By Blessing 
Detroit Lions Would Be Making a Major Mistake Trading Cornerback Amik Robertson
The Detroit Lions may have turned a corner in 2024 with a standout season, but an early playoff exit in the divisional round left a bitter taste—especially considering how injuries, particularly in the secondary, derailed their momentum. Now, as the team prepares for a deeper postseason push in 2025, some analysts are floating trade suggestions that the Lions would be wise to ignore.
According to Pro Football Focus’s Bradley Locker, one of the Lions’ top trade assets heading into the rest of the offseason is cornerback Amik Robertson. While on paper that may make sense to some, moving Robertson would be a short-sighted decision that could do more harm than good.
Locker recently highlighted one player from each NFL team who could potentially be on the move. For Detroit, he pointed to Robertson:
“The Lions addressed the loss of Carlton Davis III by signing D.J. Reed to a big-ticket deal, but the list of defensive players entering the last year of contracts is long. Robertson feels like one of the more likely players to be dealt.”
He added, “In his first year in Detroit, Robertson churned out a 62.2 PFF coverage grade but a stellar 89.7 PFF run-defense grade. Given that the Lions drafted Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the second round last year, the team should figure to get him additional reps this year — potentially by trading Robertson.”
Sure, Detroit has beefed up its cornerback room this offseason, making several solid additions, including D.J. Reed and other depth pieces. Young talents like Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. are expected to take on bigger roles. But that doesn’t mean the team should start offloading veteran depth just because it looks a little crowded on paper.
Robertson may not be a household name, but his value to the Lions goes beyond stats and grades. He’s a hard-nosed, gritty player who fits the team’s identity perfectly. He brings experience, toughness, and familiarity with the system—qualities that are hard to replace with youth alone.
Let’s not forget what happened in the playoffs. When Robertson went down early against the Washington Commanders with a broken arm, the Lions’ defense fell apart shortly after. His absence was more than noticeable—it was a turning point. That moment alone should be enough proof that he’s more vital to the unit than many give him credit for.
There’s also the bigger picture to consider. The Lions have made some surprising offseason decisions already, especially up front. They’ve shuffled the defensive line a bit and put more focus on strengthening the secondary. That signals they’re counting heavily on guys like Aidan Hutchinson and other under-the-radar pass rushers to carry the pressure up front. For that strategy to work, the back end of the defense needs to be rock solid—and keeping Robertson around helps ensure that.
Trading Robertson for a mid-to-late-round draft pick or another depth piece simply doesn’t provide equal value. He’s more useful staying in Honolulu blue and silver than being sent elsewhere for a speculative return.
Detroit learned the hard way last year how fragile defensive depth can be. The NFC North isn’t getting any easier, with young quarterbacks like Caleb Williams and Jordan Love ready to test secondaries weekly. The Lions can’t afford to thin out their defensive backfield now, especially not with someone as reliable and battle-tested as Robertson.
Bottom line: depth matters, experience matters, and Robertson matters. The Lions should resist the temptation to shake things up just for the sake of it. Some assets are better kept than traded—and Amik Robertson is one of them.