Scouting Safety DeShon Elliott

What are the Lions getting in safety DeShon Elliott?

Fans of the Detroit Lions know two things to be true. They know how much the secondary has struggled and they know how thrifty the team is when it comes to spending money on that particular unit. 

Only safety Tracy Walker and cornerback Jeff Okudah have elevated salary cap numbers on the roster. 

Enter safety DeShon Elliott into the equation. 

Elliott left Baltimore to sign a team-friendly, one-year deal worth $1.1 million. With incentives, Elliott can earn up to $3.65 million. 

© Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Safety has been the Lions weakness on game film the past two seasons. 

Can Elliott help improve a pass defense unit that ranked No. 23 in the league last year?

That answer is only found on the game film.

What was the word on the street about Elliott from his time spent in Baltimore?

According to many reports, Elliott was respected and quite popular in the Ravens locker room.

Yes, injuries are a big part of Elliott’s evaluation, because they have been a big part of his career. Additionally, understanding his past is what helps to project and frame expectations for the upcoming season. 

Elliott only saw action in six games for the Ravens last year.

He suffered a quad injury and then his 2021 season ended when he tore his pec and biceps against Minnesota. 

Elliott played in only six games as well in 2019. The only full season he played and didn’t end up on injured reserve was in 2020. 

He also missed his entire rookie season in 2018 with a fractured forearm, after being a sixth-round pick out of Texas. 

This is exactly why Elliott had to settle for a prove it deal with Detroit. 

Elliott has to prove he can stay healthy. 

This also explains why it took Elliott until April 13 to sign with Detroit, when the free agency signing period began on March 16. 

What did Elliott look like on game film when he was healthy?

Eat the pizza, drink the Kool-Aid.

DeShon Elliott (@OfficialShon_4) serves up wood-fired @BigaloraPizza for me, @Gom1094, & @_TheTB. He opens up about how the @Lions culture brought him to Detroit & how he thinks it can work.

"If it weren't for the culture, I wouldn't be here." pic.twitter.com/cziafh0kW9

— Jeanna Trotman (@JeannaTrotmanTV) June 18, 2022

#32 DeShon Elliott: 6-foot-1, 210 pounds 

2021 Ravens game film reviewed: (9/13) LV, (9/19) KC and (11/7) MIN

2021 stats: 23 tackles (19 solo), one sack, one interception, two passes defensed 

Grade: C (Medical) 

Scouting Report 

Underachiever who excels down in the box who is hindered by noticeable hesitancy in coverage and run support. In pass coverage, flashed the range to provide help down the seams with tight ends and over the top deep with receivers, but tends to arrive after the damage has been done most of the time. 

Allowed a Vikings fullback to get behind him in man coverage during a critical time in the fourth quarter. Able to pedal into zones effectively. Best when blitzing off the edge. Got pressure. Able to scrape down from the edge in run support too and catch backs from behind. Showed the ability to come up and make tackles. More often, either waited for the action to come to him way downfield or just was satisfied ending up by the pile. Not a sure tackler. Had critical missed tackles on touchdown plays. Showed he has it in him to do better, but it doesn’t translate nearly enough. 

Bottom line, Elliott is a cost effective, stop-gap veteran who will likely not move the meter drastically for Detroit. 

In order to Aaron Glenn's defense to work, the back end must do it's job. If Elliott is paired with Walker to start the season, the hope is a unit that can perform at a higher level than it typically has the past couple of years.