Lions sign cornerback Desmond Trufant from the Falcons

Desmond Trufant (Google Images)

The Detroit Lions were able to come to terms with one of the top cornerbacks in the National Football League on Wednesday. Desmond Trufant of Tacoma, Washington signed a two year deal worth $21 million from the Atlanta Falcons.

According to 97.1 FM The Ticket, Trufant will get $14 million guaranteed money in the contract. At 6’0″, 190 pounds, he is known for his speed at one of the most challenging positions to play in the entire NFL. As a cornerback, you must have outstanding anticipation in trying to prevent the opposing team of having a big passing play down the field.

At 29 years of age (will be 30 years old by the time the 2020 NFL regular season begins), there was expectation by many that Trufant would sign with his home state team, the Seattle Seahawks. However, there was also a belief that Seattle could only pay Trufant a total of $7 million per season, and anything more than that and it would be considered as too much. He ended up getting possibly $10.5 million per season to come to Michigan.

Trufant has spent the last eight seasons as an elite cornerback in Atlanta. Originally the Falcons first round draft pick, 22nd overall in the 2013 NFL Draft, Trufant has 13 career interceptions in 97 games. He also has three career forced fumbles and seven career fumble recoveries and two touchdowns. Along with five career sacks, Trufant has 329 combined tackles (272 solo tackles and 57 assisted tackles). He has nine tackles for a loss and six hits on the quarterback.

Trufant’s two career touchdowns have both been on fumble recoveries. The first major score came on a fumble by Arian Foster and was a 24 yard fumble return in a 48-21 Atlanta win over the Houston Texans on October 4, 2015. The second major score came on a fumble by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and was a 15 yard fumble return in a 34-23 Atlanta win over Green Bay on September 17, 2017.

The Lions are also getting a Pro Bowl cornerback. Trufant went to the 2015 NFL All-Star Game. That season he had two fumble recoveries, one interception, one touchdown, 42 combined tackles (35 solo tackles and seven combined tackles), one tackle for a loss and two quarterback hits.

In 2019, Trufant had a career high four interceptions in only nine games. He had 18 combined tackles (13 solo tackles and five assisted tackles) and one tackle for a loss. It should be noted that Trufant missed seven games last season with a toe injury.