The Detroit Lions defense ranked 31st last season in points allowed. While the team significantly upgraded their defensive line by drafting Aidan Hutchinson 2nd overall, many questions still loomed over what this defense would look like heading into 2022. Detroit stayed relatively quiet in free agency regarding the defense, leaving fans to ponder if we would be sending out the same secondary as last season. For the most part, that remains true. However, head coach Dan Campbell made it official at training camp that there would be multiple position changes in the secondary, including Ifeatu Melifonwu and Will Harris.
Ifeatu Melifonwu: Corner to Safety
Ifeatu Melifonwu, second-year player out of Syracuse, and Will Harris, fourth-year veteran out of Boston College, both will have new roles in the secondary this season for the Lions.
Melifonwu was the jack of all trades last season for the Lions, stepping in for several injuries at multiple positions, including corner and safety. Melifonwu got on the field for seven games last season as a rookie and started in four. He wasn’t completely changing games with his presence, but he showed enough flash through the season for Dan Campbell to make a conscious effort to find a bigger role for the former third-round pick.
“Iffy is a little bit more in play with both spots,” said Dan Campbell. “We certainly would like to come out of this camp and see if Iffy can play some safety, essentially. We’re just trying to find the best fit for our guys.”
Ifeatu Melifonwu may not be an All-Pro corner or safety, but he’s a good enough football player to keep himself on a roster as a utility player.
Will Harris: Safety to Corner
Will Harris’s best stat isn’t interceptions or pass-breakups, but availability. In his three seasons with Detroit, Harris has played in every game, a nearly impossible task for NFL players. Harris started in every game last season at safety alongside Tracy Walker.
“We feel pretty good about keeping Will outside right now and just letting him compete out there, knowing that if we ever need him in the back end, he can do that,” Dan Campbell said at training camp.
Whether or not Will Harris starts remains the question. Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye remain listed above Harris on the depth chart, but there is always space for slot corners in a nickel set.
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