How Detroit Lions plan to replace Cam Sutton at cornerback: Draft may be best option

ORLANDO, Fla. — Cam Sutton's legal problems have left the Detroit Lions with a void at cornerback, but it's one the team is in no rush to fill.

Lions coach Dan Campbell said at the NFL's annual meeting Tuesday the Lions remain in the market for cornerback help, while general manager Brad Holmes insisted he was happy with the team's current depth at the position.

"I think certainly there’s still some guys we're still looking at in free agency that can bring in some competition," Campbell said. "And that may or may not be done before the draft. I know that it brings up a little more urgency for another player, for sure, that can compete. But then as far as everything else goes, we're ready to go into the draft and see if we can come away with something in there."

The Lions released Sutton last week after police issued a warrant for his arrest on one felony count of domestic battery by strangulation for a March 7 incident in Florida.

Sutton's release came a week into the new league year after the Lions traded for Carlton Davis, signed Amik Robertson and re-signed Emmanuel Moseley in the first wave of free agency.

Holmes championed those moves Tuesday as part of what he called the best free agent haul the Lions have had in his four years as GM.

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Along with Robertson, the Lions signed defensive tackle D.J. Reader, defensive end Marcus Davenport and offensive guard Kevin Zeitler to short-term starter-level contracts in free agency.

Sutton started all 17 games last season and projected as the Lions' No. 2 cornerback this fall.

"It’s not a need," Holmes said of the cornerback position. "It’s not like, 'Man, if we don’t ...' Look, when it comes to cornerbacks, you can never have enough of those guys, which I can say that with a lot of different positions. So I don’t think that we’ve ever went through a draft where we didn’t draft one, at least. Whether it’s a corner or a nickel, but I’ve always thought it’s good business to at least acquire one. But, again, you can never have enough of them.”

Davis will play as the Lions' No. 1 cornerback next season, with Robertson and Moseley expected to compete for the second outside spot. Brian Branch should handle slot cornerback duties for the second straight season, though Robertson has the ability to slide inside if the Lions want to use Branch at safety.

Holmes said the Lions initiated the Davis trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, figuring the team might be open to dealing one of its starting cornerbacks given its youth in the secondary and the money it had committed at the position.

Davis, 27, is entering the last year of his contract.

"Just myself alone, I had a good feel of Carlton," Campbell said. "We didn't really want to throw at him (in the two games we played Tampa last year). We knew he was a good cover guy, and he'll tackle on the perimeter. There are just things he can do where he can take his side of the field away, at times. Just to have some of that, man, goes a long way for the rest of the defense, and what (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) is going to be able to call.

"Man, that's going to help. And that's really something we felt we haven't had here since we've been here. So that was — Brad did a hell of a job getting that trade done and getting it through."

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Campbell said he worried the Davis acquisition might prompt Robertson to consider offers elsewhere, and was excited when Robertson indicated he still wanted to be a Lion. Robertson agreed to terms on Day 2 of the free agent negotiating period. Coaches are not allowed to talk directly with players during the negotiating window.

"One of the things I loved, we were going back and forth with Amik, and then we make the Carlton trade, and we're like, 'Well, we're going to lose Amik. I mean, we just traded for a corner,'" Campbell said. "He's like, 'Are we going to get this done or not?' He wanted to come. To him, he's coming in to compete to start. He wants to come in and earn his right. I love that about this kid. He fits us 100%."

Holmes said Moseley is "on track" with his rehab in his return from a torn ACL that ended his season after just two defensive snaps last year. Moseley also suffered a torn ACL in 2022.

The Lions also re-signed backup cornerback/special teams player Khalil Dorsey in free agency and return Steven Gilmore, who played sparingly as a rookie last year.

This year's draft is considered deep at cornerback, though there are no blue-chip talents who project to go in the first 10 picks. The Lions have the 29th pick in Round 1 and pick Nos. 61 and 73 in the second and third rounds.

"I do like the competition that we have," Holmes said. "Emmanuel Moseley, there's a reason why we re-signed him back. We felt really, really good about it, so we really like the competition that we currently have. We don't really feel like the Cam Sutton situation really altered the landscape of how we'll approach the draft."

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes: CB 'not a need' after Cam Sutton release