The Detroit Lions have a few key players set to hit free agency this offseason, including cornerback Carlton Davis. The veteran started 13 games for the Lions in 2024 before suffering a season-ending jaw injury during the team’s Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Though his 2024 campaign came to an unfortunate end, Davis is one of the most coveted defensive backs on the open market, and there’s no guarantee that he will be back in Detroit next year.
Davis will have a competitive market in free agency, and according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be one of the teams interested in the veteran corner.
“The Jaguars will gauge the market of veteran corner Carlton Davis III, another third-contract guy,” Fowler wrote.
Jacksonville has a major need at corner, as the team lacked starting caliber players at the position in 2024 outside of Tyson Campbell. The Jaguars allowed the most passing yards per game in 2024 (257.4) and also surrendered 25.6 points per game, which ranked in the bottom ten in the league.
Adding Davis to the secondary would be a savvy signing by general manager James Gladstone, as the 28-year-old snagged two interceptions with 11 passes defended in 2024. Davis also allowed just a 59.7% completion rate on 72 targets and an 87.9 passer rating when targeted.
Pairing Campbell with Davis would give Jacksonville one of the better cornerback duos in the AFC and take their secondary to the next level. The Jaguars are expected to have $38 million in cap space, which should be plenty of money to sign the Lions defender, who is projected to land a contract worth around $14 million per year in free agency, per Spotrac and Pro Football Focus.
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