The Detroit Lions are signing safety Marcus Gilchrist to their final open roster spot, made available after the Quandre Diggs trade. The news was first reported by Dave Birkett of the Free Press.
Starting 98 games in his career, Gilchrist has played all over the secondary, including getting starts at free safety, strong safety and corner. He has started games for the Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets, Houston Texans and most recently the Oakland Raiders.
Gilchrist started every game at free safety for the Raiders last season, recording 58 tackles, three interceptions and six pass deflections. Known for his positional versatility and intelligence, Gilchrist has the skill set the Lions will covet in the secondary.
At 30 years old (31 in December) Gilchrist is more of a depth player than a starter at this point in his career, but the Lions won’t need him to be one of their three potential starters. In fact, he will likely spend his time challenging undrafted rookie C.J. Moore for a role as the Lions’ fourth safety and insurance against injury.
