Things can't get much worse for the Detroit Lions secondary. With injuries piling high they run the risk of becoming a door mat for the powerful NFC offenses. Should the team stop the bleeding by getting Jairus Byrd from the Buffalo Bills?
Knee surgery for Louis Delmas leaves Lions in an NFL nightmare
For a team that did little to improve a bad secondary in the offseason, Detroit has learned taking such gambles is never good. Given how many of their players were already nursing injuries, the Lions hoped they could escape training camp without another. That fell through when news broke that Louis Delmas, the veteran leader of the defense, underwent surgery on his left knee to ease some soreness. This adds to another injury he suffered last season on the right knee that limited him during the Lions' NFL playoff run. When he was gone the Detroit defense gave up 337 passing yards and at least 45 points per game. Worse yet the team lost key cornerback Eric Wright to free agency. Early training camp signs aren't promising for the younger players. If things get worse the Lions front office may have no choice but to make a costly move to find help.
Bills waiting for Byrd to reap the rewards of Mario Williams arrival
One player that may end up on their radar is fourth-year safety Jairus Byrd of the Buffalo Bills. Few fans don't remember him now but as a rookie in 2009 he set a team record with nine interceptions. Though the Bills defense has struggled lately coaches feel Byrd has actually improved his overall skill. The timing is even better because he is in the last year of his contract and becomes a free agent in 2013. With Buffalo adding pass rusher Mario Williams from Houston, Byrd could match his rookie numbers again. All signs from training camp are he's pointed in that direction. Experts stood and watched him make acrobatic interceptions all day. That kind of skill is what the Bills hope they get when Tom Brady and the Patriots show up. On the flip side a team like Detroit would desperately love to have someone him on their roster. The strength of their defense is in their pass rush. With a ball-hawk like Byrd on the back-end they could slow NFL offenses down and get the ball back to their talented offense led by Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson.
The Detroit Lions are likely to stay patient with Louis Delmas but if things spiral out of control the front office will have to act. Jairus Byrd has work to do with the Buffalo Bills for a new deal. Some help from Mario Williams could make it happen but if a team like Detroit drives the price high enough the Bills may not be able to resist.
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
