The Detroit Lions have a big offseason of work ahead of them after they found their way to the NFC Championship Game this past season. While the Lions have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, they have some holes on their roster that do need fixing, with their secondary being arguably their biggest weakness, which makes their recent decision with Jerry Jacobs all the more eye-catching.
After going undrafted in 2021, Jacobs gradually found his way into a big role in the Lions secondary, and started 12 games in 2023. Jacobs coverage metrics aren't great, but he held his own for Detroit this past season (55 tackles, 3 INT, 8 PD, 2 TFL, 1 QB Hit) when he was called into action. Jacobs was set for restricted free agency this offseason, but the Lions don't plan on tendering him at any level, which would make him an unrestricted free agent.
Via Jeremy Fowler:
“Lions do not plan to tender restricted free agent cornerback Jerry Jacobs, per source. He's now set to be an unrestricted free agent. Jacobs has ball production with four interceptions and 23 pass deflections and 29 NFL starts.”
What's next for Jerry Jacobs after Lions decision?
It's not totally surprising to see that the Lions didn't tender Jacobs, as they are likely going to be pursuing upgrades at the position over the next few weeks. This doesn't totally mean they won't be re-signing him, but chances are he's not a part of their future plans if they are allowing him to hit unrestricted free agency.
Given his experience as a starter, Jacobs should be able to draw some interest on the open market, although he may be better suited for a smaller role on a team with a deeper secondary. It will be worth seeing how the Lions plan on replacing Jacobs, and where he ends up landing now that a return to Detroit seems unlikely.
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