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Detroit Lions continue revamping secondary, to re-sign Will Harris, add Emmanuel Moseley
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- Detroit Lions continue revamping secondary, to re-sign Will Harris, add Emmanuel Moseley
The Detroit Lions ' secondary could have a whole new look in 2023.
A day after making Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cam Sutton their top addition in free agency , the Lions agreed to one-year contracts with Will Harris and San Francisco 49ers free agent Emmanuel Moseley.
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Harris, a third-round pick out of Boston College in 2019, has split his time between cornerback and safety the past four seasons but played his best football after taking over as the Lions' starting slot cornerback last year.
Harris, who moved to cornerback late in the 2021 season, made 57 tackles in 10 starts in 2022. He entered training camp competing for a starting job at outside cornerback, spent most of his time early in the season on special teams and replaced Mike Hughes in nickel packages in the second half of the year.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson (12) runs with the football against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Emmanuel Moseley.
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The Lions finished last in the NFL in total defense and 30th against the pass last season, but held opposing quarterbacks to an 83.4 passer rating over their final 10 games.
Still, Lions general manager Brad Holmes entered the offseason intent on upgrading the secondary and has focused his resources on the cornerback position early in the free agent negotiating period.
Sutton, widely considered one of the top cornerbacks in free agency, had a career-high three interceptions last season and held opposing quarterbacks to a 47.9% completion percentage, according to Pro Football Reference.
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Moseley missed 12 games last season with a torn ACL in his left knee, but has been at least a part-time starter in the 49ers secondary since 2019.
He had one interception that he returned for a touchdown and 22 tackles in five games last year.
Lions safety Will Harris reacts after recovering a fumble during the first half on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Once healthy, Moseley should compete for the starting outside cornerback spot opposite Sutton.
The Lions return Jerry Jacobs and Jeff Okudah as their top outside cornerbacks, though Okudah, the No. 3 overall pick in 2020, lost his starting job late last year. The Lions have until early May to decide on the fifth-year option on Okudah's rookie contract.
"He has to improve," Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said of Okudah at the NFL combine earlier this month. "I will say that, along with everybody else on our defense. And he knows that, and he did improve. But there is always going to be peaks and valleys when you play that position. You try to stay at the top as much as you can. But it's hard. It's hard. But I'll tell you what, he is busting his butt. He's trying his butt off to be at that top of the peak all the time."
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Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions add Emmanuel Moseley in secondary, re-sign Will Harris
