Pros and Cons of Lions Adding CB Kyle Fuller
Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Kyle Fuller was released by the Chicago Bears Thursday, saving the Bears $11 million this offseason.
There's a team just north of Chicago that would benefit from attaining the services of the All-Pro corner: the Detroit Lions.
While that's the case, there is, however, a couple of drawbacks from the Lions potentially picking up the 29-year-old.
Let's take a look now at the pros and cons of Detroit adding the 2014 first-round draft pick (No. 14 overall by the Bears).
Pros
Fuller would provide immediate upgrade to Detroit secondary
Although 2020 wasn't one of Fuller's best years, he still played in all 16 games, and managed to produce eight passes defensed (which would've been a team-high in Detroit), a forced fumble and an interception.
Additionally, from 2017-19, he logged a total of 55 passes defensed and 12 interceptions, including a league-high 21 passes defensed and seven interceptions during his 2018 All-Pro campaign.
He'd immediately become the Lions' No. 1 cornerback, and would provide a significant boost to Detroit's depleted secondary.
He could mentor Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye
Okudah is entering just his second season in the NFL in 2021, while Oruwariye is entering his third.
Meanwhile, Fuller is getting ready to suit up for his seventh NFL season -- he didn't play a single snap in 2016 due to a knee injury.
He could provide valuable mentorship to Oruwariye, who will play the upcoming season at 25 years old, and Okudah, who will play the upcoming campaign at 22.
After a rough rookie season for Okudah and inconsistent production from Oruwariye in 2020, they could both benefit from a veteran presence like Fuller in the cornerbacks room.
Fuller breaks up a pass intended for Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports
Cons
His price tag
Fuller is expected to demand at least $10 million a season on the open market.
He had signed a four-year contract in 2018 with the Bears, which came with an average annual salary of $14 million. And, he had been due to earn a $13M base salary this season, with per-game roster bonuses amounting to $500,000 and a $500,000 workout bonus.
On top of all that, fellow free-agent cornerback Ronald Darby inked a three-year, $30 million contract with the Denver Broncos earlier this week.
Darby is younger than Fuller at 27 years old, but he's also never experienced an All-Pro campaign, which Fuller did in 2018.
As a result, I'm expecting Fuller's asking price to be $12M-$13M, which will likely price himself out of Detroit's price range.
Age
With the present rebuilding state that Detroit's franchise is in, general manager Brad Holmes likely isn't going to be willing to spend big bucks for a player that is a year away from being 30.
Quite honestly, it might completely eliminate the chances of the organization pursuing the star corner.
The Lions did just shell out $13 million per season to emerging defensive end Romeo Okwara. However, remember that he'll be only 26 at the start of the 2021 NFL season.
Additionally, Holmes & Co. recently released a pair of defensive backs that will each be at least 28 come the beginning of the '21 campaign -- Justin Coleman, who will be 28, and Desmond Trufant, who will be 31.
Age appears to matter for this current Detroit regime.
Subsequently, the Lions likely won't be serious suitors for Fuller's services.
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