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Roster review: Should the Teez Tabor experiment continue?

The corner has disappointed thus far, has he earned another chance?

NFL: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

This offseason we are going through every single player on the Detroit Lions roster and reviewing their 2018 season and getting on outlook and where their future with the team stands. Today, we have cornerback Teez Tabor.

CB Teez Tabor
Expectations before 2018:

Tabor was supposed to take over the starting corner role opposite Darius Slay and move Nevin Lawson inside to the slot position. He was drafted in the second round in 2017 but rarely saw the field in his rookie year. 2018 was his chance to finally earn regular playing time and be a real contributor for the defense.

He failed to stand out in preseason and training camp, though, and entered the 2018 season buried on the Lions depth chart.

Actual role in 2018:

It did not take long for Tabor to get his first chance in the starting lineup. Lawson was benched in Week 2 and the sophomore corner got the start against the San Francisco 49ers. He failed in that role, though, and ended up right back on the bench.

Tabor proved to be one of the league’s worst corners in 2018 and only saw regular playing time late in the season when the team was devastated by injuries. In the latter stages of the 2018 season even the likes of Mike Ford and Marcus Cooper were given playing time instead of Tabor.

His second season with the Lions was incredibly disappointing and had many wondering why he was on the team at all.

Outlook:

Tabor’s career with the Lions could be over right after it started. The team could dump his second round contract for less that $1 million in dead cap and move on from the corner. With Ford playing well and likelihood that Detroit adds at least two corners through either free agency or the draft, Tabor could be on his way out.

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