A question for the Lions, who might already be entering the season with their top two safeties on the shelf:
Can they also afford to start the year with a CB1 who suffered a significant hamstring injury last season and didn't play well when he returned (D.J. Reed) and a CB2 who's either a journeyman vet (Rock Ya-Sin), an injury-prone unknown (Ennis Rakestraw), a veteran they prefer at nickel (Roger McCreary) or a rookie they prefer at nickel (Keith Abney II)?
If the answer is no, then the Lions need to look externally for an upgrade after the news of Terrion Arnold's arrest. Fortunately, they'll have options. And as a team with real Super Bowl ambitions, they'll have appeal.
A signing feels more likely than a trade at this point, especially if the goal is to import a potential starter. Here are four proven corners who are available in free agency who could be fits in Detroit.
The Lions secondary is in shambles, and they didn't do anything this offseason to help pic.twitter.com/YF1l2BcoC2
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) June 25, 2026
Tre'Davious White
With the Bills going young at corner, White remains unsigned despite playing quite well last season. He started 16 games for Buffalo and allowed a passer rating in coverage of 72.5, ninth in the NFL among qualified corners, per PFF, and on par with what he's done over his nine-year career. White also led the Bills with 10 passes defended.
And while he played significantly more coverage snaps in zone than in man last year, which might not jibe with the scheme in Detroit under Kelvin Sheppard, White's grades and production were strong in both.
White, 31, has played in 11 postseason games, but has yet to play in the big one. He's likely looking for the right opportunity with the right team. The Lions might be the right fit, and White shouldn't cost much on a one-year deal. He made $3 million last season and has a projected market value, per Spotrac, of even less than that now.
White did suffer a torn ACL in 2021 and a torn Achilles in 2023, but has been healthy the past two seasons.
Rasul Douglas
Like White, Douglas was one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL last season. He started 15 games for the Dolphins and allowed an almost identical passer rating in coverage (72.6) as White, and ranked among the top 20 corners in both his coverage grade and overall defense grade, per PFF. He had 13 passes defended and two picks.
Douglas has been productive for a while. He's second in the NFL among corners in picks (16) and fourth in passes defended (58) over the last five seasons. He started 15 games for the Bills in 2024 and 15 games for the Bills and Packers in 2023, playing key roles on good teams.
The potential catch: He's historically a much better zone corner than man, which, again, bears mention in regard to the Lions.
Douglas has played in 11 postseason games and won the Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2017. He turns 31 in August and will likely be looking to sign with a contender. His cost would be similar to White's.
Adoree' Jackson
Yet another member of the 2017 draft class, Jackson's days as a CB1 are behind him. But as he proved in 14 games (10 starts) with the Eagles last season when he had 11 passes defended, a pick and allowed a passer rating in coverage of 89.3, he can still be a capable CB2.
The same could be said for Douglas and White, which would work just fine for the Lions if they believe Reed can bounce back and be their CB1.
That's the context that matters here. While White, Douglas and Jackson might have all benefited last season from lighter matchups on the outside, they would conceivably be stepping into a similar situation in Detroit.
The Lions weren't realistically expecting Arnold to suddenly be a lockdown corner this year. They were hoping he could form a dependable duo with Reed. Jackson, Douglas or White could help the Lions complete a similar tandem.
Kenny Moore II
This one's a stretch, as Moore has played most of his career in the slot. Think rookie-year Brian Branch. He's a nickel more than a corner.
But he merits mention, given how well he's performed over his nine-year career and the fact that he recently received his release from the Colts, explaining this week that "I’m at the perfect point in my career where I really want to win, and hopefully that comes with a team that has the culture, the scheme set up for me."
“I just don’t want to be a guy on the team, because I feel like I have so many strengths to give to the secondary or give to the team, and just be a leader," said Moore. "Whatever role I have on a team, it’s more so perfecting that role and not really -- it’s less about me. I don’t talk about me. I want to talk about how I can be in a new place and serve ... I want to be a team guy and I want to win, and hopefully we can do that together."
Moore is known for being a stout run defender while also putting up solid coverage numbers in the slot. He was tied for third among corners in defensive stops in both 2024 and 2023. His playing time decreased last season under a new defensive coordinator for the Colts, but Moore still had a productive season in 14 games.
He turns 31 in August.
