Allen Park — Roger McCreary will be the first to admit he isn’t very familiar with Detroit.
A self-proclaimed “south boy” who grew up in Mobile, Alabama, before attending Auburn and later being drafted by the Tennessee Titans, he knows people refer to Detroit as The Motor City, and he’s aware of its intertwined history with Ford Motor Company. He also knows a little bit about Motown, “from watching movies and stuff.”
What — or who, rather — McCreary is not lacking in knowledge about is the Lions’ Dan Campbell, who has become a popular coach among players. What makes Campbell alluring isn’t a lack of practice intensity or an overall lax environment, but his ability to relate to those putting on the pads. Campbell, with a decade spent in the NFL as a tight end, can bond with players in ways other coaches can’t.
“Just the type of coach that he is, I know the style he is. … I would love to be coached by a person like that because he played the game, he knows the game,” said McCreary, who officially signed with the Lions on Monday. “I feel like that’s the best experience, is being coached by somebody who’s been through it.”
McCreary, a cornerback with inside-out flexibility, was brought to Detroit to compete for a spot in the secondary. The majority of his career snaps have come in a nickel or box alignment (2,170), though he does have 944 reps on the outside, with most of those (662) coming during his rookie season in 2022.
Asked how he’d like to contribute in his first year with the Lions, McCreary insisted he’s ready and willing at “any position they need me at.” Top contenders at Detroit’s nickel spot appear to include Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Christian Izien Jr. On the outside, the Lions have D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, Rock Ya-Sin, Khalil Dorsey and Nick Whiteside.
Describing himself as a “smart, instinctive” player who also puts an emphasis on being “aggressive,” McCreary pointed out how there’s more to playing cornerback than coverage skills. “Setting the edge, tackling, being there, filling the gaps, disrupting the ball,” were all factors McCreary listed as impactful.
McCreary has ranked in the top 20 among cornerbacks for run stops (tackles that resulted in a failed rush for an offense) in three of his four seasons, and he was tied for sixth in 2023, with 13. He has 31 run stops since entering the NFL as the 35th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
“I feel like what shines the most with my size and everything, (is) the aggressiveness,” McCreary said.
McCreary sought perspective about the Lions from safety Daniel Thomas, who played in Detroit last season and was McCreary’s teammate at Auburn from 2018-19. McCreary also reached back to his own experience playing against the Lions in Week 8 of the 2024 season. The Lions crushed the Titans, 52-14, behind a four-takeaway performance from their defense and a five-for-five showing in the red zone from their offense.
“They attacked us in so many ways, I can’t even just say one person. But I know it started with (Jared Goff) being the leader he is and watching how it was a little (slow) at first … but as the game got on, it was over with,” McCreary said. “I know it was because of him and his drive and his leadership. Seeing that and going against him, you can experience it to see what type of play style that they have. That’s why I’m excited to practice with them and just be a teammate.”
After tasting the playoffs for the first time last season as a member of the Los Angeles Rams (he was traded at the deadline in October), McCreary hopes to use what he learned in L.A. to help the Lions get back to the postseason.
“I want to be part of something that’s (a) winning culture, and I feel like that’s the vibe here,” McCreary said. “Last time when I played against (the Lions), it did not look good, so I kind of want to be on that (other) side of it this time. Just seeing that style, I respect how this program has built up and how it’s made it known, it’s made a name for itself. … I’m happy to be a part of that.”
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Dan Campbell’s presence helped Lions land CB Roger McCreary
Reporting by Richard Silva, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
