Trouble was certainly lurking for the Detroit Lions defense in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills, and boy, did that come to fruition. That performance has brought calls for general manager Brad Holmes to do something to add a cornerback, with Joey Porter Jr. of the Pittsburgh Steelers naturally atop the list of preferred options.
The combination of costs that come with acquiring Porter, likely no less than a Day 2 draft pick (maybe multiple draft picks) in the trade and a subsequent contract extension along the lines he's seeking, pretty much means the move is not even on Holmes' radar.
But the dream, for those who want to have it in the hope Holmes will feel urgency and go against his grain, can remain alive for now.
It's also very possible Holmes will stick to his "we like the guys we have" narrative regarding the Lions' cornerback room, in a "who are you going to believe, me, or your own eyes?" sense.
Still, something has to be done, right? Holmes can't just sit on his hands, can he? The fairest evaluation of Kelvin Sheppard as a defensive coordinator, as he works on improving after a couple rough weeks to start the season, can't be obtained with personnel in the secondary that is so obviously below-par.
Lions offered a CB trade target Brad Holmes would probably still turn down
After that disastrous performance against the Bills, FanSided's Zachary Rotman offered four emergency trades to potentially save the Lions defense. A deal for Porter Jr. was of course included, as were proposed deals for Maxx Crosby and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Rotman split the list evenly between edge rushers and cornerbacks, with this proposed deal to acquire Tyson Campbell from the Cleveland Browns.
Lions get: CB Tyson Campbell
Browns get: 2027 Third-Round Pick, 2027 Fourth-Round Pick
“If the Lions are unable to get Porter or unwilling to pay a high asking price for a cornerback, might they be interested in acquiring another 26-year-old cornerback, Tyson Campbell? He’s not as good as Porter, but Campbell recorded 87 tackles and one interception in 2025, and he has 72 starts in parts of six season. He also happens to already be under contract through 2028, so the Lions wouldn’t need to worry about extending him right away.”
READ MORE: Jack Campbell's honesty about poor play should be a wakeup call for Lions
Not paying the highest possible price in any way shape or form is definitely music to Holmes' ears, and Campbell would be an upgrade to the current cornerback situation. He also has cap hits of $18.3 and $18.8 million in the aformentioned two years after this one, respectively, which at a glance lands as a lot for merely a solid corner.
The real bugaboo for Holmes might be giving up two draft picks in a trade, for Campbell or anyone. His recent history early on Day 3 of the draft says he should willing part with those kind of picks for a player who can actually help the team, but we know better than to apply that kind of logic to Holmes' "we're good" or "how dare you question me?" vibe.
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