Analyst: Cam Sutton 'Could Be a Star in Detroit'
The Detroit Lions' secondary drew rave reviews at minicamp last week.
Adding veterans Cam Sutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson to a secondary that struggled mightily in 2022 has had reverberating effects.
The three days of practice open to the media showcased a defense that stepped up and found avenues to get its hands on plenty of footballs.
In a recent CBS Sports listing of under-the-radar NFC players who can become stars, Sutton was listed as a player who could shine playing in Aaron Glenn's defense.
As writer Jeff Kerr explained, "One of the free agent signings who is part of the Lions' revamped secondary, Sutton could be a star in Detroit. Sutton allowed just a 54.6 passer rating in coverage last season with three interceptions, also having a career high in passes defensed (15)."
The ex-Steelers defensive back signed a three-year, $33 million free-agent contract to join the Lions, after spending six years in Pittsburgh.
"Sutton allowed the eighth-lowest passer rating in coverage last season among players targeted a minimum of 50 times, so he's already one of the top cover corners in the game," writes Kerr. "If the Lions make a deep playoff run, Sutton will become a well-known name."
The aforementioned former Eagles safety has also made his presence felt at minicamp.
Gardner-Johnson, 25, demonstrated an added fire on the team's practice field, which permeated throughout the entire defense.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell noted, "That just spills out into the offense, or your teammates, and you can’t help the level of intensity, just it raises. And, I think that makes everybody around you better and more competitive, because if you’re not reaching that level of intensity in practice, you’re probably going to get beat."
