Phillip Buchanon could be the key to Lions' secondary issues

The Detroit Lions have made so many personnel changes in the off-season that even some of the most significant moves haven't drawn much notice. The acquisition of veteran cornerback Phillip Buchanon falls into that category.

The Lions have some real issues in the secondary but Buchanon can solve some of those problems if he continues to play like he has throughout the off-season program. Buchanon is going into his eighth NFL season and he's had an up-and-down career - make that up-and-down-and-back-up-again career.

A first-round draft pick by Oakland in 2002 - 17th overall -- Buchanon was a full-time starter in his second and third seasons before getting traded to the Houston Texans where the wheels came off. Buchanon struggled for a year and a half before he was released by the Texans early in the 2006 season.

After he signed with the Lions, I asked Buchanon what had happened in Houston and he didn't want to go into details, preferring to put it behind him. Buchanon, though, indicated it had been his own problems and didn't try to lay it on the coaching staff, teammates, scheme or any of the other usual suspects.

Buchanon said he's corrected his shortcomings and his 2 ½ years in Tampa would seem to prove that. After getting cut by Houston, Buchanon signed with the Bucs during the season and rebounded and played well - he started all 16 games last year and had two interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown.

Buchanon, though, was going to get pushed out of a starting job by Aqib Talib, a former first-round pick, who is now ready to become a starter. The Bucs wanted Buchanon to re-sign and stay with the team but Buchanon opted to leave in hopes of finding a starting position.

There's no question Buchanon will be a starter in Detroit, the issue is just how good he's going to be. A strong man-to-man player, Buchanon has been impressive in the off-season and has been making plays on the ball. If Buchanon is reliable in one-on-one coverage, it gives the Lions some defensive versatility. Not only can the Lions give help to the other cornerback, but they'll also be in better shape to do some blitzing because they won't be worried about putting Buchanon on an island.



(mlive.com)