The Detroit Lions haven't had the smoothest offseason, especially with the release of cornerback Terrion Arnold. His departure created a bigger hole in the secondary, which already had some question marks beforehand.
With D.J. Reed locking down one starting job, the slot and the other boundary cornerback job are up for grabs, and cornerback Roger McCreary could certainly snatch one of those jobs.
McCreary signed with Detroit on a one-year, $1.4 million deal, which looks even better now. And with his versatility, he seems poised to have a role in this defense. ESPN's Ben Solak released an article discussing breakouts for all 32 teams and listed McCreary as that player for the Lions.
"McCreary was a rookie starter -- and a productive one at that -- for the Titans in 2022. He can play inside and out, though his lack of length makes him better suited for slot work (and will likely always limit his on-ball production). Still, he's smart in zone coverage, physical enough to survive against the run and plenty sticky when asked to play man-to-man. Much of his game is similar to that of Amik Robertson, who thrived in Detroit before signing a solid deal in Washington this past offseason. I'm buying a McCreary bounceback."
McCreary will need to earn his spot in the lineup, but it would be wise for fans to buy his stock now before the season begins.
Roger McCreary's arrival could pay off bigger than anyone expects
His career started fairly well with the Titans from 2022 to 2023, appearing in 32 games (28 starts) for Tennessee. In those outings, he finished with 170 total tackles, 14 pass deflections, nine TFLs, and two interceptions. During those two campaigns, he posted 200-plus snaps in both the slot and on the outside.
Things went in the opposite direction from 2024 through 2025, when he fell out of favor with the Titans and even the Los Angeles Rams after being traded there. Despite the two off-seasons, the Auburn product has shown that he can be an effective player in the NFL.
The change of scenery could be exactly what he needed and help him get back to the form that he showed with the Titans. He has to beat out Rock Ya-Sin, Keith Abney II, and Ennis Rakestraw Jr., yet that's very attainable.
READ MORE: Lions’ dominance over young stars list comes with an undeniable caveat
He isn't scared to help out in the run game, with the skill set to be promising in both man and zone. It also works in his favor that Abney II is a rookie and Rakestraw Jr. hasn't flashed much during his time in the Motor City.
While Ya-Sin is a veteran who has started for the Lions, McCreary has age and athleticism on his side. Training camp will be massive for this battle, but fans should certainly expect to see McCreary climb the depth chart and have an impact on this team in 2026.
Add us as a preferred source on Google