Brad Holmes wanted to beef up the Detroit Lions’ depth this offseason, and he did it by doubling down at the cornerback position Thursday.
The Lions re-signed backup cornerback and special teams star Khalil Dorsey, and added veteran cornerback Rock Ya-Sin on a free agent deal.
Dorsey played in 14 games and made one start for the Lions last season before breaking his leg in a December loss to the Buffalo Bills. He started at gunner and was one of the Lions’ most reliable special teams players before his injury.
Dorsey told the Free Press after the season he faced a four- to six-month timeline for recovery.
“I want to come back when I know I could be exactly how I was,” he said. “Or even better than before.”
Ya-Sin, a second-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2019, Ya-Sin played in 13 games, mostly on special teams, last season for the San Francisco 49ers. He has played on four teams over the past four seasons, with the Colts in 2019-21, the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 and the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.
He had two pass breakups and made three tackles with the 49ers.
The Lions return four of five starters in their secondary and signed D.J. Reed to fill the other starting cornerback spot in free agency, but have focused on adding defensive depth this offseason. Along with Reed, the Lions have signed nose tackle Roy Lopez and linebacker Grant Stuard in free agency and re-signed Derrick Barnes, Marcus Davenport, Levi Onwuzurike, Pat O’Connor, Ezekiel Turner and Dorsey, among others.
