The Lions have informed Desmond Trufant that he will be released, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Trufant — who served as a starting cornerback for Detroit — will be officially dropped on the first day of the league year later this month.
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Trufant compiled four interceptions and seven passes defensed in 2019, despite being limited to only nine games. Still, the Falcons released him midway through his five-year, ~$69MM mega-deal.
That led him to the Lions last March on a more reasonable two-year, $21MM deal. Still, his Lions contract included $14MM in guarantees. So, with his release, the Lions will save $6MM while being left with roughly $6.2MM in dead money, provided that he isn’t classified as a post-June 1 release.
Trufant’s short Lions tenure ended early, due to injury. He finished out 2020 with one interception, four passes defended, and 20 total stops in six games.
I know that it was the last regime who acquired Trufant, but i still thought that the new guys would retain him this year. I just wonder if he rejected a pay cut request. The Lions are in a cap crunch, but their rookie starter on the other side struggled severely. Trufant is not the top corner that he used to be, but he still can hold down a spot for a needy team and still makes some plays true to his old form. He shouldn’t have much trouble finding work, but I do not see any way that Detroit doesn’t spend some type of pick on a corner this year.
Good, he never impressed me. Always too slow to catch up with receivers and with how much the lions played man he just didn’t fit in with the system
Keep releasing players Lions
Everyone is releasing players because the cap is way down. Lots of players will be available very soon. FA better sign quickly because the money will dry up quickly
Nothing like telegraphing to the rest of the league that you’re not only keeping the #7 overall pick, you’re going to use it on a CB; just like they did last year trading away Slay for beans and then drafting a broken down Okudah. New regime, same old Lions, until proven otherwise.
Broken down Okudah… one year and he is broken down. This past season, I do not think the coaching staff knew what defense they were running. Okudah and Oruwariye are a nice set of young corners to build from. Now if Justin Coleman gets released, that is going to open the door wide for a corner to be drafted. Coleman actually played OK, Trufant needs to play in a more zone oriented scheme. His speed has dwindled and he seems to always get little lingering injuries all year long.
The trade for Slay was not for beans. They picked up Jonah Jackson with 85(used in trade to 75) and selected Quinton Cephus with 166. Both players played well and should factor into the building moving forward. That deal might have been one of the better ones of the regime. To be honest, did Slay light it up in Philly???
As for the #7 pick, they need to trade it. NO way that happens unless one of the QBs drop to 7 or Sewell is there. I don’t see it happening. If they do have to pick at 7, I hope it is defense. I don’t know why but I feel Holmes and Campbell have another big move coming.
Am I reading correctly….he got paid $14 million for 6 games and those 6 games weren’t exactly screaming All Pro…..no wonder the Lions are the team they are….wonder if this guy had to work in the real world he could actually hold down a job at McDonalds!