Where The Lions Roster Stands: Cornerback

by Sean Yuille on Jul 12, 2011 4:44 PM EDT in Detroit Lions Roster

Previously: Quarterback, Running Back, Fullback, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, Center, Defensive End, Defensive Tackle, Linebacker

Returning from last season: Alphonso Smith, Nathan Vasher, Aaron Berry, Jack Williams

Currently a free agent: Chris Houston (he was tendered as a restricted free agent but will likely be unrestricted under the new CBA), Paul Pratt (he was tendered as an exclusive-rights free agent), Prince Miller (he was tendered as an exclusive-rights free agent), Tye Hill, Brandon McDonald

New to the team: None

The big question surrounding the cornerback position is what will happen with Chris Houston. The Detroit Lions tendered him as a restricted free agent before the lockout began, but chances are he will be an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins. Houston has made it known he wants to explore the open market, but he also has said he would be willing to return to the Lions. The team certainly wants him back, but nothing is guaranteed.

With or without Houston, the Lions have Alphonso Smith and Nathan Vasher coming back next season. Smith was acquired right before the 2010 season and had a pretty good year until Thanksgiving against the Patriots. Vasher joined the Lions after the first game of the season and started the last four games, all of which were wins. Detroit was impressed with Vasher enough to offer him a one-year deal before the lockout, and he signed it.

Other cornerbacks expected to be in the mix next season include Aaron Berry, Jack Williams, Paul Pratt and Prince Miller. Berry especially is a player worth watching. He played his way onto the 53-man roster with an exceptional training camp and preseason last year and had an interception in the first game of the regular season. An injury in that game actually ended his season early, but he should make the 53-man roster again this year and be a solid contributor.

The two cornerbacks that haven't been mentioned yet are Tye Hill and Brandon McDonald. Both are expected to be unrestricted free agents and weren't tendered before the lockout just in case they ended up being restricted, so it doesn't look like they will be back for right now.

Need going forward?

This position is at the top of the list of needs with linebacker. The Lions are expected to add at least one starting-caliber cornerback when free agency opens, and they could add more than one if Houston isn't re-signed. The hope is Houston will be back, leaving only one spot to be filled, but only time will tell what happens with that situation and just how big of a need the Lions will have at cornerback going forward.

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Comments

I for one don't think the CB position is a major concern.

Jack Williams.Prince Miller, Aaron Berry, and Paul Pratt are NFL calibur cornerbacks.
Williams and Berry can battle for the spot Houston will vacate (If Houston chooses FA over team loyalty, let him go, I want players who want to be a Lion) Pratt and Miller can adequately fill in and make plays. The teams biggest need is OLB’s that can cover a lot of space in a hurry and bring the lumber when they get there. If Williams can stay healthy Berry will have to really bring it to get the starting job.

I thought being lazy was a bad thing, So I gave up thinking.

by Wayne Fontes on Jul 12, 2011 5:31 PM EDT reply actions

Potential

That is what I like about our secondary, we a slew of young talented players in our secondary.

The biggest knock on them is they some time on field cause they aren’t the most polished group, by far. This is one reason why I support bringing in a high profile CB for 2-3 years let some of these guys develop without handicap our defense.

I pity the fool!
-Mr. T

by Phreaking Mohican on Jul 12, 2011 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Potential

Is also what I hate about our secondary. Aaron Berry showed great potential, but is going to definitely have rough patches this upcoming year baring he makes the team. Williams, Miller, and Pratt I have no faith in for this year at all. Vasher made some good plays last year down the stretch but he’s getting old and didn’t play all that well overall. I think the Phonz makes better decisions this year that may reduce his INT’s but increases his effectiveness. Houston is the only guy I fell comfortable with, and even he wasn’t above average last year. This secondary scares me.

"I'm glad they made Flintstone's vitamins because I used to watch The Flintstones and go, "Man I bet you if I ate that dude, I would be healthy."

"I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too."

by Bighaircut on Jul 12, 2011 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Team Loyalty ...

rah, rah, rah, sys, boom, bah.

Move into the 21 century. There is no team loyalty.

by Renegade on Jul 19, 2011 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Chris Houston...

really screwed me over in Madden today. I was trying to simulate the upcoming Monday night game and he wraps up Hester and then decides to let him go… TD bears. Fuck.

by controldekinai on Jul 12, 2011 6:00 PM EDT reply actions

I say we cut him then

If he can’t even help us in Madden, what good is he . . .

Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?

by Lions-fan-SLC on Jul 12, 2011 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks a lot

Mountain dew through my nose on that one. :)

by jolo716 on Jul 12, 2011 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL SLC

Def funniest post today.

by drgarnett on Jul 13, 2011 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Berry and Phonz

Very curious as well as anixious to see what these two will do this year. I think there is alot of young potential in the secondary and Vasher needs to step up and be a mentor to them.

I think Houston will be back… call me crazy but i can see Berry at the 1 Houston at the 2 and Phonz at the nickle. I would love to see Ike Taylor brought in for a 1 to 2 year contract imo i think he would be great for Berry Houston Phonz Pratt and Miller.

" Maybe for a writer...but i am sure most of you can tell i am not a writer". det32

by SmittyJ on Jul 12, 2011 6:45 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

I don't think Berry's gonna get the #1 job this year, Smitty

He just doesn’t have the experience yet to cover the opposing team’s best WR week in and week out. But if dude’s as good as Gun says he is, I definitely expect him to make some serious noise in the future.

As for Taylor, I don’t think there’s anyway the Steelers let him walk. CB is already their weakest position on D, and losing their best CB, a guy who knows their system inside and out, ain’t happening. The only way I see him leaving Pitt is if he gets crazy overpaid, and I’m hoping that we’re not the team to do it. I definitely like the dude, but I just don’t see it happening. Cromartie seems like a more likely scenario, as the Jets already have Revis and took Kyle Wilson in the first last year, and I just can’t picture them being able to afford another huge CB contract.

by motown313 on Jul 12, 2011 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions

IDK Cortland and Grimes didnt have it either...

It should be intresting to see who ends up in Motown (Joseph Ike or Cromartie) but i have to believe it will be one of them.

" Maybe for a writer...but i am sure most of you can tell i am not a writer". det32

by SmittyJ on Jul 12, 2011 10:35 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Berry played on game last year

or 1/2 of one anyway. Keep your expectations in check I would suggest lol. It was Jay Cutler afterall.

"I think the biggest thing for us and the city is that the mind-set is changed. We are not the same old Lions that have lost." - Ndamukong Suh

PCP 4 LIFE

by The Profiler on Jul 12, 2011 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Pro...

Dont count my boy out a game a half a game whatever the kid is a baller. Cortland and Grimes are both very compairable guys to Berry.

Maybe i went a tad bit far by labeling him as the #1 cb but remember Pro you heard it hear first. PCP signing off!

" Maybe for a writer...but i am sure most of you can tell i am not a writer". det32

by SmittyJ on Jul 12, 2011 11:08 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I'm not horribly worked about our secondary...LB's are another story though.

I want Houston to come back to be the #2 guy and someone like Johnathan Joseph to come in and be the #1. That way we would have Joseph, Houston, Smith, Berry, Vasher…I would to to war with that anyday. Plus, if Berry or Smith take a huge step this year it will give us trade bate, competition, and depth.

If we got a quality LB Tulloch and moved Levy to WILL or got a diffrerent WILL how fit the scheme. Along with what i listed above i would be happy. In all reality we need to more starting LB’s because Levy is the only one. But here’s to hoping we see some development from our own guys.

GO LIONS!!

Thanks for the year Red Wings!! Come back strong in 2012

by Veihl789 on Jul 12, 2011 8:05 PM EDT reply actions

For future refrenece it is The Alphonso Smith

or The Phonz for short. He is so great that legaly you must use the word THE before you even speak his name.

"I think the biggest thing for us and the city is that the mind-set is changed. We are not the same old Lions that have lost." - Ndamukong Suh

PCP 4 LIFE

by The Profiler on Jul 12, 2011 8:19 PM EDT reply actions

THE P.C.P. foundation agrees 100%

I thought being lazy was a bad thing, So I gave up thinking.

by Wayne Fontes on Jul 12, 2011 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Corner

We dont need a superstar at this position, we just need someone that can hold their own. cromartie’s name keeps floating around here, and I think we would be just fine with him and houston, with “the phonz” at nickel.

by big smoove on Jul 12, 2011 8:53 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Cromartie can more then hold his own

I’d be pretty psyched if we landed him. I dislike his off the field shit-talking and 87 illegitimate children, but the dude can play, and would be a tremendous upgrade to the secondary. The only thing that concerns me is this:

Though to be fair, he seemed like a much more willing tackler last year with the Jets, and I can’t imagine Gun letting him pull this type of shit without receiving a crucial verbal backlash.

