Mike Payton of A to Z Sports stated on February 16 that the Detroit Lions should consider re-signing cornerback Jeff Okudah.
The Detroit Lions traded their last first-round pick prior to the arrival of general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. That was cornerback Jeff Okudah, whom the Lions traded to the Atlanta Falcons last summer.
However, on February 16, AtoZ Sports’ Mike Payton listed Okudah as one of four players the Lions should consider re-signing in free agency.
“Jeff Okuadah is not a starting cornerback in the NFL.” Payton wrote, “He’s just not.” “But this doesn’t mean he can’t play football. Okudah has demonstrated on numerous times that he can be successful on the field.
“So why not give him a second shot as a depth guy?”
With cornerbacks Kindle Vildor, Jerry Jacobs, and Emmanuel Moseley set to become free agents in March, the Lions must refill their cornerback depth.
The Lions selected Okudah as the third overall choice in the 2020 NFL draft. However, injuries hindered his first two seasons in Detroit, and he struggled in 2022.
Okudah then played last season for the Falcons after the Lions traded him for a fifth-round pick.
What Jeff Okudah Could Mean to the Lions in 2024
Payton made it plain that Okudah is not the Lions’ most important cornerback addition. But if Vildor does not return, Payton believes Okudah can take his spot in the cornerback room.
“The Lions should absolutely prioritize better corners in free agency, but Okudah is a guy that can come along and be a back up guy and part of a rotation,” Payton said in a statement. “I’ve made numerous reasons for the Lions to maintain Kindle Vildor in that role, but Okudah would be a better fit.
“He also has two years of experience with the coaching staff. It would be intriguing to see him work with Aaron Glenn again, and new defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend has a track record of getting the most out of his guys.
On February 8, Pro Football Talk reported that the Lions signed Townsend as their defensive passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Townsend has ten seasons of NFL coaching experience and two Super Bowl wins as a player.
Okudah sustained an injury during the 2023 training camp and did not return until Week 3. Okudah performed admirably in his first four games back, despite having less defensive snaps.
However, Okudah failed after he was promoted to a starter role, as he was in Detroit. In five of his last nine games, he received a Pro Football Focus player grade worse than 50 (out of 100).
Okudah also did not play in two of Atlanta’s last five games.
Okudah concluded the 2023 regular season with 44 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and three pass defenses in 13 games.
Lions still need a bigger CB upgrade than Okudah.
If the Lions want to improve their secondary in 2024, they cannot re-sign Okudah and expect him to play more than half of the defensive snaps.
Last season, Okudah played 52.24% of Atlanta’s defensive snaps. Okudah played around 68% of the defensive snaps in the games in which he appeared.
So, if the Lions re-sign Okudah, they will need to make another addition, preferably a more influential one, at cornerback.
Before the playoffs began, Bleacher Report’s NFL staff introduced the Lions to probable Chicago Bears free agent cornerback Jaylon Johnson. The prospects of Detroit signing Johnson are slim because the Bears are likely to apply the franchise tag on Johnson.
However, the Lions have been linked to a couple first-round cornerback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft. In mock drafts, Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry has been the most preferred pick for Detroit.
“The idea of pairing Kool-Aid McKinstry with Brian Branch, another Alabama defensive back drafted by Detroit last year, is appealing,” CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards, who projected the Lions would pick McKinstry at No. 29, wrote. “Because those are accountable players who should help set the standard for that Lions secondary.”
It will be intriguing to see if Okudah can fit into Detroit’s offseason plan. That may not become obvious until the Lions make a much more significant addition at cornerback.
