Pros and Cons of Lions Signing CB Darqueze Dennard
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Former Michigan State standout Darqueze Dennard hasn’t quite lived up to the lofty expectations that ex-Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis set for him coming out of college.
Lewis labeled Dennard, "The best rookie corner I’ve ever seen.”
The former Jim Thorpe award winner is now looking for a new home, and some are asking whether or not the Lions should think about offering the former Spartan a spot in Detroit.
Dennard, now a free agent, began his Cincinnati tenure in the thick of what was a deep position group.
In subsequent years, he found himself plagued by injuries and at times inconsistency in coverage.
He’s been forced to miss 19 games over the past six seasons, and was limited to just nine games last season after arthroscopic knee surgery.
He finished the 2019 campaign with 37 tackles, five passes defensed and zero interceptions.
A healthy Dennard could be an enticing option for Detroit.
Lions general manager Bob Quinn may still be in search for more depth for a secondary that struggled mightily against the pass a season ago.
Dennard is a willing tackler that the Bengals felt compelled to test out in both the slot and at the outside corner position.
His experience and ability to be plugged into different roles could be appealing for what is still a relatively young Detroit secondary.
Dennard was known primarily as a slot corner during his days in Cincinnati -- a role that veteran Justin Coleman will possess this upcoming season in Detroit.
The 28-year-old could prove to be a viable and reasonably priced backup corner for the Lions.
At times, a change of scenery can be just what a player needs.
Head coach Matt Patricia and defensive coordinator Cory Undlin could find ways to "reinvent" Dennard and turn him into the player they need on defense.
Detroit taking a risk on him could be in the realm of possibility for a defense that drastically needs to improve, especially if the Lions hope to make the postseason in 2020.
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