The Detroit Lions are moving on from Desmond Trufant after just one seaosn with the team, per a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter. Trufant will be released at the start of the new league year, a move that will save the Lions $6,187,500 in salary cap space.
The Lions signed Trufant to a two-year, $20 million deal last offseason, giving him a $4.5 million base salary that was fully guaranteed at his signing. The deal was certainly made for the Lions to have an option for year two of Trufant's contract, as Detroit only will eat $6 million in dead money with Trufant's release. Trufant had a cap number of $12,187,500 for the 2021 season, with a guaranteed salary if he was on the roster on the third day of the new league year.
Detroit had little reason to keep Trufant around after a subpar first season with the team. Trufant played just six games with the Lions as he suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1 that lasted throughout the season. Trufant was placed on injured reserve in December, ending a season which he recorded 20 tackles, four passes defensed, a sack and one interception.
Trufant allowed 68.8% of the passes targeted his way to be caught, allowing three touchdowns as opposing quarterbacks had a 111.3 passer rating when targeting him. The 30-year-old Trufant spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons, earning a Pro Bowl berth in 2015. Trufant ha splayed just 15 games over the last two years despite having five interceptions during that span.
The Lions are slightly $9 million over the salary cap not counting the Trufant release (per Over The Cap). A few more moves will get Detroit under the cap as the Lions have a free free agents they would like to retain (i.e. Kenny Golladay).
