The Detroit Lions continue to address their depth in the second wave of free agency by adding another veteran presence to their secondary.
According to NFL Network, the Lions are signing former San Francisco 49ers cornerback Rock Ya-Sin. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 28-year-old defender becomes the second defensive back the Lions have signed this offseason, joining former New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed. Reed’s signing filled a void for the Lions at starting cornerback after Carlton Davis bolted Detroit following one season to sign a lucrative deal with the New England Patriots. But the exits of versatile defender Ifeatu Melifonwu — who signed with the Miami Dolphins — and Kindle Vildor — who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — left the Lions thin in their secondary depth, along with a player who can take snaps on special teams when needed.
The signing of Ya-Sin checks those boxes.
His production in 13 games last season with the 49ers was minimal, as he saw 62 snaps on defense and 107 on special teams. However, during his various stops in his six-year NFL career, he’s proven to be a solid defender.
The 2021 NFL season — his third in the league — was arguably his career-best. In 13 games (eight starts) with the Indianapolis Colts — who drafted him with the 34th overall pick (second round) of the 2019 NFL Draft — Ya-Sin had 31 tackles, eight passes defended, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Opposing quarterbacks also completed just 53.3% of their passes when he was the primary defender in coverage.
In addition to the 49ers and the Colts, Ya-Sin also played for the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders.
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