The Detroit Lions have multiple courses of action to decide on this offseason, and given the strength of the offense, it's likely the defense will see the most attention. Not only do the Lions need to boost their pass rush, but they have decisions to make in the secondary.
To that end, Pro Football Focus' Bradley Locker looked at the biggest roster decision for every team this offseason and cited cornerback as the spot to watch for the Lions.
"The overarching storyline for the Lions this offseason will be the loss of both coordinators, but this team has another impending concern coming at cornerback. Carlton Davis III, Kindle Vildor and Emmanuel Moseley are all set to become free agents, leaving general manager Brad Holmes in a slightly awkward position."
"Re-signing Davis would make sense, especially given his strong performance (72.1 PFF coverage grade, six pass breakups) in his first year in Detroit. But Davis’ price and injury history could offer some worries. If Davis walks, could Holmes instead angle for someone like Byron Murphy Jr. or go for a cheaper add like Kristian Fulton or Nate Hobbs?"
There have been other cornerback options named for the Lions prior to the offseason, but all would come with risk given they would enter from the outside. The biggest advantage Davis brings is knowledge of the locker room and the scheme. That should be enough for the Lions to prioritize him.
Detroit Lions should prioritize re-signing Carlton Davis
Ever since the end of the season, rumors have swirled about what the Lions' first internal move might be. With multiple free agents on the books, a case could be made for bringing back many of the players who have made the franchise successful over the last few seasons.
Still, keeping Davis should be prioritized. When healthy, it was clear his presence elevated the secondary dramatically. When Davis went out late in the season with a jaw injury, his absence was noticeable.
Assuming there is mutual interest and the Lions could fend off a potential bigger offer, Davis could be the springboard to creating an elite defense. If the Lions were to add Davis and trade for Myles Garrett, that could be enough to accomplish that mission on its own. If a Garrett trade doesn't happen, keeping Davis is an advantage to bolster the secondary before adding complementary pieces up front.
Though Davis only had two interceptions and 56 tackles last season, he is a veteran anchor at a vital position. Given the issues the secondary endured last year, there's no reason the Lions should him walk.