Thursday open thread: Who will be the Detroit Lions’ backup outside cornerback?

Last week, the Detroit Lions released veteran cornerback Quinton Dunbar, as his absence due to a personal issue reached a third week. That move—paired with the signing of nickel cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman—caused a ripple effect down Detroit’s roster. Mike Ford, who had been the team’s starting nickel, started taking significant reps on the outside. Bobby Price, a prominent member of special teams and a safety since his days at Norfolk State, is repping at cornerback for the first time.

That leaves Detroit’s depth situation at cornerback a bit of a mystery. We know Jeff Okudah is going to start. We’re pretty darn sure Amani Oruwariye will be on the opposite side. But what are the Lions going to do if either one of those players misses a gamer or even misses a single snap?

Today’s Question of the Day is:

Who will be the Detroit Lions’ backup outsider cornerback for the 2021 season?

My answer: I think the answer is probably Mike Ford. Though Ford was showing a little more promise at nickel this camp, the Lions moved him back outside for a reason. He’s one of the few players on the Lions’ roster with experience there, including a handful of starts early in his career. It’s a tough break for him, seeing as he seemed to really like the idea of playing inside. But having a little versatility to play both positions should help him and the Lions. Of course, there still remains a real chance that Ford is both the starting nickel cornerback and the primary backup on the outside.

Obviously, the Lions are hoping that Ifeatu Melfionwu eventually develops into a starter in time, but he’s just a bit too raw to take that role right out of his first training camp. And while youngsters like Jerry Jacobs and Price have shown flashes, they don’t have the consistency yet to be considered a primary backup.

Your turn.