Photo Credit: Ric Tapia/Getty Images

If you’re here, you love sports. Why not show that love with some new gear? Fanatics has it all, on sale! Click our link to help support us, as we will receive a small payment. Can’t go wrong with new gear! As always GO LIONS! https://fanatics.93n6tx.net/K0XnLn

The Lions’ defense has once again been bitten by the injury bug, this time among the defensive back group. DJ Reed was lost to a hamstring injury, Terrion Arnold to a shoulder, Avonte Maddox to a hamstring, and Khalil Dorsey to a concussion. They are all cornerbacks as well, leaving that position group very thin. All of them are out for the foreseeable future as well, so the Lions desperately needed to add talent at that position.

Brad Holmes has signed multiple players to help replace them. At this point, however, it will be hard to find true starter level players in free agency. So far, Tre Flowers, Nick Whiteside, Kendall Fuller, and Jammie Robinson have been added to the room. Brian Branch is also suspended for this week’s game, making it that much more important to find versatile players. What will each player add to the Lions? Let’s break it down.

TRE FLOWERS, CB: 6’3″, 200lbs, 30 years old.

Flowers is a solid player with good size and versatility. Flowers played most of his career in Seattle, where he had his best season in 2019. He had a 74.2 PFF grade, ranking 13th among cornerbacks. He also had 65 total tackles, 8 pass break ups, and 2 sacks while allowing a passer rating of just 71.6 on 98.7% of snaps. Obviously, 2019 was a long time ago, and he has not quite played as well since, but I think the Lions are a good spot for him. He has bounced around the league as well, playing for 5 different teams so far in his career. Flowers is more of a zone corner, but I think his versatility, size, and ability against the run, earning an 80.0 or higher run defense grade in 3 seasons, will add something the Lions can feel pretty good about as a depth piece. He played pretty well in his time with the Seahawks, and I believe if he is used correctly, could get close to that form again. He tested well at the combine as well, running a 4.45 40, 34.5″ vertical, and broad jump of 10’2″, so he has size and athleticism. I don’t expect much though, with Flowers being available this far into the season, I wouldn’t expect him to become an elite player. However, he should offer a steady veteran presence while we wait for our starters to come back.

NICK WHITESIDE, CB: 6’1″, 204lbs, 25 years old.

Whiteside, a former UFL stud, joined the Lions’ roster this off-season and showed promise in training camp. He is also a Michigan native, growing up in Auburn Hills, not far from Detroit. Although he has not played yet this season, last year in the UFL, he had an overall PFF grade of 72.5, which would place him in the top 12 in the NFL this year. Obviously, the grade came against lower level talent, so it doesn’t mean a ton in the grand scheme, but it shows he has the ability. He also appeared in two games for the Commanders back in 2023, where he did not record a stat. Whiteside is a feisty, physical corner who adds some youth to the room. Whiteside is not necessarily someone I think the Lions want to rely on though, which shows, having played 0 snaps so far, even with all the injuries. He will likely remain a depth piece, but I would like to see him get some playing time at some point, just to see what we have. He will likely stay a practice squad guy, but hopefully he can grow as a player as the season goes.

KENDALL FULLER, CB: 5’11”, 198lbs, 30 years old.

Fuller is probably the best addition the Lions have had to the defensive back room during the season. He was a steady, solid, and even sometimes borderline elite corner over his 9-year career. His best season came back in 2017 with Washington, where he had a 90.0 PFF grade, ranking 6th among cornerbacks. He also had 4 interceptions and 43 total tackles that year. He has had at least a 70.0 grade or higher in every season he has played, and he had an 83.1 grade as recently as 2023, which ranked him 7th among all corners. Last season, he allowed a QBR of 89.8, catch rate of 62.6%, and 3.0 yards per catch in 11 games with Miami. He is more of a slot corner, but has shown versatility, playing both inside and out over his career. Fuller was cut by Miami in a cost saving move, and the Lions may be the beneficiary of that. I believe Fuller will come in and offer an upgrade to what we have seen since the two starters got hurt, which may not be saying a lot based on how the DB’s have played recently. However, Fuller should give the Lions some necessary help. I could see Fuller staying with the Lions as the season goes, even after the starters get healthy. I think he fits well here, and you can never really have enough depth.

JAMMIE ROBINSON, DB: 5’11”, 190lbs, 24 years old.

Robinson is a young, physical DB that offers versatility in terms of his ability to play slot, safety, and in the box. Playing in a total of 6 games, he has not had a ton of playing experience. Starting his career in Carolina in 2023, he appeared in 5 games for them that season, starting 2. He had a PFF grade of 64.8 and a special teams grade of 75.8 in that season as well. However, he only played a total of 62 snaps that season, and 23 of them coming on run plays. He had 11 tackles, meaning he made the play just under half of the time. He allowed just 51 yards on 5 catches over 38 coverage snaps, while allowing a QBR of 102.1. He is known as more of a run defender than a cover guy, and his physical style of play should fit well in Detroit. He will be a solid special teams player as well, and the Lions have shown to love guys who can show value in multiple ways. He was signed to a one-year deal this past week, due to the fact he was already on the Chiefs practice squad. I have a feeling the Lions would’ve preferred to add him to the practice squad, but couldn’t. I don’t expect Robinson to step in and be Brian Branch, but with the injuries to our corners, Branch’s suspension, and Daniel Thomas’ injury, we desperately needed to add bodies.

With that being said, the Lions will be awaiting the return of Arnold and Reed specifically, who will both likely be back shortly after the week 8 bye. It is likely we get Arnold back sooner, as Reed is coming off a hamstring injury. Branch will also be missed this week, but thankfully he only has to miss one game. Alim McNeill could be back this week as well, which would help the defense out immensely. Defensive backs play better when the pass rush makes it hard for the Quarterback.

Hopefully the Lions can get healthy going into the playoffs, as they make a push for the franchise’s first ever Super Bowl appearance.

Follow us on X/Instagram @MiFBNetwork and @JaceOSweet for all of your Lions, Wolverines, and Spartans news! Subscribe to the site so you don’t miss an article!

If you like video content, subscribe to our YouTube channel, where we host multiple shows, all about Michigan Sports! https://www.youtube.com/@MiFBNetwork