The first time the Detroit Lions were linked to cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha was when SI's Peter King called the team a "dark horse" to land the free agent's services. Since then there has been plenty of talk about the Eagles, Texans and many other teams landing Asomugha, but the buzz around him ending up in Detroit cooled a bit.
Thanks to NFL.com's Gil Brandt, the buzz is back. During a chat on Tuesday, Brandt was asked about Asomugha and said he wouldn't be surprised if the Raiders re-signed him. However, Brandt also examined where Asomugha could end up if he doesn't return to Oakland, and the Lions were once again mentioned as a possibility.
What if it’s not the Raiders? Brandt lists the Eagles, Lions and Texans (in no particular order) as the other front-runners for Asomugha. Brandt believes the Lions have legitimate interest in Asomugha, and the situation in Detroit is one the two-time first-team All-Pro would consider.
"I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they make a big play for Asomugha," Brandt said. "And I think he would consider the situation in Detroit and playing for Jim Schwartz, who has won the respect of his team. A cornerback’s best friend is a great defensive line, and right now the Lions have a pretty good group of defensive linemen."
During the lead-up to the draft, Brandt said he has a "little bit of a connection" to Lions head coach Jim Schwartz. Brandt mentioned this because he said he didn't think the Lions would draft an offensive lineman, and he turned out to be right. Now Brandt is thinking the Lions have "legitimate interest" in Asomugha, and it's possible this could be based on more than just speculation. If he is once again indeed correct, things could get interesting when free agency opens.