Photo Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Today we take a look at how the Detroit Lions cornerbacks performed during the 2012 season with a little help from the fine folks at Pro Football Focus.

The radar chart below shows the Pro Football Focus grades for each Lions cornerback and compares them to the best, worst and league average ratings. PFF grades each player on each play to produce a massively useful tool for evaluating the totality of a player’s season compared to others at his position.

2012 Season Review
When it comes to Detroit Lions’ cornerback performances in 2012 there was Chris Houston and there was everyone else. Houston graded out as +3.1 in coverage and +3.4 against the run by Pro Football Focus to help him towards an overall rating of +7.4, that was good enough for 23rd best league-wide. In essence, it backs up the popular opinion of Houston; he’s a solid corner that might be better suited as a number two on a good team. He may not be a shutdown corner, if those even exist any more, but he was an asset to the Lions in 2012.

Jonte Green was the last of the three corners selected by the Lions in the 2012 draft but he wound up having the biggest impact as a rookie. He wasn’t spectacular but wasn’t bad on the whole either. All told, PFF rated him as an overall 0.0 (57th best) with modest positive results in coverage and run support but he gave back those gains after accounting for penalties. Rough outings against the Arizona Cardinals (-1.7) and Atlanta Falcons (-1.6) kept Green from having an even more respectable rookie season.

Jacob Lacey got off to a rough start with the Lions with four negatively rated games in the first five overall but was able to turn things around before ultimately landing on injured reserve. As a low cost guy that performed near average level, the Lions got what they paid for.

The only other Lions cornerback to qualify for PFF’s overall ratings board by playing at least 25% of his team’s snaps was Drayton Florence. After two modestly positive games, Florece went on IR with a broken arm and wasn’t the same player when he returned. By the time the season was over he had accumulated a -5.1 rating in which he rated out as a negative against the run and in coverage. With a bevvy of younger options, Florence’s time in Detroit is probably done.

Offseason Plan
The Detroit Lions enter another offseason with apparent needs at cornerback but I’m not convinced major changes are, or even should be, in store. Retaining Chris Houston should be a priority (a huge key for the offseason) and the Lions still have the three cornerbacks they drafted last year to develop. Bill Bentley showed some promise before getting hurt, Jonte Green improved throughout the season and Chris Greenwood was drafted as a project anyway. The Lions took a flier on Ron Bartell (+1.6 in one game with Lions) late in the season and he is currently signed for next season. That gives the team four cornerbacks to battle for playing time and position on the depth chart behind Houston who will hopefully be re-signed. Short on cash, the Lions will once again have to rely on competition bringing out the best in what they have. Jacob Lacey is still young and showed improvement for the Lions after settling in to the point that bringing him back to at least compete in camp wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.

But that doesn’t mean the Lions should stand pat, either. If there is a value play to be made in the draft, make it. There isn’t much clarity to how this cornerback class will shake out. Dee Milliner is widely regarded as the top corner in the draft but the Lions can likely get better value with the fifth overall pick. The value might shift in the Lions favor come the second round should Xavier Rhodes, Desmond Trufant or Johnthan Banks be available.

The Lions could also look to add a veteran free agent, just don’t expect it to be a trade for Darrelle Revis. One name to keep an eye on in free agency is Sean Smith. At 6’3″ and 218 pounds, he more than fits the big corner profile the Lions are looking for. He rated out as a -3.6 by Pro Football Focus but he had a solid start to the season that fell off in the second half. It added up to a second-straight negative season rating but Smith was solidly positive in his first two professional seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

Previously: Wide Receivers, Offensive Tackles, Guards, Center, Tight Ends, Quarterback, Running Backs, Outside Linebackers, Inside Linebacker, Safeties

*Those that have been around the Detroit Lions blogosphere for a while may recognize the approach presented as similar to Ty Schalter’s ‘Old Mother Hubbard’ series on The Lions in Winter. Don’t worry, he’s cool with what I’m doing here and has assured me that he’ll be back with Old Mother Hubbard later in the offseason.

November 22, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions player Riley Reiff (71) during player introductions prior to a game against the Houston Texans at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

What might that mean for each player?

Riley Reiff - If Schwartz’s comment is to be related down to the individual level with Riley Reiff that can only mean he expects Reiff to hold a starting job somewhere on the Lions’ offensive line next year. Where that could be is up in the air as it depends on the route the Lions choose to go in addressing their needs there. There is no doubt that the Lions drafted Reiff to be their left tackle of the future but there is doubt whether they would run Jeff Backus out of town to see it happen in 2013. With Gosder Cherilus set to become a free agent, right tackle seems to be the more likely destination for Reiff next year.

