Last offseason, the New York Jets signed Darryl Roberts to a three-year contract. After an awful year in green, Roberts is headed to Detroit.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, former New York Jets cornerback Darryl Roberts has signed with the Detroit Lions. The contract is for one year and the salary has still not reported.
The #Lions agreed to terms with former #Jets CB Darryl Roberts on a one-year, source said.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 2, 2020
Roberts joined the Jets after he was cut by the New England Patriots in 2016. He slowly worked his way up from a bench player to a starter, eventually starting 26 games over his four years with the team.
His best stretch of play came in 2018 when he took over for an injured Trumaine Johnson. His play over that stretch earned him a three-year, $18 million contract after the season and a starting spot in the 2019 lineup.
Poor play and injuries kept Roberts to just 10 games played. He was eventually replaced by Arthur Maulet and Bless Austin.
Roberts’ time in New York wasn’t easy. He was asked to play outside, slot, and even safety although he never found much success at any position. Yet, the Jets continued to play him because they were enamored with his physical tools.
Roberts stands at 6-foot and 182 pounds with long arms and ran a 4.36 40-yard dash. He had all the tools to be a starting corner in the NFL. It never came together in New York, but it could in Detroit.
Lions head coach Matt Patricia was the New England Patriots defensive coordinator when the team drafted Roberts. Maybe a return to a familiar Patriots-style defense will help Roberts hit his ceiling.
The New York Jets will likely have a battle in training camp to replace Roberts. Pierre Desir is set to start at one cornerback spot, but the other starting job is up for grabs. Bless Austin, Arthur Maulet, and a potential draft pick will likely fight it out to earn regular playing time.
