Detroit Lions: Time to get this rookie more playing time

With the Detroit Lions on the edge of being out of playoff contention, it’s time to get this young, talented defender more playing time.

The Detroit Lions have a tough matchup this weekend, facing the 10-1 Los Angeles Rams. And though you never want to look past an opponent, the Lions may need to have an eye on the future when it comes to getting a few of their younger players some much needed experience. Particularly, their 2018 third round selection defensive back Tracy Walker.

Looking at his numbers, Walker hasn’t posted an impressive rookie season. Through 11 games, he’s only recorded a total of eight tackles, two pass defends and one interception. Walker has yet to start a single game and has played in less than 18 percent of the team’s overall defensive snaps.

So why would you want to get Walker more playing time? According to Pro Football Focus, the first-year defensive back is the highest rated player on the entire team! PFF has Walker with a overall defensive grade of 90.8, with high marks in both coverage (88.0) and tackling (86.5).

The Lions have had some issues in their secondary this season, particularly opposite of Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay. One solution could be to shift safety Quandre Diggs back to corner. The move could free up more snaps for Walker.

Here’s Justin Rogers of The Detroit News‘ response to a recent mailbag question that wondered if Diggs could be shifted back to slot corner so Walker can get more playing time at safety.

"“I get the Lions not wanting to take [Diggs] off the field. He’s one of their best defensive players, but I do like the idea of giving him more reps as a slot cornerback in nickel and dime defensive situations, limiting his safety work to base defensive looks … this clears a path for more playing time for Walker. Now is a good time to see how the rookie can handle an expanded role.”"

The Detroit Lions’ season has turned south. And with next to no chance of making the playoffs, it’s time to start getting some of their younger players more snaps. Tracy Walker has excelled in his very limited opportunities. Why not see if you can develop him into your next superstar playmaker in the secondary with an eye on 2019?

Regardless if the Lions choose to move Diggs or not, Detroit must find more playing time for Walker. It’s time to find out if the analytics can translate to excellent play in a much larger role.

For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, subscribe to PFF’s EDGE or ELITE subscriptions at ProFootballFocus.com.