1. Get a legitimate No. 1 cornerback
The Lions signed Cameron Sutton last offseason, surely with the idea he could be the No. 1 cornerback they sorely needed.
Sutton wasn't always as bad and overmatched as he was late in the season, albeit going against some of the best wide receivers in the league during that late stretch. But he had just one interception (in Week 18) and nine pass breakups all season-including the playoffs (20 games). He just wasn't in the vicinity of the ball enough, allowing too-easy completions way too often.
Sutton is simply not cut out to cover the opposition's No. 1 wide receiver, and that was never exposed during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Finding someone who is has to be No. 1 on Brad Holmes' offseason agenda, ideally with a move to get a veteran via free agency or a trade. But using the 29th overall pick in the draft will be an option too, maybe along with a veteran addition.
There are some interesting free agent cornerback options out there, and some possibilities on the trade front as other teams deal with salary cap concerns. The draft looks deep at cornerback too.
The Lions' pass defense was the team's biggest liability late in the season, with Sutton and Kindle Vildor having to operate as the top two perimeter cornerbacks. Fixing it this offseason starts with getting someone who is a legit No. 1 cornerback, which will quite simply reset the pecking order and reset a depth chart that needs help.