Report: CB Carlton Davis May Be Too Pricey for Detroit Lions

Lions free agent cornerback may be too costly to re-sign.

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, right, talks to cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions may not be able to meet the contract demands of veteran cornerback Carlton Davis.

After one season in Motown, the 28-year-old is expected to be coveted by multiple NFL teams during free agency.

With increased demand, Davis is expected to earn a contract north of $15 million annually. Detroit's front office may not be currently willing to pay that much, despite what he could still contribute to the defense.

An NFL agent, who recently met with the Lions, reportedly indicated how much was in the budget for Detroit to spend on an outside acquisition.

According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, "The Lions are looking to spend slightly less on a veteran cornerback, perhaps in the $12 million-per-year range, one agent who met with the Lions at the NFL combine told the Free Press last week."

Last offseason, general manager Brad Holmes spent two early draft picks to upgrade the secondary. Both Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw will be expected to take a leap forward in their development in 2025.

With Davis potentially on his way out of town, the team is likely going to look to a veteran free agent to join a secondary that wants to continue to build off the successes they had in 2024.

Saints free agent Paulson Adebo is a player that many pundits believe is a solid fit, especially with the coverage scheme new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard is expected to continue to deploy.

"Teams with open CB2 spots that like to play press coverage should seek out Adebo," NFL analyst Ben Solak wrote. "He'd be a great fit in Detroit if Davis leaves in free agency, and Kansas City should target him given its CB2 issues this season."