Well, it was fun for a little bit to pretend that the Detroit Lions could solve their biggest issues by trading for All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey.

The fit was obviously there, but that by itself isn't enough to get a deal of that size done.

Instead of sending Ramsey to Detroit, who was reportedly in the mix for the star DB, the Rams were able to find a trade partner with the Miami Dolphins.

The Lions missed out on a star, but it never really felt like this was their one option to get better at the position. With the draft coming up and plenty of free agents on the market, the Lions will be just fine with a few savvy moves. 

In the spirit of saving a draft pick for a guy like Will Anderson or Jalen Carter if they are available at six, free agency still makes the most sense for Detroit in their search for a better secondary.

Enter Buccaneers corner Jamel Dean and this recommended pairing by Mike Jones of The Athletic.

Dean is one of the best corners that most people outside of Tampa have never heard of. Yes, he has the seven interceptions over four years that Jones mentioned in his article, but his fit goes far beyond that single number.

Perhaps more impressively, Dean has been very productive from a passes defended standpoint (41), and his production mixed with his athletic skillset make him as high-ceiling as anyone else on the market in a man or zone scheme.

Great size and blazing speed have a way of helping out in the modern NFL, and Dean has plenty of both.

The Buccaneers choosing to tie their ships to lesser corners like Sean Murphy-Bunting is no indictment on Dean. Other teams should be salivating at the prospect of a guy with CB1 potential  hitting the market, and the Lions should be first amongst this group.

Dean would immediately be the top corner in Detroit and would completely change the defensive back dynamic. 

Younger players like Jeff Okudah would see matchups change dramatically with a proven guy on the field with them, and one of the worst passing defenses in the league would receive a giant makeover by way of a transplant from one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Dean will still be pricey based on his talent and positional value, but his lack of individual awards should make him a bargain when compared to guys like Jalen Ramsey with overinflated value based on Pro Bowls and All-Pros.

The Lions should be very, very interested in Jamel Dean, but they will need to act fast. Dean isn't going to sit on the open market for very long.