Cam Sutton is gone. Now what?
The Lions cut their CB1 after serious allegations of domestic abuse, where does that leave them now at the all-important position
Cornerback has become the most interesting position on the Detroit Lions roster. The team effectively made three additions at the position heading into 2024 — trading for Carlton Davis, signing Amik Robertson and choosing to retain Emmanuel Mosely. That is a lot of work for one position, even one that was easily the team’s biggest need heading into the offseason.
But how much work, if any, is still left to be done at corner? It’s a tough question, even head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes don’t seem to agree on the answer.
Just two weeks ago, the Lions looked set on having Davis start across incumbent CB1 Cam Sutton, with Mosely and Robertson providing depth and getting opportunities to compete in training camp. Khalil Dorsey will primarily serve on special teams and rarely get snaps on defense unless disaster strikes.
But then news emerged of a warrant for Sutton in Florida after he allegedly strangled and battered a woman. He has avoided the police for weeks before turning himself in over the weekend. Detroit released him the day after news of his warrant emerged.
So what now? Sutton was not a great corner, and getting him off the team could be a net-positive on the football field — even before considering the benefits of getting an alleged woman beater off of the team. He was, however, an influential figure in the locker room and a member of the team’s overall identity. Sutton wore the highly sought out #1 uniform. His face was among the group of Lions plastered on the front of Ford Field last season. He was the team’s CB1 for all 17 games last season.
What should the Lions do at corner post-Cam Sutton?
Your FREE subscription to Bird’s Eye Football allows us to keep providing new and interesting story telling each week. Please consider subscribing if you haven’t already.
Do you want more Lions coverage? Follow Mansur Shaheen and Bird’s Eye Football on Twitter (X). Mansur Shaheen is also on BlueSky.
“It’s not a need,” Holmes said of the cornerback position at the NFL owners meeting last week.
That the GM can make a statement like this and it doesn’t come off as totally insane speaks to the amount of investment put into it over the past month. Dorsey is the only player who played a meaningful role on the 2023 team that will return this year (Mosely played just a handful of snaps before suffering a season ending knee injury).
But at the same meetings, Campbell acknowledged what many outsiders may be thinking, that there is work to be done at the corner position after Sutton’s departure.
“I think certainly there are some guys we’re still looking at in free agency that can bring in some competition,” he told reporters.
The head coach went on to say that work could potentially be done before the draft at the end of the month. With the defensive back market still rich with talent this late into free agency, there are still many names available for the Lions to inquire for ahead of April 25.
The most obvious option to replace Sutton is Dallas Cowboys free agent Stephon Gilmore. The veteran, who will turn 34 early next season, is on a potential Hall of Fame trajectory, having been named to five Pro Bowls, two All-Pro lists and being named the 2018 Defensive Player of the Year. He is no longer the player he once was for the New England Patriots in the late 2010s, but he still has a lot to offer.
Gilmore, whose younger brother Steven is on the Lions’ practice squad, was still probably the best corner on the Cowboys roster last season. While Trevon Diggs and Daron Bland have both put up dazzling interception numbers throughout their young careers, down-to-down, Gilmore is much more reliable at locking down opposing receivers.
He also fits the profile of the type of player Detroit could be interested in. At his age, there is no way he is seeking out a long term deal. Holmes loves short free agent deals with little long term commitment. Gilmore is also a locker room leader with Super Bowl pedigree, the type of guy you want some of the younger defensive backs to be hanging around. If Detroit opts to go corner in the first round, then what better way to help him develop than placing him next to Gilmore.
The veteran corner has also excelled in man coverage throughout his career. Holmes has already added two great man corners this offseason, signaling a scheme that will utilize it more this season.
Slightly younger but without as much pedigree, Xavien Howard is another veteran option for the Lions. The play-making, physical, man corner has been named to four Pro Bowls, two All-Pro teams and has led the league in interceptions twice in his career. Howard, who will turn 31 this summer, is set to leave South Beach for the first time in his eight-year career after the Miami Dolphins released him this offseason.
He said this offseason that he wants to play for a contender this year, even if it means taking a dip in pay.
“I’d rather take a pay cut to go to a team that’s going to go further in the playoffs,” he said, continuing, “My goal is always to win a Super Bowl. Don’t let the money get in the way of winning a Super Bowl. Some people get paid, and some people win a Super Bowl. Some people do both. You do both, you’re different. I want to be different, but I want to win a Super Bowl now. I've already been paid, but now [winning is] what I’m looking forward to.”
This is almost a signal to Holmes to come and sign him, as the Lions are the contender with the biggest need at the position.
Howard and Gilmore are comparable players at this point in their careers. Both are reliable man corners who, while not at the peak of their powers anymore, can still be a good player on a team with title hopes. Pairing Howard with Davis would be an excellent duo for Detroit if both players stay healthy.
So will the Lions make a move. And if so, then why have they not already?
Well, there are two big reasons. First, both Gilmore and Howard are vets that have been in the NFL a long time. Neither will likely be expecting a deal for longer than one year. They know what they have to do to be ready for the upcoming season, and may not want to move to Detroit for just a single season.
In cases like this, it’s common for players to wait until deep into training camp to sign with their new teams. They are, after all, men with families and lives in the offseason. Howard has played for the Dolphins for a longtime and likely has roots in South Florida. Gilmore lives in North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte. Playing the waiting game allows them to spend more time at home this offseason, getting ready for the season in a place where they are more comfortable.
And while teams love making sure their players are around for the full offseason programs — even offering large workout bonuses to some in their contracts — players themselves usually want to extend their spring break a little longer.
Detroit could also have a logjam at the corner position that is keep veteran hesitant, though. As Holmes said last week, corner still might not be a need for the team. At least three players on the roster were starters in their most recent season, and will compete to start again. It’s hard to imagine the team leaving the NFL Draft without picking up another in the first two days. If you’re Gilmore or Howard, you want to sign for a team where you will be the walk-in CB1. That might not be the Lions at this stage.
In that case, the Lions don’t need a solution at corner at all, as the roster leaves not questions to be answered.