talented cornerback who just recovered from two ACL injuries has been re-signed by the Lions
In 2023, Emmanuel Moseley was never given a fair chance by the Detroit Lions. Moseley should return this year as he enters free agency; the Lions need all the assistance they can get at cornerback.
We continue our analysis of every single move the Detroit Lions must make with their free agent class in our 2024 free agent series.
We now go on to one of the more intriguing choices that needs to be made. The Lions signed Emmanuel Moseley in 2023 with the expectation that he would ultimately start at cornerback. It’s safe to assume the idea was unsuccessful. So should the Lions try it again this season?
In the hopes that Mosely would someday be a starter on the team, the Lions gave him a one-year contract worth $4.3 million. Early in October 2022, Moseley sustained a torn ACL, making it uncertain if he would be able to commence the 2023 season as planned.
However, Detroit included enough incentives in the deal such that Moseley would receive a large pay increase if he played frequently. However, Detroit wouldn’t be responsible for too much if he didn’t.
However, rumors were spreading from San Francisco that Detroit might have scored a free agency coup. Consider this passage from our discussion with 49ers beat writer Matt Maiocco.
Maiocco described him as “simply an extremely good player.” If he had avoided injuries during the previous 2022 season, “I was expecting him to really cash in and possibly be the most sought-after cornerback on the free agent market.”
Moseley was expected to fight with Jerry Jacobs for the CB2 slot when the Lions acquired Cameron Sutton and traded Jeff Okudah, and most predicted that he would win the position once he was healthy.
Due to his injury, Moseley missed the entirety of training camp. However, he was cleared to participate in the first month of the season after being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list before the official start of the season.
It took him a little bit longer than that to make his on-field debut in Detroit’s Week 5 matchup with the Carolina Panthers.
Sadly, tragedy struck that game when, just two snaps into his season, he fell to the ground and tore the ACL in his other leg in a non-contact injury.
Despite the fact that it ended his playing career, Moseley should be commended for remaining in Allen Park. Most players would go home, begin their own rehabilitation, and concentrate on the following season after sustaining a season-ending injury, but not Moseley.
Moseley remained in Detroit as one of the team’s seasoned cornerbacks, giving his all in terms of training and mental toughness.
In January, Justin Rogers from the Detroit News interviewed Moseley and detailed his off-field services to the squad, which included attending all defensive meetings and giving guidance to the team’s younger players.
Moseley told Rogers, “I’ve found satisfaction in coming around, being around my teammates, and seeing them thrilled and excited about getting to the playoffs.”
“Those are the tiny things that haven’t been done in a long time. Simply being present and making sure that, based on what I see on film, I’m doing everything I can to support the men. I am remaining to support them, as that is what the guys did for me.
The Lions are in dire need of skill and competition at cornerback. According to the analytics website, Detroit had the third-worst coverage grade overall. The following are the individual outside cornerback’s stats for Detroit.
Cameron Sutton: 122 passing rating, 77 completions, 1,173 yards allowed, 8 touchdowns, 1 interception, and 113 targets.
Jerry Jacobs: 107.8 passing rating, 602 yards allowed, 7 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 47 completions, and 71 targets.
Kindle Vildor: 135.0 passing rating, 34 targets, 21 receptions, 448 yards allowed, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions
Jerry Jacobs and Khalil Dorsey are restricted free agents, while Vildor and Will Harris are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.
They only had Steven Gilmore, who was on the 53-man roster the entire season but saw only two defensive snaps, as far as developing talent goes.
In other words, they require all the assistance available to them at the workplace.
Furthermore, Moseley offers some hope for the future. In 2021 and the first few games of 2022, he was among the 49ers’ finest cornerbacks. Compare his numbers with the preceding ones:
2021: 78.0 passing rating, 74 targets, 45 receptions, 468 yards allowed, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
20 targets, 13 receptions, 135 yards allowed, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, and a quarterback rating of 63.5 in 2022
Moseley also adds another veteran to the Lions’ roster. As mentioned in the Rogers article, he has already started mentoring and setting an example for backup players.
Defense coordinator Aaron Glenn remarked, “Man, I’m so appreciative of that player always wanting to be around, then transferring some of his expertise into some of the young guys we have.” “Take Gilly (Gilmore), for instance. Gilly has developed a strong attachment to E-Man.
This is also the best buy-low chance available. With a possible high ceiling, Moseley will cost even less than he did on his $4 million contract from the previous season.
Moseley’s second ACL tear occurred nearly precisely a year after the first one, so it makes sense that he would miss the opening month of the 2024 season again given his rate of recuperation from the first one last year.
Beyond that, with two ACL tears under his belt, it’s reasonable to question whether Moseley will ever play to his full ability.
It takes more than a year for a lot of athletes to feel like themselves again. Players who are older—Moseley will turn 28 in March—might never feel the same way again. There is no time for the lions to wait. They are in dire need of a cornerback right now.
Furthermore, the Lions’ track record of taking chances with wounded players isn’t that impressive. Tyrell Williams, Levi Onwuzurike, Josh Paschal, etc.
Detroit’s primary issue at outside cornerback cannot be solved by a risky re-signing. Alternatively, they might spend that money on a player they know will be available to them, whether it’s through the NFL Draft or free agency.
Here’s another statement from Glenn indicating that this team values and appreciates Moseley’s contributions off the field.
“Dude, let me tell you something. When you take that player out, you’ll see that they are a truly kind person. He is concerned for his teammates.
He wants his guys to succeed. You observe him in meetings and notice how he talks to everyone, and you can’t help but want that guy to stick around because he’s a veteran and has experience.
Don’t discount this team’s desire to get him back; we know how important character is to them.
Regarding Moseley’s wish to come back, judging from the interview with the Detroit News, it sounded like he enjoyed being here.
“This group is incredible,” Moseley remarked. That’s certainly an option if I’m invited back. It will arrive when that moment comes.
The Lions ought to give him another chance, in my opinion. He understands Detroit is definitely in the running for a Super Bowl; he has a taste of the local culture; and he can see that there is a route leading to playing in 2024. That should be more than enough incentive for him to accept a lucrative contract.
Those kinds of bonuses in a contract would be classified as not-likely-to-be-earned because he only played two snaps in 2023; if he got them, they wouldn’t count against this year’s cap but rather the one for next year.
Moseley, as I have stated, cannot be this team’s first choice for a starting spot. Detroit must make a significant financial investment in a positional upgrade, either through free agency or the NFL Draft.
To start the offseason plan at cornerback, I believe it would be wise to re-sign Moseley to a modest contract, but this organization is all about fostering competition at every position.
