The Lions have signed former Jets cornerback Darrin Walls to a contract, the team announced today on its website. Terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed, but a minimum-salary pact seems likely.
Walls, 27, made his NFL debut for the Falcons in 2011, but has spent most of his five-year career with the Jets, appearing in 49 games for New York since 2012. The Notre Dame alum was a starter in 2014, recording 40 tackles on the year to go along with 11 passes defended and a pair of interceptions.
However, after the Jets splurged on cornerbacks like Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Buster Skrine in free agency a year ago, Walls returned a backup and special teams role. In 2015, he saw just 120 defensive snaps and didn’t start a game for Gang Green.
In Detroit, Walls will join a group of cornerbacks that includes Darius Slay, Nevin Lawson, and Quandre Diggs, among others. With Rashean Mathis having announced his retirement and Josh Wilson eligible for free agency, the Lions had been in the market for some depth at the position.