In summary: sign me up for some Antonio Cromartie.

by motown313 on Jul 12, 2011 9:36 PM EDT up reply actions

uggg

That makes me sick. That is not a football player. At least hit the guy for christ sake. The more times I watch it, the more I want to go all Gunny on his ass. UGGGGGGG

I like Wins, Cheese and I also Like Cookies. If you don't. Wow. :P
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by joshsun on Jul 12, 2011 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Hell man

Even Kickers hit once in a while and they often look like they are having fun doing it. This is football. That is what you do. Hit other guys. I cant get over that. Gunny would have pulled him from the game and thrown him into the crowd if he pulled that here.

by joshsun on Jul 12, 2011 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow

Thats as bad a declined tackle as Ive ever seen. The fact he starts chasing the play just makes it worse. I wonder how far the back has to run before he decides its worth his while to try and make a play?

"Common Sense, isn't" Solomon Short

by YpsilantiJeff on Jul 12, 2011 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions

+1 for Jack Williams

Here’s to hoping he’s fully recovered from his injury, and hasn’t lost a step. If so, he could be a real surprise this year. Dude is talented.

by sJe on Jul 13, 2011 12:13 AM EDT reply actions

CB is a need, but not a vital one

For goodness sakes, I can’t even name the starting CBs that helped us to win four straight games last year, but I know they did a good enough job to allow us to win. Let’s also remember that we’ve had a lot of injuries in this area last year as well, so we were signing guys midseason, left and right. Am I saying we don’t need to sign one? Definitely not. We need some help, but not in the sense that we’re absolutely screwed if we don’t add another guy. I’d be concerned only if Houston didn’t return. On the flip side, we have outstanding depth at the defensive line, add a high calibur guy at LB and we’ve got the blueprint of a defense that will be hard to pass AND run on.

If everything happens like it should, this team will be significantly better on both sides. With the right off-season moves, we can go from “competitive” to “hard to beat”.

by The Sledge on Jul 13, 2011 6:36 AM EDT reply actions

Nathan Vasher was in fact a Pro Bowl player at one time, but that’s not so important.

by drgarnett on Jul 13, 2011 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I think we need to bring in at least one FA Corner

We have some potential depth, but I think we need someone to help Houston man the starting position.

by Hyperion Ecta on Jul 13, 2011 7:43 AM EDT reply actions

Linebackers first, then worry about the corners

With the Lions D-line as it stands now, the biggest worry is shutting down the short pass game and the run. If the Lions can shut those plays down the D-line will be much more effective against the deep pass plays, and the secondary will sort itself out. One piece at a time folks, one piece at a time. Build the depth.

by drgarnett on Jul 13, 2011 8:37 PM EDT reply actions

I should say the D-line will be more effective in the pass rush if the short plays are eliminated.

by drgarnett on Jul 13, 2011 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions

editing posts

As a newbie, is there a way to edit posts here?

by drgarnett on Jul 13, 2011 8:43 PM EDT reply actions

in regards to cb

I think its imperative that they re sign Houston, otherwise no matter if u bring in that new #1 or not fact of the matter is they would ultimately be the same secondary as last year. Only changing Houston to (insert name here). For this secondary to really thrive i think they will need Houston and XX to really make it happen. Leaving Phonz in at nickel or as a back up should one go down as he has the experience to play in the #2 as does Vasher who started last year in those final four games showed he was capable of stepping up some.

Which brings me to another point on the CB situation, pending the cap room and how this all works out if the lions are limited I could see them getting that LB before the CB if its a choice of which do u have to get before filling out the rest of roster w/ depth if limited w/ cap room space especially if Houston is resigned or not, its just a bigger need over all. + I think getting the right LB will be key to getting the right CB to go w/ Houston or in place of Houston if he leaves. Any CB knows the line will be good but they are going to want to know whats behind that line helping them too.

A coward dies a thousands Deaths a soldier dies once ....

by JaiGaiaAries on Jul 13, 2011 11:26 PM EDT reply actions