Lions coach Matt Patricia calls Rashaan Melvin a natural fit for his scheme. He would know, as the coach had Melvin in 2015 when he was the Patriots’ defensive coordinator.
It’s the reason the Lions signed Melvin in free agency after releasing Nevin Lawson.
“I’m a long guy,” Melvin said, explaining why he was a natural fit in the scheme, via the team's website. “I like to get my hands on receivers. Anytime you can have that kind of player, it’s good for the defense to strip routes.”
Melvin enters his sixth NFL season after playing for the Oakland Raiders in 2018, where he appeared in 14 games (seven starts) and totaled 56 tackles and one interception. He has also played for the Colts and the Ravens.
During offseason work, Melvin has occupied one of the outside cornerback spots with the first-team defense. He's one of the favorites to start alongside Darius Slay.
Detroit plays a lot of man coverage in its defensive scheme, so naturally, it likes a certain amount of physicality from its corners. Along with his physical traits (6-foot-2, 194 pounds), Melvin is a willing tackler and believes that will help in his adjustment to the Lions' defense.
“Anytime you can transition into a defense you’re kind of familiar with, in a role that you can play and help the team win, it’s good for the team and good for the player,” Melvin said.
Melvin is expected to compete with Teez Tabor, Amani Oruwariye, Marcus Cooper Sr., Mike Ford and others for the starting job opposite Slay.
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