SerpApi.Org
The Detroit Lions didn't make many eye-popping signings in NFL free agency, but one addition that hasn't been talked about nearly as much is cornerback Roger McCreary.
Detroit signed McCreary to a cheap one-year deal in March. The Auburn product spent the first half of the 2025 campaign with the Tennessee Titansbefore being shipped off to the Los Angeles Rams near the trade deadline.
McCreary's time with the Rams was short-lived, as he appeared in just nine total games, including the playoffs, for Sean McVay's squad and tallied just four tackles.
Entering 2026, McCreary will be looking to bounce back and establish himself as a key piece on Kelvin Sheppard's defense, and he should receive that opportunity.
McCreary's versatility gives Sheppard a coverage answer
Though McCreary struggled with injuries last year and failed to land on his feet in Los Angeles, the 26-year-old is still a very capable defender who was one of the better slot corners in the NFL just two years ago.
McCreary is solid in pass coverage and is also a very disciplined player, committing just eight penalties over the last three seasons. The former second-round pick's run defense stands out as well, as McCreary has tallied a PFF run-defense grade of over 70 in two separate seasons, 2022 and 2024.
Though McCreary is a polished corner in nearly all aspects, what makes him so valuable is his ability to play in the slot and on the outside. He excels the most in the nickel position, but if Detroit needs him to move outside, McCreary can do so and provide valuable snaps.
With the Lions cutting ties with Terrion Arnold due to off-the-field legal issues, Detroit will be relying on Rock Ya-Sin, rookie Keith Abney III, or Ennis Rakestraw to step up as the No. 2 boundary corner. However, if none of these three can be viable starters at the position, McCreary would be a solid backup plan for the Lions, though the team would then be losing his play at nickel.
Overall, McCreary's versatility should make him a key chess piece on Kelvin Sheppard's defense, and we should see a major bounce-back campaign from the 5-foot-11 corner who could prove to be a long-term asset on Dan Campbell's squad.
