Contract Status of Detroit Lions' Cornerbacks in 2022

As the 2021 season came to a close for the Lions, a few cornerbacks emerged as bright spots, including Amani Oruwariye and Jerry Jacobs.

Yet, the position still remains an area of need heading into the offseason.

For the purpose of this piece, let's take a look at the cornerbacks presently under contract for the 2022 season.

Jeff Okudah

Okudah, Detroit's 2020 first-round pick (No. 3 overall), is signed with the team through 2023 as part of his rookie contract, and carries with him a cap hit of $9,144,143 in 2022.

He has $19,812,310 remaining in guaranteed salary.

Amani Oruwariye

Oruwariye, Detroit's emerging star at cornerback, is signed with the team through 2022 as part of his rookie deal, and carries with him a cap hit of $1,045,834 in 2022.

He has $80,834 remaining in guaranteed salary.

Ifeatu Melifonwu

Melifonwu, who was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Lions (No. 101 overall), is signed with the organization through 2024 via his rookie contract, and possesses a cap hit of $1,087,693 in 2022.

He has $630,462 left in guaranteed money.

AJ Parker

Parker, an undrafted free-agent acquisition of the Lions in 2021, is signed with the team through 2023, and carries with him a cap hit of $828,333 in 2022.

He has $6,667 remaining in guaranteed salary.

Jerry Jacobs

Jacobs, an unsung hero in Detroit's secondary who finished the '21 campaign as Pro Football Focus' highest-graded undrafted free agent (65.8), is signed with the organization through 2023, and carries with him a cap hit of $826,166 in 2022.

He has $2,334 remaining in guaranteed money.

Mark Gilbert

Gilbert, an undrafted free agent out of Duke, suited up for eight games a season ago and recorded one pass defensed and forced fumble.

He was an exclusive rights free agent, meaning he's accrued two or fewer NFL seasons and can only negotiate and sign with his original team.

He was tendered an exclusive-rights contract on Wednesday and will continue his development in Detroit under the watchful eye of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

The tender contract is a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with a league-minimum salary in the range of $705,000-$895,000.

Bobby Price

Price, an undrafted free-agent acquisition of the Lions in 2020 out of Norfolk State, suited up for 15 games in 2021 and made two starts. He compiled three passes defensed, and logged 18 total tackles.

Just like Gilbert, he was an exclusive rights free agent and was tendered a contract on Wednesday.

Corey Ballentine

Ballentine, a sixth-round pick of the N.Y. Giants in 2019, didn't log a single snap as a defensive player with the Lions in 2021.

He's classified as a street free agent, meaning he was under contract with an NFL team in 2021 but was not on an active roster at season’s end.

Additionally, he is free to sign with any NFL franchise immediately.

He finished the '21 campaign on Detroit's practice squad.

Parnell Motley and Saivion Smith

Both Motley and Smith are signed to futures contracts.

Motley has a cap hit of $825,000 going into 2022, while Smith possesses a cap hit of $895K for the upcoming season.

Both players finished last season on the Lions' practice squad.