The Detroit Lions have yet to officially release starting cornerback Nevin Lawson after five seasons with the team, but the move comes as no surprise as most expected the team to upgrade the corner position during the offseason.

The Lions now have approximately $45 million in salary cap space after cutting guard T.J. Lang on over the weekend and can be an active player in free agency when the new league year begins.

Here at Lions Wire, we’ve begun examining some potential free agent targets for general manager Bob Quinn, including Za’Darius Smith, Teddy Bridgewater, Jordan Hicks and Kareem Jackson. Keeping Lawson’s departure in mind, today we will look at one possible hidden gem, cornerback Pierre Desir, who spent last season with the Indianapolis Colts.

Pierre Desir

Age: 28

Size: 6-foot-2, 198 pounds

2018 Stats: 79 tackles, 1 INT, 8 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles

Career Stats: 160 tackles, 2 INTs, 23 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles

Why he makes sense: Desir wildly exceeded expectations for the Colts in 2018. With a Pro Football Focus rating of 77.8, he graded out as their No. 18 cornerback. Not bad for a guy who made under $2 million and wasn’t expected to play a key role entering the year. Desir has come a long way in developing his coverage ability and is a more disciplined corner than Lawson. Plus, he is one of the best in the league against the run (zero missed tackles in 2018). He could step right in and start opposite Darius Slay, while still allowing the Lions to draft a long-term replacement in the early-to-mid rounds of the draft.

Why he doesn’t: The team certainly has a need a corner, but with the release of safety Glover Quin, many feel a splash signing is needed for the team to get back to the playoffs in 2019. A bigger fish like Landon Collins would be a more impactful addition and the Lions have the cap space to go after him. So while Desir makes sense for a team looking for a solid starting corner, he’s not the answer to all of the Lions’ problems in the secondary.

Probability: Medium

Desir is coming off a productive year, but his entire body of work might hurt his free agency leverage to get a big contract. This is all the more reason to go after him if your Detroit. He can help the team right now, won’t cost a fortune and doesn’t hurt your ability to sign a big-name free agent. The probability of Detroit signing a corner has gone way up with the release of Lawson. To fill the vacant corner spot, the Lions can do a lot worse than signing Pierre Desir, which could potentially pay off the way it did for the Colts last season.