With training camp quickly approaching for the Detroit Lions, their biggest roster question has suddenly shifted from one area of their secondary to another: from their thinned-out safety room to their now thinned-out cornerback room.
After releasing Terrion Arnold following his arrest in late June, the Lions are down a starting cornerback. Arnold hadn't won back the starting job prior to his release, with the Lions constantly hinting at a competition between himself and likely Rock Ya-Sin for the role, but it felt inevitable that Detroit would give their former 1st-round pick one more shot to prove his doubters wrong.
That's no longer an option. Ya-Sin is now in competition with Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Roger McCreary, Khalil Dorsey, and rookie Keith Abney II for the starting job next to DJ Reed this season, and training camp is set to be even more interesting thanks to this battle.
Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. Detroit could look to the trade market to add a starting-caliber defensive back to their roster, and to create some more legitimate competition for the role next to Reed ahead of a critical season.
We asked five NFL experts around the FanSided network about some potential candidates Detroit should be kicking the can on ahead of Week 1, and about what sort of packages they think teams would accept from Detroit in exchange for their available cornerbacks. Here's what those experts had to say.
6 experts share trade targets to revitalize Lions' secondary
Ernesto Cova, Dawg Pound Daily:
"While the Browns and [Denzel] Ward have said all the right things about continuing their partnership, the Myles Garrett trade proved no one's truly untouchable in Cleveland; it all depends on the return. Ward is coming off a down year by his standards and is entering his age-30 season, but he’s still one of the team’s most respected veterans.
As such, they would only consider trading him if the Lions are willing to overpay. A third-round pick might be enough for the Browns to part ways with their five-time Pro Bowler, and while that might be a bit too steep, he still has two years left in his contract.”
Our analysis:
We've written about Ward being an ideal target for the Lions - he fits their contention timeline, he's proven to be an invaluable source for Cleveland in their secondary as a pass defender and potential turnover generator, and - probably most importantly - he could start on day 1 for the Lions.
The only pushback we'd have here is that Ward has a serious concussion history that any team circling their wagons should be wary of. He's suffered six in his career, and suffered two in 2024 alone. That could present some issues for a Lions team seeking a tackling upgrade in their secondary to help with big-play receivers stationed in the NFC.
The other hold up could be Ward's price - he is one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL, and that would require the highest draft compensation dolable on this list. General manager Brad Holmes loves a draft-day pick swap, but does he have the stomach for a big-swing trade like this?
Carlos Sanchez Hernandez, Black and Teal:
"Christian Braswell has been a solid depth piece dating back to his rookie season in 2023. Last year, he logged a career-high 159 defensive snaps. But despite his progress, he could be a victim of the numbers game next season.
Travis Hunter will tentatively play corner full-time next season, and Montaric Brown is slated to start opposite him. Jourdan Lewis and Jarrian Jones are better suited to line up in the slot but can also play in the boundaries if needed. That's four spots, leaving probably just one or two up for grabs.
Sophomore Jabbar Muhammed turned heads in training camp after going undrafted last year and is trending toward making the initial 53-man roster. If the Jags chose to carry six corners, either Preston Hodge or Davon Marshall could get the nod over Braswell since they have bigger upside at this stage of their career and both of them stood out more at OTAs.
That said, Braswell has been dreadful. He just hasn't stood out as nearly as much as his younger counterparts. The fact that he can play inside or outside could end up making him an intriguing trade candidate if the rooks or Muhammed keep flashing in training camp."
Our analysis:
A dreadful draft pick that has intriguing versatility? My goodness, that's Holmes' music!
Braswell could end up being a late-camp, preseason pickup for the Lions if Hernandez's mention of Braswell as a cut candidate comes to fruition. However, if he remains with the roster, it doesn't seem like it'd take too much top pry him from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Our one question for this acquisition would be, does this move the needle more than what the Lions already have on their roster, without sacrificing draft capital? It seems like they may be better off giving Abney or Rakestraw a fair shake rather than trading for a new piece.
