With Terrion Arnold expected to miss significant time due to a shoulder injury, the Detroit Lions are exploring every option to patch together their depleted secondary, and that may include a young corner with intriguing upside.
Lions Among Teams Eyeing Tre Hawkins
According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, the Lions are one of five teams showing interest in cornerback Tre Hawkins, joining the 49ers, Ravens, Dolphins, and Colts.
Hawkins, 25, was a sixth-round pick by the New York Giants in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Old Dominion, and he brings the kind of athletic profile and toughness that fit Dan Campbell’s mold.
The 6-foot-3 corner started three games as a rookie, playing in all 17 contests and racking up 35 tackles, one forced fumble, and one pass breakup. In 2024, he appeared in three games before suffering a spine injury that ended his season.
Before the setback, Hawkins had been carving out a rotational role in New York’s secondary, showing the size and physicality that Detroit covets in its cornerbacks.
A Room Running Thin
Detroit’s cornerback situation has unraveled in just a few weeks. The team lost Ennis Rakestraw for the season during the offseason, placed D.J. Reed on injured reserve last week, and now expects both Arnold and Khalil Dorsey to join him.
That leaves the Lions with only Amik Robertson, Rock Ya-Sin, and Avonte Maddox as healthy corners on the 53-man roster. Practice squad options Tre Flowers, Erik Hallett, and Nick Whiteside could also be elevated, but a veteran signing seems increasingly likely.
The Bottom Line
If the Lions believe Tre Hawkins is healthy, he could be a low-cost, high-upside addition to a secondary desperate for reinforcements. His size, youth, and starting experience make him a natural fit for a defense that thrives on physicality and energy, two things Detroit needs right now more than ever.
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