The Lions sign a cornerback following a practice plagued by injuries.
A day after one cornerback missed practice completely and two others exited early due to injuries, the Detroit Lions have strengthened their secondary by adding a new player.
The team announced on Tuesday the signing of cornerback Essang Bassey, who recently played for the Los Angeles Chargers. Bassey, 26, appeared in 11 games for the Chargers last season and four for the Denver Broncos, having had two separate tenures with both teams.
In a related move, the Lions waived linebacker DaRon Gilbert.
Starting cornerback Carlton Davis III was absent from Monday’s practice due to an unspecified issue. Rookie corners Terrion Arnold (upper body) and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (ankle) also exited practice early after sustaining injuries during one-on-one drills. It’s still unclear how these developments will impact the overall health of the cornerback group.
The Lions had already lost veteran Emmanuel Moseley indefinitely after he tore his pectoral muscle during last week’s joint practices with the New York Giants.
Bassey went undrafted from Wake Forest in 2020 and joined the Broncos as a free agent. He played in 12 games that season, including three starts, and recorded an interception. After starting the 2021 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, he has managed to play in at least 14 games in each of the past two seasons.
Bassey went undrafted from Wake Forest in 2020 and joined the Broncos as a free agent. He played in 12 games that season, including three starts, and recorded an interception. After starting the 2021 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, he has managed to play in at least 14 games in each of the past two seasons.
