Detroit Lions safety DeShon Elliott is the first of the team’s free agents to sign to a new team.
Elliott has reportedly agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins on a one-year deal. This departure leaves a hole at the safety position for the Lions.
With options in-house, plenty of free agents available, and the draft coming up, the Lions have plenty of routes that they can go to address this area of need.
On the roster, Detroit currently has Tracy Walker and Kerby Joseph penciled in as starters. While this is passable for most teams, Detroit does tend to operate in three-safety sets. This means they will need to find one more capable safety to take significant snaps on defense.
There are two available options under contract at the moment: Ifeatu Melifonwu and Brady Breeze.
Melifonwu was a third-round pick in 2021 who converted from cornerback to safety after his rookie year.
He appeared in 10 games in 2022 and had one start at safety in place of Elliott. His coverage skills leave much to be desired, but he is a physical tackler and much better suited against the run.
Breeze was also a 2021 draft pick, but by the Tennessee Titans. He has been with the Lions on and off since December of that season. He has appeared in six games over the past two seasons for Detroit, recording six tackles. While there isn’t much film on him, Breeze has stuck around long enough that the coaches must see something of value in him.
There are plenty of free-agent options available as well.
As Detroit doesn’t need a true starter, they won’t need to look for the top safety talent in the free-agent pool.
One name to watch is safety Nick Scott. Scott was a draft pick by the Rams back when general manager Brad Holmes was still with that organization. He became a full-time starter in 2022 and had a decent season with 86 tackles and a pair of interceptions.
With the way he’d be used in Detroit, he’d still get plenty of playing time on defense. With that said, his price tag would come in the $3 to $4 million range.
One other option at safety is P.J. Locke, formerly of the Denver Broncos. Locke is a versatile player who can line up at both free and strong safety while also being able to play in the slot as a nickel or dime defender. He played a small role in Denver’s defense and mainly took the field on special teams snaps, but he’d be available to the Lions on a very cheap deal.
If Detroit doesn’t want to use one of their rostered players or go out and sign a safety, there are still some options to look for in the draft.
Alabama’s Brian Branch is one potential player who could be selected with the 18th overall draft pick. Another player who has been garnering some attention lately is Illinois safety Sydney Brown. Brown is projected to go around the third round and could learn the ropes of Detroit’s defense in that third safety role.
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