Carlton Davis Did Not Allow Man Coverage Touchdown Last Season

Davis' man coverage abilities can be major asset for Lions' defense.

Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23). / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions were aggressive in upgrading their secondary throughout the 2024 NFL offseason.

After their pass defense was a major detriment during the playoff run last year, general manager Brad Holmes sought to add proven veteran talent to a group that was severely lacking. In doing so, the Lions acquired Carlton Davis in a trade on the first day of NFL free agency.

Davis brings a Super Bowl pedigree, as he was a key part of the Buccaneers defense that won Super Bowl 55 against the Kansas City Chiefs. While he has not performed at an elite level in recent years, he has shown to be more than capable of shutting down top opposing receivers.

Throughout his career, Davis has nine career interceptions in six NFL seasons. The year the Buccaneers won it all, he had a career-best four. Last year, he had two picks.

The veteran entered offseason workouts with a supreme confidence and expects to be the top player at the position for the Lions in 2024. He'll also be tasked with mentoring a pair of young players in 2024 Draft picks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw.

One important note signaling Davis' potential impact is his success in man coverage last season. According to Pro Football Focus, the veteran did not surrender a touchdown pass in man-to-man coverage last season and had five pass-breakups on 32 total passes targeting him in man.

Overall, he allowed 57 completions on 90 total passes thrown his way, allowing a cumulative opposing passer rating of 102.5.

This fits defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn's scheme well, as the fourth-year defensive leader prefers a man-to-man heavy stye that calls upon defenders to be physical in tight coverage.

Davis has both the mentality and the ability to do this at a high level. In past years, including 2023, the Lions have had to mix up their style due to underwhelming personnel.

As a result of the new additions, the Lions can rely more on their man-to-man coverage and play a style of defense more like what Glenn hopes to see.

Detroit experimented with some unique blitzes toward the end of the season as well, which led to opportunities for players such as Ifeatu Melifonwu to put heat on opposing quarterbacks after struggling to do so for most of the year.

Ultimately, Davis will be a big part of the Lions' defense as the clear-cut favorite to begin the year as the top cornerback. If he can reach his top form, he will play a large role in what should be an improved performance from Detroit's secondary in 2024.