Wednesday open thread: Should the Lions be comfortable with Rashaan Melvin as CB2?

All offseason, the Detroit Lions have set up contingency plans. If they can’t find a No. 1 tight end early in the draft, Jesse James has starter experience and enough promise to take over. If the offensive line market doesn’t fall their way, they have both Kenny Wiggins and Oday Aboushi to fill in at right guard.

Then there’s cornerback Rashaan Melvin. The 29-year-old cornerback is currently penciled in as the Lions’ No. 2 outside cornerback opposite Darius Slay. In Melvin’s eight-year career, he has started just 28 games, but 26 of those have come in the past three seasons. He had a pretty successful two-year run with the Colts, but struggled mightily with the Raiders last year.

It’s clear Melvin could be a starter if the Lions don’t upgrade the cornerback position in the draft, but should he be?

Today’s Question of the Day is:

Should the Lions be comfortable with Melvin as their CB2?

My answer: They should be comfortable enough that they shouldn’t be reaching for the position in the draft. Melvin was reportedly a guy the Lions were targeting in 2018, so they clearly see something in the veteran corner. And it didn’t take much to see the potential after a fantastic 2017 season:

Obviously, if the Lions find a guy they like in the draft early, they should jump on it. After all, Melvin is signed to just a one-year deal, and the Lions need an outside option for the future.

However, Melvin was signed for a reason. It gives the Lions an opportunity to let the draft fall as it may and not get desperate to add a defensive back. Additionally, even if the Lions do grab an early corner in the draft, Melvin gives them the option to bring the rookie along slowly, as the transition to the NFL is extremely tough for corners.

Is it a risk having Melvin likely to be the Lions’ Day 1 starter? Of course it is. But it’s a calculated risk and one I think the Lions should be fairly comfortable with.

Your turn.