Detroit Lions: Breaking down the defensive backs for 2018
In the last article before real football starts for the Detroit Lions, we will look at the 2018 defensive backs and who will make the 53-man roster.
Detroit Lions football is back! What we now have is a neverending stream of articles and preseason prognostications. This is the last installment of Kick in the Crotch Weekly covering the six main units of the team. This week KITCW looks at the secondary. Also, what athletes will make the 53-man roster?
After this week, the next Friday is a game day! Albeit preseason … FOOTBALL IS BACK!
The main units of the squad are OL, offensive line, DL, defensive line, LB, linebackers, RB, running backs and quarterbacks, WR, wide receivers and tight ends, and DB, defensive backs.
Detroit Lions Recap of 2017
As we have been doing, we will look at Pro Football Focus grades for a general way to evaluate the defensive backs from 2017. I do not see their grades as the only way to discuss player performance, but they post some insightful material. Current rookies were not able to be rated by PFF.
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Josh Okonye (R)
Mike Ford (R)
Chris Jones (R)
Antwuan Davis (R)
Teez Tabor: 61.5 (below average)
DeShawn Shead: (unrated)
Darius Slay: 80.6 (above average)
Nevin Lawson: 58.0 (poor)
Jamal Agnew: 56.6 (poor)
Tracy Walker (R)
Quandre Diggs: 62.8 (below average)
Tavon Wilson: 60.1 (below average)
Rolan Milligan: (unrated)
Stefan McClure: 67.3 (below average)
Charles Washington: 60.9 (below average)
Glover Quin: 90.6 (elite)
Miles Killebrew: 58.0 (poor)
Don Carey: (unrated)
D.J. Hayden: 57.7 (poor)
As you can tell by the ratings, Detroit has two stand-out players, Darius Slay and Glover Quin. The Detroit Lions biggest loss from 2017 was DJ Hayden, who didn’t score that well. Overall, the Lions pass defense was ranked 27th in the NFL, so most of the roster ratings make sense. The rush defense was better, ranking 18th. That’s still in the bottom half of the league.
Defensive back position-by-position breakdown
The 2018 Detroit Lions roster has three roster designations: CB (cornerback), DB (defensive back), and S (safety) (starters are in bold, rookies in italics).
CB: Josh Okonye (R), Mike Ford (R), Chris Jones (R), Antwuan Davis (R), Jalen (Teez) Tabor, DeShawn Shead, Darius Slay, Nevin Lawson, Jamal Agnew
DB: Tracy Walker (R), Quandre Diggs
S: Tavon Wilson, Rolan Milligan, Stefan McClure, Charles Washington, Glover Quin, Miles Killebrew
This year’s group bring back Pro Bowl participant, Darius Slay. Glover Quinn was also rated as the fourth-best safety in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. Jamal Agnew was a Pro Bowl candidate at punt returner.
Without beating the proverbial dead horse in this last installment head coach, Matt Patricia, values versatility in all of his players. So the corners and safeties that will be kept will be able to perform multiple roles within the base, five defensive backs, defense. More than likely, the Lions will keep five corners and three or four safeties.
The big questions surround the starters opposite Slay and Quin. Shead has been getting first-team repetitions. Tavon Wilson is back next to Quin, but Quandre Diggs did very well there when Wilson was injured in 2017. Nevin Lawson and Teez Tabor are the main two players vying for time opposite Slay. Lawson has recently been given chances to take rep’s with starters, too. Perhaps they are auditioning the candidates.
Another thing to consider is the role of slot corner, what we might typically call a nickel back; Lawson, Diggs, and Agnew could all be possibilities.
Who stays
Slay, Tabor, Lawson, and Shead will all be safe. Agnew will for sure be kept if for no other reason that he scores and flips the field on punts. Rookie,
Tracy Walker seems like a lock given draft status alone, but he also looks like a future free safety whenever Quin, 32, decides to retire. Wilson, Diggs, and Quin will be back, too.
As is the case with much that general manager, Bob Quinn, does, this roster seems pretty drama-free. It is always possible for the Lions to keep more than this, due to a player just looking amazing, too.
What do you think? Who stays and who goes?
Next. The Detroit Lions All-Time Offensive Team. dark
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Good night, Detroit! KITCW, signing off!