The Detroit Lions can put points on the board with almost anyone, but keeping opponents off the board has been another story. One national insider has pointed toward a possible fix sitting on the roster of an unbeaten AFC team.
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Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kristian Fulton has been named a potential trade candidate for Detroit by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The report came in the Week 5 Intel column that Fowler wrote with Dan Graziano on October 7. Fowler said the Lions should make a move at cornerback, then pointed to Fulton, who has not held a steady spot in Kansas City’s lineup.
“One potential option is Kansas City’s Kristian Fulton, who is in and out of the Chiefs’ lineup. He is owed real money: $5 million of his $9.75 million base salary is guaranteed, but perhaps the Chiefs and Lions could split the bill to facilitate a deal,” Fowler said.
The wording matters here. Fowler called Fulton a potential option, which is not the same as a confirmed negotiation. Acquiring Fulton via trade would immediately stabilize the struggling pass defense of the Detroit Lions by providing experienced boundary cornerback depth and reliable coverage skills. Besides him, Fowler also floated Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey as another name, while admitting he was unsure whether Ramsey was available.
Detroit’s need is easy to see. The Lions fell to 2-2 with a 32-26 loss at Carolina on October 4, a game in which Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught 14 passes for a career-high 192 yards.
“Everything just clicked tonight,” McMillan said. “There were some plays throughout the week that we may not have hit on, but (offensive coordinator) Brad Idzik called the plays, and Bryce trusted it. He made good throws, and we converted. I can’t tell you what happened tonight. Maybe it was just the Charlotte air.”
ESPN’s Week 4 recap noted Detroit has allowed 127 points through four games. The Lions also give up a league-high 304 passing yards per game. Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin left the Carolina game with a hamstring injury. Detroit tried to fix the problem earlier. Head coach Dan Campbell said, “We were very much in on it,” about cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Pittsburgh instead sent Porter to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick.
When asked about the team’s approach to finding help, Campbell pointed to general manager Brad Holmes’ willingness to keep looking for the right addition.
“Just like any year, it’s nonstop, Brad’s constantly looking to upgrade this roster at every position,” Campbell said. “If we can find somebody that fits us and can help us and the value’s right, we will.”
The clock is ticking for Detroit, with the NFL trade deadline set for November 10 at 4 p.m. ET. Before then, the Lions have several games to evaluate whether their current secondary can hold up. Their next test comes Sunday, when Detroit travels to face the Arizona Cardinals at 4:25 p.m. ET in Week 5.
Kristian Fulton’s Role Has Shrunk in a Crowded Kansas City Cornerback Room
Fulton signed a two-year, $20 million deal with Kansas City in March 2025, and the contract expires after this season. This year, he has played 115 snaps across three games, one of the fewest among the Chiefs’ four regular cornerbacks.
The Big Lead’s Michael Moraitis points to the reason. Nohl Williams and rookie Mansoor Delane work the boundary, while L’Jarius Sneed covers the slot. Still, the production is there: PFF gives Fulton a 76.0 overall grade, 11th among 103 qualified cornerbacks. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has noticed. With Delane out for the Week 2 win over the Indianapolis Colts, Fulton stepped in and intercepted a pass.
“I will credit Kristian Fulton for the way he way he’s stepped in there in these two games and played,” Spagnuolo said. “During the week, Mansoor’s gotten a lot of the reps. Kristian doesn’t get as many, but he’s stepped in the games and is playing almost all of the downs. That’s a credit to him. He made a great play on that interception; we needed that.”
Money and roster needs could shape any talks. Detroit holds roughly $34.5 million in cap space, the second most in the league, while Kansas City has $3.1 million. ESPN’s Graziano wrote in the same column that the Chiefs are more likely to chase a wide receiver on the trade market.
For now, Fulton remains with Kansas City, but his reduced role leaves some uncertainty around what comes next. He has appeared in three games this season, recording seven tackles, one pass breakup, and one interception. If Detroit decides to make another push for help in the secondary, his availability could be worth monitoring as the trade deadline approaches.