Detroit Lions sign former Eagles cornerback Mac McCain

The Detroit Lions have added a piece to their cornerback room, signing Mac McClain, who was with the Phiadelphia Eagles in 2022.

The No. 1 offseason need for the Detroit Lions is cornerback, and it will take more than one addition to fix it. But they have added some competition to the room already, with Thursday’s announcement they have signed cornerback Mac McCain.

McCain spent most of the 2022 season on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad, and he did not appear in any games. He came into the league originally with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2021, before the Eagles signed him early that regular season. He played in two games for the Eagles in 2021, for a total of 44 snaps (33 special teams, 11 defense).

McClain played collegiately at North Carolina A&T, an HBCU and also the alma mater of Lions general manager Brad Holmes. He had six interceptions as a true freshman, including three pick-sixes. Injuries derailed his sophomore and junior seasons, then A&T’s 2020 season was canceled due to COVID.

Rather than take the opportunity to return to college for the 2021 season, McCain decided to start his pro career.

Mac McCain is interesting cornerback flier for the Detroit Lions

The Lions have three cornerbacks from last season headed for free agency (Amani Oruwariye, Mike Hughes, Will Harris), and all three may be (should be?) gone. Jeff Okudah is possibly headed into the final year of his contract, pending the team’s upcoming decision on his fifth-year option. Okudah, Jerry Jacobs and Chase Lucas are the only Lions cornerbacks under contract for 2023 right now.

There’s obviously no guarantee McCain sticks around very long, or becomes anything, for the Lions. But as late-February, 90-man roster filling out fliers go, adding an interesting player to the cornerback room is a pretty good one for this team.