With the rest of the Detroit Lions' 2024 draft class not looking so good, cornerback Ennis Rakestraw is the cheese that stands alone (apologies for even a vague Green Packers reference). If anyone from that draft class is going to become something, it's down to him already.
It's an understatement to say injuries have plagued Rakestraw's first two NFL seasons, and he knows how big this season is for him. Staying healthy is of course the first domino, and so far so good on that front as preseason games near.
Some level of roster churn is commonplace during training camp. But it was interesting when the Lions had two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs in for a tryout last weekend. Head coach Dan Campbell chalked that up to the ongoing process of upgrading competition, but it was certainly possible to read more into it given the prominence of the name.
Campbell's additional comments about Rakestraw specifically only fueled reading into the meaning of the Diggs tryout.
Dan Campbell's comments about Ennis Rakestraw are no reason for panic
"Rakestraw, look, he's had some ups and downs. He needs to string a few days together here of some good stuff, but he can do that and he's gifted. Now that being said, look, we're always looking to upgrade the competition," Campbell said, via Lions on SI. "Is there a way to bring in somebody that we feel like can push the other guys or has a chance to help us? So, that's why we brought him in."
Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports also saw Campbell's words about Rakestraw as concerning, independent of the Diggs tryout, all the way to wondering about the former second-round pick's roster spot.
"If Lions were going into the season right now and I had to pick six cornerbacks, I’m picking D.J. Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, Nick Whiteside, Khalil Dorsey, Keith Abney, and Roger McCreary. I just don’t see room for Rakestraw in there. You could argue he might beat out Dorsey, but Dorsey is such a good special teamer and he’s making plays on defense....I’m struggling to see where Rakestraw fits at this point. But things can change. We’ll see what happens."
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Teams form and maintain emergency lists of free agents in case injuries hit, etc. But if Diggs had looked particularly good in the tryout, the Lions presumably would've made room for him on the 90-man training camp roster to get a longer look. To Payton's point cornerback depth is not a huge concern right now, but if a couple guys go down...
Campbell's words do not have to be taken as a sign the Lions are unequivocally disappointed in Rakestraw, or his status on the 53-man roster is somehow suddenly in doubt. Time will tell, but the Lions' 2024 draft class is not yet a total and irreversible bust.
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