The Detroit Lions, led by head coach Dan Campbell and common director Brad Holmes, were selected with the organization’s final first-round pick. That was Jeff Okudah, the cornerback that the Lions traded to the Atlanta Birds of Prey in the 2018 offseason.
However, Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports listed Okudah as one among the four players the Lions should think about re-signing in free agency on February 16.
“In the NFL, Jeff Okuadah does not start at cornerback. He’s not fair at all,” Payton wrote. However, it is not inhumane that he is unable to play football. Okudah has demonstrated his ability to succeed on the field in a number of tournaments.
“Let’s give him a chance to prove that profundity guys like us,”
Jerry and Ignite Vildor, cornerbacks
With Emmanuel Moseley and Jacobs expected to become unrestricted free agents in Walk, the Lions will undoubtedly need to bolster their depth at cornerback.
In the 2020 NFL Draft, Okudah was selected by the Lions as the third overall pick. However, injuries plagued him throughout his first two seasons in Detroit, and in 2022, he fell short of expectations.
At that moment, Okudah spent his last season with the Hawks before being traded for a fifth-round pick by the Lions.
Potential Impact Jeff Okudah Could Have in 2024 for the Lions
Payton stated unequivocally that Okudah is not the Lions’ massive splash expansion at cornerback. However, Payton stated that Okudah may replace Vildor in the unlikely event that he doesn’t return to the cornerback room.
Payton wrote, “Okudah may be a fellow that can come along and be a backup fellow and portion of a rotation, but the Lions ought to completely prioritize better corners in free agency.” “I’ve raised a lot of arguments regarding the Lions retaining Arouse Vildor for that role, but Okudah could be a far better fit.”He has also been a part of our coaching staff for a very long period. Working with Aaron Glenn again would be intriguing, and Deshea Townsend, the coach of cautious backs who isn’t often utilized, has a track record of getting the most performance out of his players.
Master Football Conversation revealed on February 8 that Townsend was hired by the Lions to serve as the team’s cornerbacks coach and protective passing facilitator. Townsend possesses ten seasons of experience as an NFL coach and two Super Bowl victories during his playing career.
During the 2023 training camp, Okudah had an injury and did not return until Week 3. After being somewhat limited in his protective snaps, Okudah performed admirably in his first four diversions back.
However, Okudah suffered once he moved into a starting role, which is what he had in Detroit. He filed player reviews on Master Football Center with scores under 50 (out of 100) in five of his final nine recreations.
In addition, Okudah was absent from two of Atlanta’s previous five challenges.
Okudah recorded 44 total handles at the end of the 2023 regular season, including 3 pass protections in 13 diversions and 1 handle for bad luck.
More CB Updates Are Still Needed for Lions than Okudah
It is not possible for the Lions to re-sign Okudah and expect him to play more than half of the team’s defensive snaps in the unlikely event that they require a shifted forward auxiliary in 2024.
Okudah lined up for 52.24% of Atlanta’s defensive snaps in the previous campaign. Among the diversion Okudah played around 68% of the team’s cautious snaps, depending on how he was clothed.
In the unlikely event that the Lions decide to re-sign Okudah, they will also need to add a cornerback, preferably one with more effect.
The NFL crew at Seat Report recently linked the Lions to prospective Chicago Bears free agent CB Jaylon Johnson. This was sometime after the playoffs started. Given that the Bears are probably trying to apply the establishment tag on Johnson, there is little chance Detroit signs him.
However, the Lions are also linked to two cornerbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Kool-Aid McKinstry of Alabama has been Detroit’s most frequently selected pick at cornerback in mock drafts.
“The idea of combining Brian Department, who is Another Alabama defensive back selected by Detroit the previous season is intriguing, CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards said. Edwards predicted that the Lions would select McKinstry at No. 29. “Because those players set the standard for that Lions secondary and are responsible players who should offer assistance.”
