2. S Kareem Jackson
To start, a full hat-tip to Chris Perfett of Pride of Detroit for this one. Any clamoring to trade for Broncos' cornerback Patrick Surtain is patently unrealistic, but among pieces in the Denver secondary the veteran Jackson makes some sense.
The Lions are of course without C.J. Gardner-Johnson (torn pec), possibly for the season and if he does make it back it won't be until the playoffs. Rookie stud nickel corner Brian Branch (ankle) will miss his second straight game on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as his return to the game after being injured against the Green Bay Packers in Week 4 looks looks it may have worsened his injury.
At 35 years old now, Jackson's best days are behind him. But he has seamlessly transitioned from cornerback to safety in the latter years of his career. Last season, he had 94 total tackles, three pass breakups and two forced recoveries while playing all 17 games and every defensive snap for the Broncos. So far this season, he has 37 total tackles and two interceptions while allowing an 87.5 passer rating in his coverage.
Jackson got a fine letter from the league office in each of the first three weeks this season, the first two for hits that concussed an opposing player. That does not mean he's a dirty player, as it goes without saying it's hard for defensive players to do their jobs in today's NFL. What it is a sign of is how tough and aggressive he is at an advanced age, and that would definitely be something the Lions would like about him.