Friday open thread: What do the Lions need from Teez Tabor this season?

It is never an easy transition into the NFL, and for cornerbacks, the hill can be especially steep. Perhaps no one on the Lions roster has felt this more than Teez Tabor, who might be fighting for his job, just two years removed from being selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The first two seasons have been rough for the former Gator, and the clock is ticking on his time in Detroit.

The Lions could move on from Tabor without many financial repercussions, but without a clear second outside cornerback on the roster, the front office seems interested in giving him one more shot to prove his worth. Detroit may never get a full second-round value out of Tabor, but perhaps not all is quite yet lost.

Training camp is likely going to play a big role in Tabor’s 2019 outlook. He has struggled to earn the confidence of the coaching staff so far, playing fewer than 500 total snaps in his career. When he actually got on the field, the results were not great, as he has been burned too many times in coverage and consistently looked a step off the pace. Tabor has yet to record an interception in the NFL.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

What would be considered a good season for Teez Tabor?

My answer: Cornerbacks cannot be completely judged by their stat line, but there are a couple of important benchmarks Tabor must pass to have a good season in 2019. Last season, he barely ranked among the top 10 on the team in coverage snaps among defensive backs; if he is not among the top three Lions corners this season, his time in Detroit is probably over.

As concerning are his zero pass break-ups in two seasons in the NFL, as well as his zero picks, as mentioned before. There is more to solid defense than turnovers and big plays, but he needs to at least occasionally show up in the box score if he wants to stick around. Playing time will be the bigger metric, but the counting stats must follow too.

Ultimately, it all may come down to the eye test, which probably does not bode well for Tabor. He seems to be playing well this spring, but fans have yet to see him play consistently well when it actually counts. The Lions should give him one last shot, but this fall may be his last opportunity.

Your turn.