In an NFL transaction during the 2025 campaign, former Auburn cornerback Roger McCreary switched teams. He is switching teams again this offseason, this time as a free agent.
MLive. com, the Los Angeles Times, and ESPN reported on Friday that McCreary has signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions after becoming an unrestricted free agency on Wednesday.
The Tennessee Titans were McCreary’s first team of 2025. In return for a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams acquired McCreary and a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on October 27.
McCreary, the Titans’ slot cornerback, had 306 defensive snaps in eight games during his fourth year with Tennessee. In his first three games with the Rams, he only played on special teams. On November 23, he suffered a groin injury on his first defensive snap for Los Angeles, which resulted in a four-game stint on injured reserve.
Due to other injuries in the Los Angeles secondary, McCreary played more in the Rams’ last five games—two regular season games and three playoff games. In those games, he played 108 defensive snaps and started his only game for Los Angeles in a 20-17 overtime win against the Chicago Bears on January 18.
McCreary and Christian Izien, another free agent addition, provide the Lions with alternatives at slot corner for 2026 after Amik Robertson departed Detroit in free agency this week.
Williamson High School in Mobile was where McCreary played. When he intercepted eight passes, made over 100 tackles, and gained over 2,100 yards from scrimmage for the Lions in 2017, he received All-State recognition.
McCreary was selected by Tennessee in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft after receiving All-SEC accolades at Auburn in 2021.
As a rookie, McCreary was involved in every defensive play. With 62 solo tackles in 2023, he was tied for fourth place among all NFL cornerbacks. McCreary had 12 tackles for loss in 2024, which was the most among the NFL’s defensive backs and tied Mike Hilton of the Indianapolis Colts for the top spot.
