Pros and Cons of Detroit Lions Trading for Zyon McCollum

Could Lions benefit from making move for Buccaneers corner?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum (27). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Detroit Lions are navigating the immediate aftermath of an unfortunate situation.

After a legal situation with starting cornerback Terrion Arnold, the Lions elected to waive their 2024 first-round pick. This leaves a void in the secondary, a position group that has already been marred by injuries.

Though the Lions do have some veteran depth at the position, there is value in the team looking around to see if there are veteran options available. One possible option the team could consider would be to make a trade for Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum.

A fifth-round pick of the Buccaneers in the 2022 NFL Draft, McCollum has carved out a solid career. He has started all 30 of his appearances over the last two seasons, and has made 42 starts in 60 games over four seasons.

It's uncertain whether or not the Buccaneers would be interested in a deal for McCollum, as he's currently under contract through the 2028 season. He signed a three-year extension prior to the start of last season, and is set to jump in his cap hit next season.

In 2026, McCollum will carry a cap hit of $5,255,300. However, his extension will kick in heavily beginning in 2027 when that cap hit spikes to just under $20 million for both that year and the following.

From a schematic perspective, there's a lot to like about the potential pairing between McCollum and the Lions' defense. He stands 6-foot-2 and is a long, athletic outside cornerback that is exactly what Detroit needs.

He has some ball production, as he has three interceptions over the last two seasons. Additionally, he had 17 passes defensed in 2024. McCollum is also an active participant in the run game, as he finished last season with a run defense grade of 69.9 via Pro Football Focus.

Detroit has some depth it can explore before it's decided whether or not a trade is necessary. D.J. Reed is expected to be the team's top cornerback for the second straight year, while veterans like Rock Ya-Sin, Roger McCreary and Ennis Rakestraw are all options to compete for the job opposite of him.

McCreary is anticipated to be the nickel cornerback, so that would theoretically leave Ya-Sin and Rakestraw as the top two options for the other outside spot. If the Lions don't feel confident in either option, then taking a swing for a player like McCollum would certainly make sense.

However, the financial elements of this deal could make it difficult. It's been well-documented that Lions general manager Brad Holmes wants to retain members of that 2023 Draft class, and has already gotten one deal done with linebacker Jack Campbell.

Now, that leaves the team still to attempt to re-sign the likes of Jahmyr GIbbs, Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta. With all three expected to get big money, it would make adding another two-year commitment of almost $20 million toward the cap annually difficult.

Detroit has shown some aggression on the trade front under Holmes, however many of these deals have been for players on the final years of their respective deals. As a result, it would be surprising if the Lions were to make this move, though it would certainly be beneficial for their defense.