Report: Desmond Trufant to sign 2-year deal with Detroit

After his release from the Falcons, how much does Demond Trufant have left in the tank? The Detroit Lions hope a lot. They signed him to a two-year contract just hours after his release from Atlanta.

Well, that didn’t take long.

Four hours after the Falcons officially announced the release of Desmond Trufant with a post-June 1 designation Wednesday, the veteran corner signed a contract with the Detroit Lions.

Trufant’s new deal is for two years and $21 million, with $14 million of it being guaranteed. He was set to make roughly $15 million in 2020 if he stayed with Atlanta.

CB Desmond Trufant is signing with the #Lions, per source. The deal is for 2 years, $21M, $14M guaranteed.

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 18, 2020

He fell victim to the Falcons’ lack of cap room this offseason, and with the post-June 1 designation, his departure saves them $11 million next season. It’s been put to good use, too, as Atlanta brought in a much-needed defensive end, Dante Fowler Jr., on a three-year, $48-million agreement Wednesday.

Despite coming off one of his most disappointing seasons as a professional, Trufant saw immediate interest from teams on the open market. The Cowboys and Redskins were rumored suitors.

Trufant, 29, tied a career low by playing only nine games due to injury in 2019, but he did grab a career-high four picks. He added 18 tackles. Pro Football Focus rated him as the 32nd-best corner in the league last season with a 70.3 coverage grade.

Overall, the Falcons finished 22nd in the NFL against the pass.

After Atlanta selected Trufant in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, he established himself as one of the top cover corners in the league. He made his first and only Pro Bowl in 2015 and received a five-year contract extension from the Falcons in 2017. Obviously, that contract is over.

Atlanta remains in need of defensive help, so it remains to be seen if releasing its top defensive back as a cap-casualty move was wise.

Trufant is still young and talented enough to make an impact in the Motor City.