back to Detroit. If the injuries were deemed as short-term, the window could theoretically be open for either player.
However, none of these players stood out over the course of training camp and they were each unanimously listed as “OUT” on the Pride of Detroit Bubble Watch.
Recent ex-Lions players
Free agents: C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Steven Gilmore, Jerry Jacobs, Craig James, Emmanuel Moseley, Cameron Sutton
On another roster: Carlton Davis (New England Patriots), Chase Lucas (San Francisco 49ers), Kindle Vildor (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The above players were with the Lions in 2023 and/or 2024, but very few of them seem like reasonable options for the Lions in 2025. Gardner-Johnson and Sutton have burned a bridge with the Lions organization due to off-field circumstances. Moseley could not stay healthy. Jacobs and Gilmore fell out of favor and neither have seen meaningful NFL action since.
As for players currently on an NFL team, Davis is entrenched as a starter in New England, while Lucas and Vildor are depth options for their respective teams. I could envision the Lions having interest in Lucas or Vildor, but I doubt they would be willing to shell out draft capital for either one.
Notable free agents
James Bradberry, Caleb Farley, Kendall Fuller, Stephon Gilmore, Trayvon Mullen, Asante Samuel Jr.
When the Lions’ front seven was battered last season, they signed players like Kwon Alexander, Jonah Williams, Jamal Adams, and Ezekiel Turner—players with a track record of contributing on defense or special teams in a sizeable capacity. If the Lions are to sign cornerback help in 2025, they will likely follow suit and target starting experience.
Remaining unsigned a month into the season is arguably a red flag for each of these players. Samuel is recovering from offseason surgery with an unclear timeline to return. Farley has battled injuries throughout his career as a former first-round pick. Age and/or injuries are factors for players like Bradberry, Fuller, Gilmore, and Mullen, though Fuller and Mullen have recently received workouts from other teams. Free agents rarely last into Week 5 without some kind of issue—would the Lions overlook some of these concerns for the sake of depth? Of the above names, Samuel Jr. and Mullen would be atop my list.
Sauce Gardner (New York Jets), Jaycee Horn (Carolina Panthers), Marlon Humphrey (Baltimore Ravens), Denzel Ward (Cleveland Browns)
Bad teams tend to shed salary and talent for upcoming rebuilds, and with the Lions eyeing a Super Bowl run, spending capital on elite starters is firmly on the table. Any one of these players would help cement Detroit’s defense both short-term and long-term when Arnold and Reed return.
However, making such a move would be out of character for the Lions under Brad Holmes. The team has rarely shelled out in player trades (not counting the Jared Goff/Matthew Stafford trade), with the Carlton Davis trade for a third-round pick being one of his biggest. For a team that has built its core via the draft, it would be unusual to sacrifice draft capital for one player, even an elite one.
Additionally, each of these corners come with sizeable contracts, ranging from Humphrey’s $19.5 million per year average to Gardner’s whopping $30.1 million per year. Not only do the Lions have to convince a team to part ways with an elite player, they will also have to convince that team to eat a significant dead cap to facilitate the trade. Furthermore, the Lions would have to foot the bill for the hefty contract, impacting their ability to re-sign internal players down the road.
Players having a down year
Greg Newsome (Cleveland Browns), Riley Moss (Denver Broncos), L’Jarius Sneed (Tennessee Titans), Tariq Woolen (Seattle Seahawks)
Buying low on a starter could be a market for the Lions to test—if the price is right.
Newsome and Woolen will be headliners in the NFL rumor mill until the November 4 trade deadline. Both players have histories of dominant defensive back play, but they have each stumbled of late. Newsome has somewhat rebounded after a poor 2024, but he has still not returned to his elite form. Woolen, meanwhile, has significantly regressed after a stellar start to his pro career. He could be a reclamation project for Detroit, though he lacks the run stopping that the Lions like from their cornerbacks.
Sneed was once a prized trade candidate, but after battling injuries and poor play, he and the remainder of his $76.4 million contract could be on the move given how poor the Titans have played in 2025—though that price tag could be a deterrent to a team like Detroit.
Moss is an interesting candidate for the Lions, as he is still on his rookie deal and boasts ample starting experience. However, his hot start to 2024 was derailed by a mid-season injury, causing him to struggle down the stretch despite returning to the lineup. With rookie Jahdae Barron challenging for a starting role, it could make sense for Denver to move on in exchange for some draft capital.
The biggest question is what these players would cost the Lions. Detroit would obviously want to buy low, but would their current teams be okay settling for less than peak value?
Beanie Bishop (Pittsburgh Steelers), Bryce Hall (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Mike Hilton (Indianapolis Colts), Nik Needham (New York Jets), Ambry Thomas (Philadelphia Eagles)
As mentioned in the notable free agents section, the Lions will likely explore cornerbacks with experience. Unlike having to swing a trade for an active player, Detroit could instead poach a practice squad player without having to sacrifice draft picks. Last season, the Lions signed multiple practice squad players, such as Jonah Williams (Los Angeles Rams), Kwon Alexander (Denver Broncos), and Myles Adams (Seattle Seahawks)—each of these signings happened on the same day as well!
Hilton and Bishop are primarily slot cornerbacks, while Hall and Thomas—a Michigan grad and Detroit native—are outside corners. Needham, meanwhile, has experience inside and out. The experience from this group ranges from a 58-game starter (Hilton) to a Defensive Rookie of the Month in 2024 (Bishop). Each player would be available for little cost besides their contract, all while still giving Detroit a player with a track record. Of the listed names, Bishop would entice me the most—he is just 25 years old but showcased some serious talent as a rookie, albeit with some growing pains.
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