The Detroit Lions cornerback position has been a major weak link of this defense during the 2026 NFL season, and Rock Ya-Sin has been at the center of it. Detroit lost to the Buffalo Bills 41-31 on Thursday night in week two.

Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin has not been good in the first two games of the season. He has recorded 13 tackles, but Ya-Sin has not covered well. Is it time for him to be benched this season?

Detroit Lions Podcast: Rock Ya-Sin Needs to Be Benched

Jeff Risdon of detroitlionspodcast.com wrote about three ways the defense could be fixed after the first two weeks of the season. One of them is benching Ya-Sin.

Risdon said:

“Through two weeks, the veteran outside corner has not played well. Ya-Sin has allowed 11 completions on 16 targets, a QB Rating over 110 and has also been flagged for three called penalties. He’s been guilty of many more that went uncalled, unfortunately. When the Saints or Bills needed a big completion, Shough and Allen immediately targeted him–and it worked.

In Buffalo, Ya-Sin couldn’t reliably run with any of the Bills’ targets. He’s always been a grabby corner from his time in college at Temple, but the grabbing isn’t working this year. Being left without help over the top is a separate but related problem, but the smart quick-fix option here is to try someone else.

Ennis Rakestraw is healthy–as healthy as he’s ever going to be in the NFL. The Lions saw fit to invest a second-round pick in him in 2024. While injuries have devastated his early career, the talent that compelled them to use such a lofty pick on him hasn’t just evaporated. It’s time to see what Rakestraw can do. If not now, then when? If he’s a healthy scratch again, why even bother having him on the roster?”

This is a fair point. At this stage of the season, almost anyone would be a better option than Ya-Sin.

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Is the Next Man Up

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. did not play at all in 2025 and he has not played yet in 2026. He has only played in 2024, during his rookie season. In eight games that year, he had six total tackles.

Rakestraw cannot be any worse. It would be organizational malpractice if the Lions do not bench Ya-Sin for Rakestraw and make a change to this defensive personnel group.