If I had a dime for every time someone asked me if cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is headed to the NFC North, well, I would have a lot of dimes. Asomugha is expected to depart the Oakland Raiders via free agency, and I would say three of our teams -- the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings -- are still in need of cornerback after the draft.
(Earlier this offseason, we discussed and dismissed the possibility of Asomugha heading to the Green Bay Packers.)
In his latest mailbag, ESPN's Adam Schefter suggests Asomugha is most interested in landing in the NFC East.
Schefter: "Here's my take on it: Asomugha is the top free agent available. Every single team in the league would want him, but there are only a handful of realistic destinations for him. My sense is that topping the list are three NFC East teams: Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington. Each could use a superior cornerback, failed to land a front-line cornerback in last month's draft, has shown the ability to spend money in the past and will not want to see Asomugha on a division rival. There are other teams that could make a play for Asomugha, and my sense is it would be a mistake to dismiss the Ravens, Jets, Texans and maybe even the Buccaneers. But the three NFC East teams seem like they will be the teams to watch -- and beat -- for Asomugha's services."
I would be disappointed if the Lions didn't at least assert themselves as a part of this discussion. They have a number of selling points for an elite cornerback, most notably a near-dominant defensive line that ostensibly would limit the time he must cover receivers. There is no telling whether Asomugha wants to come to Detroit, but the Lions owe it to themselves to find out for themselves.