Ryan Broyles - It’s not hard to see an increased role for Ryan Broyles. He was becoming a productive receiver after fully healing from the ACL tear he suffered at Oklahoma and gaining a level of comfort in the Lions’ offense. He showed a knack for finding open spaces in the opposing secondary and really only needs to stay healthy to give the Lions what they need in 2013.

Bill Bentley - Injury cut Bentley’s season short, which is too bad considering he was already on track to be a significant contributor to the Lions’ efforts in 2012. He will be back healthy next year and has to be penciled in as a starting corner at this point.

Ronnell Lewis - The biggest disappointment of the 2012 draft class may have been Ronnell Lewis who spent much of the year as a game day inactive. 2013 represents a huge opportunity for Lewis. Changes may be afoot at defensive end for the Lions but Lewis may first have to prove that he can be an asset on punt and kick coverage units.

Tahir Whitehead - With both starting outside linebackers eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, Tahir Whitehead could be the beneficiary of some roster turnover. It’s hard to say if the Lions could feel comfortable if they need to count on him in a big role on defense but there was obviously something they liked when they sent a 2013 fourth round pick to the Vikings to take Whitehead in the fifth round of the 2012 draft. Perhaps he slides up the depth chart into the spot held by Ashlee Palmer this past year.

Chris Greenwood - If there is a player on this list that is poised to make a huge jump in contribution level it is probably Chris Greenwood. That might be a year early, Greenwood was a developmental prospect and the year on the PUP/IR list didn’t do as much for his development as a healthy year would have,  but Gunther Cunningham has said he is used to having more size in the secondary and Greenwood has that. With his combination of size and athleticism, He could be in good position to find a way to contribute next year, even if it as a fourth cornerback.

Oct 14, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Jonte Green (36) after playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Lions defeated the Eagles 26-23 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Jonte Green - It would be easy to see Jonte Green as the “other” guy as the third and final cornerback in the 2012 draft class but being able to stay healthy put him in position for a lot of playing time.  Green contributed more in 2012 than probably anyone envisioned he would so it is hard to see the Lions counting on him for more in 2013. They could be in trouble if they do.

Travis Lewis - Like Tahir Whitehead, Travis Lewis could see himself with an increased role as a result of roster upheaval at outside linebacker. He wasn’t picked until the seventh round but he was projected to go much higher after a very productive college career.

Oct 14, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Jonte Green (36) after playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Lions defeated the Eagles 26-23 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

I’ll be the first to admit that I was one of those that questioned nearly every selection the Lions made during the 2012 NFL Draft.

A backup offensive tackle, a fourth wide receiver, some added depth at the linebacker position, and three cornerbacks that were far from household names was far from I thought the Lions needed. The team had just taken a giant step forward, and it was time to play for the ‘now’.  Take players at positions of need that could have the greatest impact in the upcoming season.

But this coaching staff and front office continues to stick to their guns, and it is starting to show why their plan has been so successful up to this point. In the past few weeks, especially in this weekend’s win over the lowly Jaguars, the rookies have had increased playing time and the dividends have been noticeable.

The Lions clearly had a vision with Riley Reiff when they selected him in the first round of this year’s draft. Whether or not the Lions had planned then to use him in this fashion is unknown, but the first-year tackle from Iowa is displaying the kind of run-blocking the team had envisioned when selecting him with their first pick. This run package with Reiff in as a third offensive tackle has been highly successful because of his ability to push the pile. He was on the field for all four rushing touchdowns the Lions had on Sunday.

The other draft pick that has seen his snaps increase has been second-round pick Ryan Broyles. With the injury to Burleson, the former Oklahoma product is getting his chance to produce and is not disappointing. While not a burner, Broyles has great quickness to get to the spot he needs to get to in his route. He just knows how to get open, and it has been a key reason as to why the Lions have been extremely successful of late on third-down opportunities. Broyles finished with six catches for 52 yards in the win.

Easily the biggest surprise this season has been the play of sixth-round pick Jonte Green. After posing as a whipping boy for the first few weeks (PI penalties, big plays allowed, blown up on kickoff returns), Green has assumed the starting role opposite Chris Houston because of the injury to fellow rookie Bill Bentley. Since then, the only plays Green has been a part of are that of the positive variety. That trend continued in Jacksonville where he had an easy pick of quarterback Blaine Gabbert. There is plenty of room from improvement for Green, but if he can show consistency throughout the second half of the year, the Lions may have found a gem.

Schwartz and Co. continue to preach that they will take the best player available in the draft. That will not change. Whether the fans agree or disagree, that’s their plan and they are sticking to it. The three rookies mentioned have come on of late to make significant impacts. Going forward, the other first-year players will have their shots at making similar contributions. Let’s hope they do just that.