Apparently, the Detroit Lions have seen enough from former No. 3 pick Jeff Okudah after just 25 games.
According to multiple media reports, Detroit has traded the young cornerback to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a mere fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
There were rumors of the 2020 first-round pick from Oklahoma State being on the trade block. But acquiring a mid-round pick for a cornerback who still has upside seems to be a sell-low move.
For the Detroit Lions, this comes after they added veteran cornerbacks Emmanuel Moseley and Cameron Sutton during NFL free agency. Obviously, general manager Brad Holmes and Co. just didn’t see a fit with Jeff Okudah on defense moving forward.
Okudah, 24 struggled as a rookie back in 2020 (118.0 QB rating allowed). He then suffered a torn Achilles one game into his sophomore campaign.
However, the cornerback did return to play pretty well this past season. In 15 games (all starts) he yielded a 59.7 completion and 87.6 QB rating when targeted. That’s plus-level advanced stats in today’s NFL.
This is a pretty darn solid move for an Atlanta Falcons team that needs all the help they can get on defense. Last season saw Atlanta yield 26 passig touchdowns against 10 interceptions through the air. Acquiring Jeff Okudah for a mere fifth-round pick is a boon.