The Lions don’t need to trade for a safety, and their current depth chart shows exactly why
Brian Branch is back, Chuck Clark has been steady and Kerby Joseph’s outlook is becoming more encouraging. But the biggest development may be a rookie who had never played safety before this season.
Detroit Lions fans talk a lot about trading for a cornerback, and I get it. The Lions could use some help there. Do I think they need to sell the farm for a blockbuster cornerback trade? No, and I believe that less now than I did a few weeks ago. Still, the other position I keep hearing about is safety.
A lot of that has to do with the situation surrounding Kerby Joseph. For what it’s worth, I’m feeling a lot more positive about that lately. It seems like Joseph might play sooner than we originally thought.
That’s not really the point, though. Here’s the thing: I don’t think the Lions need to make a trade at safety. Could they draft one next year? Sure, that would be fine. Right now, though, Detroit is pretty set at the position. Let’s break it down.
Brian Branch and Chuck Clark have the back end steady
The obvious place to start is Brian Branch. The Lions have one of the best safeties in the game, and if anyone worried that he would be less than his old self after the Achilles injury, his first game back should ease those concerns. It was just one game, but that’s about as good of a return as a player can have. Branch lifts the entire secondary to another level and changes the way Detroit can play it. He’s that good.
Beyond Branch, Chuck Clark is playing well. Clark had a rough game a few weeks ago, but otherwise he’s been a steady veteran presence. He’s not an All-Pro or a Pro Bowler. He’s also an older player on a one-year deal, so theoretically he won’t be here next year. That’s a reason to look for his replacement in the draft. It’s not a reason to replace him right now.
The numbers back him up. Clark is the 19th-highest-graded safety in the league with a 72.9 grade, per Pro Football Focus. His 86.8 pass rush grade ranks third among all safeties, and he holds a 67.8 coverage grade. That’s not bad at all. That’s a useful starter.
Keith Abney changes the whole conversation
The guy who really settles this, though, is Keith Abney. All the way.
Abney has played two games at safety in the NFL. Really, two games at safety in his career, because he had never played the position before. He’s taken to it like a fish to water. His performance against Arizona was impressive, and so was his performance against Green Bay.
Dan Campbell keeps bringing up how heady Abney is, calling him smart and one of the smartest rookies he’s ever seen. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has said the same. I’m seeing it on film, too.
One play from my film study earlier this week says a lot. [Video to be embedded by editor.] Abney isn’t really part of the play at first. He spots what’s happening, sees his teammate on an island who might have been fine anyway, then turns around and runs his heart out. He comes out of nowhere for the pass breakup, like Tayshaun Prince chasing down Reggie Miller in the Eastern Conference Finals. That’s a rookie reading the field.
On Monday, Campbell talked about players getting better at recognizing when and how to help their teammates. This is exactly the kind of play he means.
Now, if you check PFF, Abney sits at a 54.9 grade. I understand that number doesn’t jump off the page. Keep in mind that it covers two games at a position he’s never played, and he’s handled it well for someone that new to it. He’s only going to get better from here.
Detroit has options at safety already
When you add it all up, the Lions have Branch, a potentially returning Joseph, a growing Abney, and a steady starter in Clark who’s playing well. Christian Izien is another option. He hasn’t played the last few games, which surprises me because he played fairly well when he was on the field.
Thomas Harper is also eligible to return and can come back to practice this week. I don’t know whether he will, but the option is there.
I know some fans want to trade for somebody like Budda Baker. I just don’t see the point if Joseph could come back this season, and you don’t want to stunt Abney’s development, either. Detroit should make a trade at cornerback. At safety, let’s see where this thing goes.
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