5 potential free agent options for Detroit Lions to replace DeShon Elliott
After the departure of safety DeShon Elliott, here are five free agent options for the Detroit Lions to replace him.
On Wednesday, the Detroit Lions lost two notable players in free agency. Lost in the new Jamaal Williams signed with the New Orleans Saints, safety DeShon Elliott signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins.
Elliott was the Lions’ second-leading tackler last season (96 total tackles), and a particular force agains the run as well as becoming a veteran leader. The Lions’ safety depth chart is now thinner, with Tracy Walker working his way back from a torn Achilles, Kerby Joseph coming off a nice rookie season and a lack of experience behind them (Ifeatu Melifonwu, Brady Breeze).
By his own accounts, Walker is making very nice progress in his rehab. But it’s a major injury he’s coming back from, and while being ready for Week 1 feels like a foregone conclusion the Lions should plan for the chance he won’t be.
It’s safe to assume the Lions and general manager Brad Holmes had an idea Elliott would depart, and have been looking at replacement options before and through the news Elliott is headed to Miami. So a pivot could happen quickly, but it’s also pretty unlikely to be a huge splash.
In the wake of Elliott’s exit, here are five possible free agent options for the Lions to replace him.