Jason Kandel, Blogging Dirty:
"After the Falcons drafted Avieon Terrell in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Mike Hughes' long-term future in Atlanta has started to come into question. A.J. and Avieon Terrell are in line to become the long-term starters at the position on the outside, and Billy Bowman Jr. and Sydney Brown will have a role in the nickel.
Just one offseason after the Falcons signed Hughes to a three-year contract extension, he's been floated as a potential trade candidate. Odds are it wouldn't take much more than a mid-Day 3 pick to get the new regime to move off of a player who won't affect Atlanta's hopes of competing this season."
Our analysis:
Hughes is one of the better fits for the Lions on this list in terms of fit and affordability. He's proven to be a decently healthy cornerback in his career, but he is headed into ninth season in the league, so you want to be cautious about that.
He, of course, also has an existing history with Detroit - he played for them in 2022, appearing in 16 games and generating 51 total tackles, as well as helping to replace former draft bust Jeff Okudah in the starting lineup.
Hughes could return as a bargain win (again).
Levi Dombro, Just Blog Baby:
"[Decamerion] Richardson is a classic toolsy cornerback who was drafted with his upside in mind, but the GM who selected him is no longer in Las Vegas. Due to injuries, he was thrown into the fire quite a bit in the second half of his rookie campaign, and there was some good and bad.
He is a solid run defender at the cornerback position and is a sure tackler, but just gave up too much through the air as a rookie. The Raiders' defense hasn't exactly been great around him, but he relinquished 28 catches (on 42 targets) for 407 yards and a TD in just 11 appearances (357 coverage snaps). Richardson also gave up 108 yards after the catch, meaning folks were separating from him pretty well.
All in all, Richardson isn't a bad player. He is rough around the edges, but probably worth a flier. The Raiders are overhauling their secondary and want interchangeable pieces, so they drafted and traded for players like crazy. With a healthy Jermod McCoy, Richardson could be the odd man out.
It wouldn't take much more than a late-round pick swap or a conditional seventh to pry him from Las Vegas. That's not because he is a lost cause, but because the new regime has invested much more into the position, and he's not one of 'their guys.' If you believe in your DB coach's ability to develop, then he could have an okay career as a rotational CB."
Our analysis:
Richardson is another favorite of ours on this list. He's a young investment that Holmes might be interested in making, especially since, as Dombro noted, Richardson is perfectly fine - he's just likely to become victim to a suddenly deep Las Vegas secondary.
Of course, he didn't show much for the Raiders in 2025 that would excite Lions fans. His age is what could be more appealing for this front office, as you're getting back someone on the same development timeline that Arnold was on. However, you can't compare 1st round pick talent with a 4th round pick that easily.
Run defense and a higher floor than suggested from his 2025 season could be enough to make the Lions blink, though.
Lior Lampert, GMen HQ:
"Listed at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Deonte Banks looks the part of an outside corner and has proof of concept after bursting onto the scene as a rookie.
He has the size, speed, strength and athleticism necessary to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage; his physicality shines in press-man coverage. However, the 2023 first-round pick appears to be getting phased out of the New York Giants’ long-term picture, potentially making him expendable.
Giants head coach John Harbaugh brought two CBs to East Rutherford this offseason à la free-agent addition Greg Newsome II and 2026 second-round pick Colton Hood. Dru Phillips is coming off a down sophomore campaign but remains the preferred slot player until proven otherwise. Not to mention, Paulson Adebo is entering the second season of a three-year, $54 million contract that landed him in New York."
Our analysis:
This move would probably be the most akin to swapping Arnold out for an equivalent cornerback. A former first rounder from 2023, Banks has struggled to remain in the starting defense for the Giants thanks to limited turnover generation, but he has been a consistent disruptor in the pass game with 12 passes defended back in 2024.
His contract is also a plus, with New York having picked up his fifth-year option. That gives the Lions some potential flexibility to land Banks without breaking the bank by taking on his rookie deal, with very little risk if he doesn't play up to his draft positioning.
Add us as a preferred source on Google