The Detroit Lions are faced with over 30 pending free agents to evaluate during the 2025 offseason, with cornerback Carlton Davis among their top priorities.
Davis was acquired through a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last offseason and had a significant impact for Detroit before suffering a season-ending fractured jaw. He posted a career-low 77.0 passer rating allowed, and his 55.3% completion rate surrendered was the third-best of his career.
With Davis set to hit free agency in March, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes the Jacksonville Jaguars could show interest in the veteran cornerback, who is projected to receive a three-year, $41.3 million deal, according to Spotrac.
“Some teams consider Davis the No. 2 cornerback in the free-agent class,” Fowler wrote. “Look for Jacksonville to potentially make a move here. The Jaguars are unlikely to be big spenders in free agency, but they want to strengthen their secondary.”
The Jaguars’ interest in Davis makes sense, given their struggles with pass defense last season, allowing a league-high 257.4 passing yards per game. Davis would provide an immediate, significant boost to Jacksonville’s defense.
However, Davis’ injury history is a concern. He has never played a full season and has never appeared in more than 14 games in any given year.
The Lions’ decision to bring Davis back will depend on how they assess 2024 second-round pick and cornerback, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. After not being able to showcase much last season, Rakestraw’s future remains uncertain.
Rakestraw recently shared that the Lions initially planned to start him in the slot before his injury. It’s possible they will revisit that plan for 2024, or they may opt to place Rakestraw on the outside and keep Amik Robertson in the slot, where he performed well.
“A lot of people didn’t know that,” Rakestraw said of the slot plan, as reported by Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. “I got hurt in warm-ups, so it set me back.”
While rolling with Rakestraw as a starter in 2025 could save the Lions significant cap space, it would also carry risk for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Given that, the Lions may still aim to bring Davis back.
No matter the outcome, Davis will likely have many suitors, with the Jaguars expected to be among the teams competing for the former Super Bowl champion’s services.
