Cornerback Set to Be Secret Wea.pon for Detroit Lions This Season

The Detroit Lions' secondary is expected to be improved from a season ago.

Health is a big factor, as the team was without top cornerback Carlton Davis down the stretch last year. D.J. Reed is viewed as an ideal fit for their defensive style, while Terrion Arnold is expected to take a big leap in his second NFL season.

With the team having one of the league's best safety tandems in Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, the group should be much better than where they finished last season against the pass. However, the player who may hold the key to that success is veteran Amik Robertson.

A nickel cornerback by trade, Robertson is a versatile defender who can give Detroit help in a variety of ways. In addition to his coverage skills, Robertson is a strong run defender who plays with an edge.

He did not have a missed tackle over the final six games of the season, including the playoffs. The veteran missed just two tackles total from Week 10 and beyond, according to Pro Football Focus.

Listed at 5-foot-9, Robertson plays much bigger than his size and rarely gives an inch defensively. This was on full display late in the regular season, when he was forced to move from the slot to the boundary after the injury to Davis.

Robertson had some success right away, and his stretch of play on the outside was highlighted by a strong performance against an exceptional Minnesota Vikings receiving corps.

While Reed and Arnold are expected to start on the outside, which would push Robertson to the nickel spot, his ability to slide outside in a pinch also gives him plenty of value for the defense.

Lions coach Dan Campbell admitted as much recently, noting that the versatility in the secondary as a whole will be an asset for the defense.

"Amik (Robertson) can play inside and outside, so can (D.J.) Reed, so anytime you’ve got a lot of guys that can do multiple jobs, it really helps you out," Campbell said Monday. "It allows you to bring the best to gameday and now all three phases you can mix and match and you’re not worried about, ‘This guy can only go in to do this job, then this guy can only go in to do this job,’ and now pretty soon you’re like - it just gets hard.”

This versatility gives the Lions options. With Robertson in the slot, the defense can throw unique looks at opposing offenses thanks to his coverage and tackling ability. In the event of an injury, the Lions could move him outside and expect the production to not miss a beat.

Because of all that he offers for Kelvin Sheppard's group, Robertson looks like the X-factor for Detroit and its defense as they enter the 2025 season.