The Detroit Lions have decided not to tender cornerback Jerry Jacobs on an RFA deal. While he could still return, it appears Jacobs is headed for free agency.
According to a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Detroit Lions will not offer a restricted free agent tender to cornerback Jerry Jacobs .
Jacobs is currently a restricted free agent, which means Detroit could have offered him a “right of first refusal” tender—a one-year, $2.985 million contract. Jacobs would then be free to either sign the tender or seek a better deal elsewhere. Detroit would have had an opportunity to match whatever offer he found in free agency.
But the Lions, instead, are waiving their opportunity to use that tender. That means if the Lions don’t sign him to an extension over the next week, he will become an unrestricted free agent when the new league starts at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 13.
There is still a chance the Lions re-sign Jacobs to a deal lower than that of the free agent tender. However, on Tuesday Jacobs posted a few tweets to social media that seemed to imply his time in Detroit is coming to an end.
You must make a decision that you are going to move on from , it won’t happen automatically you will have to rise up and say I don’t care how hard this is I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me I’m moving on with my life…
— Jerry Jacobs (@_luhjerry) March 5, 2024
UPDATE: Jacobs tweeted again, and there’s not any ambiguity to this one:
Forever thankful for Detroit I swear giving a kid from Atlanta Ga a chance at the biggest stage of football I would never forget thank you for letting a kid from Atlanta ga shine I will always cherish that city you help me become my dream..
Forever Grateful, Jerry Jacobs
— Jerry Jacobs (@_luhjerry) March 6, 2024
The Lions will undoubtedly be in the cornerback market this offseason after Jacobs and Cameron Sutton struggled at the outside position last season. Detroit has already reportedly agreed to re-sign Emmanuel Moseley, and rumors suggest they may be in play for Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed in a trade .
If this is indeed the end of Jacobs’ time in Detroit, he leaves after three seasons with the Lions. Over that time, he started 29 games, produced 23 passes defended, and four interceptions.
Follow along with all of the Lions’ offseason moves with our 2024 free agency and trade tracker.