Indianapolis — The future of the Detroit Lions’ secondary is up in the air entering the 2026 offseason.
All-Pro safety Joseph, who’s suffering from a severe knee injury, and Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch, who had a season-ending Achilles injury, are the league’s best safety tandem when healthy — but it remains to be seen whether they’ll even share the field next season. Critical reserve Avonte Maddox is a free agent.
As for the cornerbacks, Amik Robertson and Rock Ya-Sin are impending free agents, D.J. Reed has much to prove after a season in which injuries might have been holding him back, and the Lions’ top two picks from the 2024 draft, Ennis Rakestraw and Terrion Arnold, both finished the season on injured reserve, with Arnold’s status even further in question after court documents revealed a troubling connection to a robbery and kidnapping in Florida.
Following the Seattle Seahawks’ defense-driven Super Bowl win, many around the league are enamored with mimicking the big nickel cornerback that was popularized by Seattle and rookie safety Nick Emmanwori, who was arguably the defense’s most valuable player.
While the Lions seem to have an opening for that job in their own defense, Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard warned against chasing trends and suggested that Detroit’s defensive scheme isn’t too far from that of Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald. The Lions rely heavily on their 4-3 base defense, only using Derrick Barnes in the strong-side (SAM) linebacker role that Emmanwori figuratively occupies.
“I keep hearing this Seattle nickel thing. Do you guys know who their nickel is? He’s 6-foot-3, 225 pounds. They’re pretty much playing (a) 4-3 (defense). It’s actually a very similar system to ours,” Sheppard said. “… Listen, I’ve been told by every offensive coordinator including our head coach, the way we play — I’ve been afforded (the opportunity) to have Mike Kafka in the room with me, and he said, ‘It’s an absolute nightmare’ because you’re able to dictate to the offense. And that’s what the offense tries to do to us by personnel.”
The NFL has developed a trend for allowing excellent safety prospects to slip. Kyle Hamilton (Baltimore Ravens), Branch, Emmanwori, and others in recent years all went later than the consensus believed they would.
At the same time, chasing the next Emmanwori is a bit like chasing the next Calvin Johnson — it’s simply rare to see a player with those measurables at that position. Emmanwori isn’t just a hulking figure — he also ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the combine, a rare blend of size, speed and talent that simply isn’t available on a yearly basis.
“To each his own, but it’s just the creative ways you’re able to attack people and I think trying to stay ahead of that curve and not necessarily following anybody because the Seahawks just won the Super Bowl and they play 60-70% nickel with that freak from South Carolina,” Sheppard said, referring to Emmanwori.
“I probably would have played it too had I had him. But on the serious note, we have a way we do things. We’re not going to start to follow trends and follow people because this league is up and down. The last two years the Super Bowl was won by defensive football. For the five years prior to that, you had to have a quarterback or you couldn’t play in this league, right? You start to follow people and you start to lose your identity.
“We have a certain identity and way we believe in playing, a way our head coach and stamps and believes that you should play. And that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”
Still, the upcoming draft is a chance to continue infusing that area of the field with young talent, which the Lions will undoubtedly need given the uncertainties of their current defense.
South Carolina corner Brandon Cisse (6 feet, 189 pounds), a potential first-rounder, said he’s actually more comfortable playing inside than he is outside corner. Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (6-foot-3, 201 pounds) or Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman (6 feet, 201 pounds) could immediately give the Lions some flexibility at that spot.
Sheppard, for his part, said he will simply let general manager Brad Holmes go to work.
“I’ve been here six years. I’ve been fortunate to have the same front office as far from the Brad Holmes standpoint for six years. I’ve always told him the same thing. ‘Brad, I’m going to coach whatever players you put in the room,’” he said when asked if the team has a need at safety, given the statuses of Joseph and Branch.
“Because up until this point, it’s worked out for us. I’m not going to start to panic. I’m not going to question anything. I trust that Brad knows what he’s doing. He’s proven he knows what he’s doing. I just can’t wait to see the pieces that he allows me to play with this year.”
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
@nolanbianchi
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Lions won’t chase trends, but could use secondary help at draft
Reporting by Nolan Bianchi, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
