As the Lions continue to shop Darius Slay, they're targeting his potential replacement in free agency.
Detroit has its eyes on Jalen Mills of the Eagles, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Mills spent the last four seasons playing under new Lions defensive coordinator Cory Undlin, formerly the Eagles defensive backs coach. He had seven passes defended, one interception and 41 tackles over nine games in 2019, after missing the start of the year with a foot injury.
Mills' best season came in 2017 when he had 14 passes defended, three picks and 64 tackles in 15 games. He was a seventh-round pick out of LSU in 2016.
In addition to the potential loss of Slay, the Lions are likely to let fellow CB Rashaan Melvin leave as a free agent. That's two starters removed from the secondary, so it's no surprise the team is searching for reinforcements on the free agent market.
The Lions could also look for help in the draft, where they've been linked frequently to Ohio State CB Jeffrey Okudah with the third overall pick.
The NFL's free-agency tampering period began Monday, and deals can officially be signed on Wednesday. Detroit has about $50 million of cap space to work with.
