Detroit’s defense is in absolute shambles, bottom of the barrel across the entire NFL, giving up a mind-blowing 304 passing yards a game. Seriously, 304! And it doesn’t stop there, their total defense is also dead last, letting teams walk all over them for 423.8 yards every single week. This isn’t just bad, folks, this is crisis level stuff for a team with real aspirations.
The Lions’ Defense: Last Place, But What About the Window?
Yeah, you heard that right, LAST place in passing defense and total defense. It’s brutal. What’s even crazier is that this isn’t due to a lack of pass rush. These guys are second in the league with 15 sacks already this season, Aidan Hutchinson leading the charge with 3.5 himself. So, the D-line is getting home, but the ball is just flying over everyone’s heads in the secondary. Head coach Dan Campbell, bless his heart, said Tuesday he’s “not ready to settle for mediocrity.” You can feel his frustration, right? And he’s spot on. This team has star players on both sides of the ball, and they absolutely HAVE to embrace their “window of contention” before it slams shut.
Safety Brian Branch just got back to practice Wednesday, and Kerby Joseph should be back eventually, which is good, but it’s not enough. The Lions are “swimming” in the secondary right now, and they just don’t have the cornerbacks to run the coverages they want. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler straight up called out the Lions as one of the teams that needs to make a move. They even tried to get Joey Porter Jr. before Pittsburgh shipped him to Dallas, so you know they’ve been looking.
Kristian Fulton: The Chiefs’ Cast-Off That Could Be a Steal?
One name getting floated by Fowler is Kansas City’s Kristian Fulton. This dude has been in and out of the Chiefs’ lineup, which immediately makes you wonder what’s up. He signed a two-year, $20 million deal in March 2025, and he’s got a $13 million cap hit this season. Plus, $5 million of his $9.75 million base salary for 2026 is guaranteed. That’s real money. Fowler suggested the Chiefs and Lions might even split the bill to make a deal happen. Why would KC do it? Simple: they desperately need wide receivers, and clearing Fulton’s salary and getting some draft capital could help them go get some offensive weapons.
Now, here’s the kicker: Fulton’s actually been solid when he’s played! He’s rocking a 76.0 overall defensive grade and a 76.4 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus across 115 defensive snaps and 72 coverage snaps. He’s allowed just four receptions for 19 yards on eight targets this season. The problem? He didn’t play a single snap in Week 3 and only logged 16 snaps last week. In his three games this season, he’s got seven tackles and one interception. The guy was a second-round pick out of LSU in 2020 and has 224 career tackles, 39 passes defended, six interceptions, and ten tackles for loss in 54 starts over 68 games. He’s got the resume; Detroit just needs him on the field.
Jalen Ramsey: A Legend With a Broken Wrist?
The other name on Fowler’s list is straight-up wild: Jalen Ramsey from Pittsburgh. I mean, Jalen Ramsey! At his best, this dude is one of the NFL’s top corners, an eight-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro. He’s a game-wrecker. But here’s the catch, and it’s a huge one: Ramsey is currently playing with a broken wrist. Yeah, you read that right. Fowler himself isn’t even sure if he’s available, and he hit the nail on the head, saying Ramsey “might be a better option on paper than in reality.”
Detroit is in full-blown panic mode in the secondary, giving up chunk plays like it’s their job. Do they take a gamble on a superstar who’s playing hurt, or do they look for someone like Fulton who might be more consistently available, even if he’s not the same level of household name? This is it for the Lions. Their “window of contention” is staring them right in the face, and if they don’t fix this secondary, it’s going to be a long season. They need to make a move, and they need to make it now. What are they waiting for?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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