Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell confirmed several reports that the team was in on trade discussions with the Pittsburgh Steelers regarding Joey Porter Jr. The young cornerback was traded this week to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. But Campbell said that general manager Brad Holmes was active in those talks, as well.
“Brad was, he’s been on it for a while,” Campbell said. “That’s been ongoing and everything’s got to align right, you know. The Cowboys did
what they wanted to do, but we were very much in on it.”
The Lions certainly appear to have a need at cornerback. Detroit ranks at or near the bottom of the league in pass defense stats, including yards allowed (32nd), passer rating (27th), and success rate (29th). Detroit has already benched Rock Ya-Sin for both Roger McCreary and Ennis Rakestraw after cutting Terrion Arnold this offseason.
Campbell was asked if the team is still active in discussions to acquire more cornerback talent on the market, and the Lions coach gave a boilerplate answer about how the team is always looking.
“Just like any year, it’s non-stop,” Campbell said. “Brad’s constantly looking to upgrade this roster at every position. If we can find somebody that we feel like fits us and can help us and the value is right, we will.”
It’s not very often that the Lions openly talk about their interest in a player on the trade block, so this does lend credence to Detroit’s true interest in upgrading the cornerback room. But until they actually acquire a player, they will likely continue to receive criticism for what appears to be the team’s biggest weakness.
