With Cameron Sutton
having been released
, the Lions have a vacancy at the cornerback spot. The upcoming draft will present the opportunity to add a rookie at the position, but a veteran signing should not be ruled out. 
“Certainly, there are still some guys we are looking at in free agency that can bring in some competition,” Campbell said during the league meetings (via the team’s website ). “That may or may not be done before the draft.”
Many veteran signings do not take place until after the draft has been completed in large part because those pacts do not factor into the compensatory pick formula. Detroit has already been active in the secondary this offseason, trading for Carlton Davis and signing Amik Robertson . The team also retained Emmanuel Moseley , but Sutton served as a full-time starter in his single campaign in the Motor City.
The latter is the subject of an arrest warrant on the charge of domestic battery by strangulation. That became public knowledge on March 20 , which is also the day the Lions became aware of Sutton’s situation. As detailed by Justin Rogers of the Detroit News , the 29-year-old was at the team’s facility when the news of the arrest warrant broke. Team president Rod Wood confirmed at the league meetings he encouraged Sutton to turn himself in. That has not happened, leading to the decision to release him.
As things currently stand, Davis, Robertson and Moseley will be joined by 2023 second-rounder Brian Branch atop the Lions’ CB depth chart. The team owns seven draft picks, including three of the first 73 selections; as a result, the addition of a rookie would come as little surprise. A number of veterans – a list headlined by Xavien Howard – are still on the market, though, and it will be interesting to see if the Lions pursue one before the draft. Detroit entered Thursday with over $26.5MM in cap space.