Detroit Lions reportedly re-signing Will Harris to 1-year deal

The Detroit Lions are starting to figure out things with their secondary. After agreeing to terms with cornerback Cameron Sutton on Monday, and locking in a one-year deal with cornerback Emmanuel Moseley on Tuesday, they are also now expected to bring back defensive back Will Harris on a one-year deal, according to Dave Birkett.

Harris was the Lions’ third-round pick back in 2019, originally selected to play safety at the NFL level. However, through the first three years, Harris struggled to hold onto a starting job. Under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, though, Harris started to figure out where he can make a living at the next level. In 2021, Harris started all 17 games, but played in multiple roles, splitting his time almost evenly between safety, nickel and outside cornerback.

In 2022, it looked like he was bound to compete for a starting job at outside cornerback, but after being surpassed by Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye on the depth chart, he fell back to a reserve role again. But Harris’ work ethic eventually made it so the Lions couldn’t keep him off the field. About midway through the season, Harris finally settled into a role he looked comfortable at: nickel cornerback. From Weeks 9 on, Harris occupied that role and earned a respectable 60.3 PFF grade over that time

By only committing a one-year deal to Harris, he is far from guaranteed the starting nickel role for 2023 and beyond, especially when it comes to Sutton’s versatility to play any position in the secondary.

You can track all of the Lions’ free agency moves here.