• Tue. Feb 18th, 2025

6 teams that might steal Carlton Davis from the Lions in the 2025 free agency

ByGbemiro Timmy

Feb 2, 2025

During his initial press conference with Detroit media last March, Carlton Davis vowed to be the “lockdown corner” that the Lions urgently required. He then went outside and performed, yielding a 77.0 passer rating and a 55.3 percent completion rate while in coverage with two interceptions, 11 pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries over 13 games this season.

 

Certainly, Davis was also absent at the season’s conclusion due to a fractured jaw. This continued a broader pattern of him being hurt, as he has been out for at least four games in four consecutive seasons. These durability issues complicate matters as he approaches free agency.

 

With that being noted, an excellent argument can be made for Davis being the second-best free agent cornerback up for grabs this year. His skill in man coverage really shines, and he willingly engages in run defense to solidify his status as one of the most physical cornerbacks in the league.

 

The Lions would definitely want to retain Davis on a long-term contract, but as he approaches his age-29 season, he can and ought to explore other options available in the market. There’s a possibility that another team might be ready to offer more years and higher annual compensation than what the Lions are prepared to provide.

 

The roster of possible suitors for Davis in free agency might indeed be extended, but let’s focus on these six teams as the main challenges to the Lions’ attempt to re-sign him.

6 teams that may pose the greatest risks to the Lions retaining Carlton Davis

 

Pittsburgh Steelers 

 

Davis’ physical attributes appear to shout “Steelers.” As per Pro Football Focus, the Steelers utilized Cover 1 at the fourth-highest frequency in the NFL last season, and PFF also highlighted that it’s a “scheme Davis knows well from his time in Detroit.”

 

With approximately $40.7 million in cap space, the Steelers could present a significant offer to Davis.

 

San Francisco 49ers 

 

The 49ers boast a notable free agent cornerback in Charvarius Ward, so they might choose to invest considerable resources in re-signing him, and that would be a reasonable decision. However, if it seems that Ward may choose another option, there’s a justification for them to consider Davis as an improved alternative.

PFF identified the Steelers and 49ers as prime potential destinations for Davis, highlighting how

 

New (returning) 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is expected to aim to replicate the Cover-1 dominant scheme he effectively employed as the head coach of the New York Jets. Davis clearly aligns with that philosophy perfectly, and San Francisco appears ready to present a strong offer with more than $43 million in available cap space.

 

Jaguars of Jacksonville

 

In a way, the Jaguars seem like an unexpected match for Davis. However, there’s insight from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler identifying them explicitly as a team that could have considerable interest.

 

“Certain teams consider Davis to be the second-best cornerback in the class.” Keep an eye on Jacksonville as they may take action soon. The Jaguars probably won’t be big investors in free agency, but they aim to strengthen their secondary.

 

This season, Jacksonville recorded the worst pass defense in the league (257.4 yards allowed per game), and in several other pass defense metrics, they ranked at or close to the bottom. Therefore, they could certainly benefit from having someone like Davis. The question is whether they’ll be inclined to contend for the higher range of offers he’s set to receive, particularly with Fowler indicating they “probably won’t be major spenders”, yet the Jaguars’ past indicates they will invest if they truly favor a player. And they ought to really like Davis a whole lot.

 

New England Patriots 

 

The exit of Lions’ defensive line coach Terrell Williams to join Mike Vrabel again as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator enhances this alignment.

 

At first glance, pass defense may not appear to be a significant flaw for New England, as they permitted 211.5 yards per game this season (ranked 10th in the league) and they appear to possess a strong trio of cornerbacks (Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones).

 

However, they were missing significant plays in that zone, recording only seven interceptions, and they permitted the seventh-highest passer rating in the league (96.9). Permitting such a small number of passing yards is primarily a result of encountering the 10th-lowest pass attempts in the league (31.4 per game), which is a clear byproduct of ending 4-13.

As suggested by Cam Garrity of Patriots Wire, Davis’ addition would complement Gonzalez well while moving Jonathan and Marcus Jones into more suitable positions in the slot. The Patriots will face no financial constraints in their free agent endeavors, boasting an impressive league-leading $120 million in cap space currently.

 

Washington Commanders

There’s no denying it, the Commanders’ trade for cornerback Marshon Lattimore from the New Orleans Saints at the deadline fell far short of expectations. A left hamstring injury restricted him to just two out of eight potential regular season games following the trade, and he didn’t make a significant impact in the total of five games he played for them (including the playoffs). In reality, he frequently posed a significant hindrance to their defense.

 

Washington’s run defense presented a greater problem than its pass defense this season. However, due to their significant generosity against the run (ranked 30th in the league), many of their pass defense statistics are misrepresentative due to low volume.

 

Although Michigan’s Mike Sainristil showed promise as a rookie, the Commanders are tied to Lattimore due to the cost of acquiring him (third, fourth, and sixth-round selections in the 2025 draft) and his contract (lasting until 2026). They can benefit from cornerback assistance, and they possess the resources to tackle it aggressively ($78.1 million in cap space; currently the third-highest in the league as per Over The Cap).

New York Jets

It’s clear, and completely accurate. Davis suited Aaron Glenn’s man-centric defensive system in Detroit well, and now that Glenn has become the Jets head coach, he is prepared to passionately advocate for several of his former Lions’ defensive players during free agency. Davis ought to truly be the top name on that list of Lions’ free agents for Glenn, particularly because D.J. Reed has nearly assuredly announced in public that he’s departing from the Jets in free agency.

The primary obstacle for the Jets to become a major contender for Davis is financial, given that they are presently positioned in the lower half of the league regarding cap space. However, they also have potential ways to free up significant amounts of cap space prior to the start of free agency. If they become capable of matching other offers, the allure of joining Glenn might definitely lead Davis to New York.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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