The Detroit Lions traded for a new No. 1 cornerback on Monday, but not the one they were thinking of.
The Lions sent a third-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for cornerback Carlton Davis and sixth-round picks in the next two NFL drafts.
The Lions gave up their own third-round pick in the deal, No. 92 overall. They still have the Minnesota Vikings' third-round pick, No. 73 overall, from the 2022 TJ Hockenson trade.
Davis had two interceptions in 12 starts for the Bucs last season and has been a full-time starter since his rookie year. He allowed four touchdowns and had a 96.1 passer rating last year. according to Pro Football Referencebut he missed five games due to various injuries.
MORE BUZZER:Lions 2024 NFL Free Agency Rumor Tracker: Latest Updates and Analysis
At 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, Davis, who turns 28 in December, has the size and versatility the Lions like in their cornerbacks.
He made seven tackles in the Lions' playoff win over the Bucs in January, and took a shocking block from Craig Reynolds on Amon-Ra St. Brown's touchdown catch-and-run in the Lions' October win in Tampa. . .
The Lions had been linked to several top cornerbacks in recent weeks, including Kansas City Chiefs franchise cornerback L'Jarius Sneed and the Cleveland Browns' Greg Newsome, as they looked for options to bolster their secondary this offseason.
Last year, the Lions ranked 30th in passing yards (7.15) and 27th in yards allowed despite signing cornerbacks Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley and safety CJ Gardner-Johnson in free agency.
SHAWN WINDSOR:Trust us: Lions can't get enough big men to build around
Moseley played only two snaps last season due to a torn ACL, but re-signed with the Lions last week. Gardner-Johnson played only three regular season games due to a torn pectoral muscle. And Sutton had a disappointing first year in Detroit, allowing a passer rating of 112.3 against. according to Pro Football Reference.
With Davis in the fold, the Lions should have a deeper, more dynamic secondary this fall.
Davis can play either cornerback position and should lessen the need for Sutton to protect opposing No. 1 receivers. Moseley is an upgrade at the No. 3 cornerback spot and will compete for a starting job when he is healthy. Brian Branch returns at slot cornerback after a standout rookie season. And Kerby Joseph and Ifatu Melifonwu are expected to return as starters at safety.
The Lions informed Jerry Jacobs, a part-time starting cornerback last season, that they do not plan to offer him a restricted free agent tender before the start of the new league year on Wednesday, and Gardner-Johnson and Kindle Vildor, who finished the year . as the Lions' No. 2 cornerback, they will become unrestricted free agents.
Davis is entering the final year of his contract and is due to receive a base salary of $14 million this fall. If the Lions don't try to extend his contract, they will still have a long-term need at outside cornerback.
The Lions arrived Monday with more than $40 million in cap space and agreed to a new three-year contract with left guard Graham Glasgow before the start of the free agent negotiating period.
They also agreed to a one-year free agent contract with Minnesota Vikings defensive end Marcus Davenport, according to NFL Network. Davenport played his first five seasons with the New Orleans Saints, including the first three when Lions coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn were in New Orleans.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
