On Sunday night against the Houston Texans, Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis had one of the best games of his seven-year career. The two second-half interceptions were game-changing, but his performance went beyond that. Per PFF, he also produced the team’s second-highest run defense grade (86.9), making two key stops in that phase of the game. In total, Davis allowed just two catches on five targets for only 16 yards, all while earning PFF’s highest grade of the week for a cornerback (91.3).
This offseason, the Lions revamped their cornerback room and the first move they made was to send a third-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Davis. On Monday, coach Dan Campbell was asked if Davis’ performance was everything he hoped it would be when the team made that trade.
“Absolutely, and then some,” Campbell said without hesitation. “That’s been an outstanding addition, and as a matter of fact, I told him Saturday night, we’re in the special teams meeting, I slip right behind him—I think I said this yesterday, I said, ‘Man, one of the best moves we made was acquiring you, getting you here.’”
Davis told media after the game that he was extra motivated to beat the Texans. That’s because last year with the Buccaneers, he played in what he deemed the worst game of his career. PFF credited him with three touchdowns allowed, including the game-winner with seconds left on a C.J. Stroud pass to Tank Dell.
He responded on Sunday night by picking off two passes—both intended for Dell.
“I wanted to get payback, and, honestly, it’s never personal for me, but I did feel that on my heart,” Davis told MLive. “And when we were losing, I just told myself, ‘Man, bro, we got to make a play. I’m not going out sad to these guys twice.’ They’re a great team. Well-coached guys. But at the same time, we are, too. And the emotions just kind of took over. I was like, ‘I’m making a play regardless, man.’ I can’t leave this stadium twice two years in a row not being able to say I’m a winner.”
Davis is currently in the final year of his contract with Detroit. But because of three remaining voided years on his contract beyond 2024, he is still scheduled to hit $9.8 million against the salary cap in 2025. The Lions have a lot of tight roster decisions heading into next year, but they could actually give the team a little cap relief next year if they decide to extend Davis before his contract voids.
And while it’s too early to know if the Lions will make that move, these words from Campbell certainly carry a lot of weight.
“He is good for that room, he is a veteran guy, he’s a guy who’s been around it for a while,” Campbell said. “There are things that he understands and can kind of help the young guys with technique-wise or things that you see when it comes to game planning. And, look man, he’s all in and he’s playing at a high level, and I feel like, he’s another guy, he’s just gaining momentum. His confidence continues to grow and he’s just – he’s gaining momentum. So, I’m thankful we got him here.”
