If the Detroit Lions are indeed looking for safety depth at this stage, here are three free agents who could be a fit.
The Detroit Lions defense entered the offseason needing all the help it could get, across the board and without discrimination. Tracy Walker had a nice rebound season last season, but the other safety spot became a revolving door as things got thin at cornerback and Will Harris stepped in there.
The Lions moved to address their need at safety, adding former Baltimore Raven DeShon Elliott in free agency and drafting Kerby Joseph in the third round. Elliott is the favorite to open the season as the starting safety opposite Walker, but Joseph impressed the coaches during offseason work and his upside is huge.
The Lions have better depth at safety, with C.J. Moore, Brady Breeze and JuJu Hughes ready to battle for roles and roster spots during training camp. But that doesn’t mean they’re done trying to add at the position, according to the Detroit News.
DeShon Elliott 'has the edge' on starting safety job; Lions looking for depth
— Detroit News Sports (@detnews_sports) July 23, 2022
https://t.co/pWRb6pe0ID
On that note, as training camp gets rolling this coming week, here are three free agent safeties the Lions could sign to upgrade their depth at the position.
3 free agent safeties the Detroit Lions could sign to bolster depth
3. Dallin Leavitt
Leavitt was recently cut by the Raiders as they opened training camp, which he announced on his Instagram page. The majority of his time over four seasons (42 games) there was spent as a special teamer. But last season, despite only starting one of the 16 games he played, he set a far and away career-high with 249 defensive snaps as he finished with 35 total tackles, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
Over his final two college seasons, at Utah State after transferring from BYU, Leavitt was a pretty productive player. He totaled seven interceptions over those campaigns, highlighted by 82 total tackles, four interceptions and five passes defensed in 2017, his final season. At 27 years old (28 on Aug. 8), that type of player could still be unveiled again in the right situation.
The Lions’ coaching staff wants to create competition, without strict regard for what someone has or hasn’t done before. Leavitt may be just the type of safety they’re looking at.