Lions Will Remain Patient with CB Bobby Price: He's Still a Baby

At times, it is easy to forget that NFL players are sometimes put in positions that are extremely difficult. 

For Detroit Lions cornerback Bobby Price, playing the position in Aaron Glenn's defense is a continuous learning experience. 

Recall, a decision was made to convert Price from safety over to cornerback. 

Detroit's coaching staff is aware that the young defensive back will go through 'growing pains' while learning a position that players selected in the first round struggle to acclimate to at the highest level of professional football. 

"You see length, you see speed. You see mentality. In every corner, it's once you get beat, every corner has it the back of their mind, 'God, I don't want to get beat again.' The thing about Bobby is he keeps coming back. You keep coming back. He came as a safety," defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn explained to reporters on Thursday prior to practice. 

Glenn continued, "He's still a baby as far as learning how to play corner. You know, you've got to deal with the struggle. You can't be one of the guys that when it's good, like last week, I mean, everyone was praising the guy. Now, this week, he's the worst thing since sliced bread. ... We got to make sure with that player, keep showing him the good things he's done and keep trying to build on those good things. You've got to block out all the noise. That's what it is playing the cornerback position."

Detroit's defense has struggled with communication on the back end, but the coaching staff continues to express confidence that through continued development and trusting the process, Detroit's youthful secondary will take strides all throughout the retooling process. 

Recall, Detroit came into the start of the season with three undrafted rookie free agents on the final 53-man roster. 

Early in the season, Jeff Okudah and Ifeatu Melifonwu were lost due to injury, so Detroit's secondary has been forced to rely upon unproven players.  

"He's going to have some ups and downs, right? He had his downs," Glenn said. "And that's just how it is, right? Every corner, except for me, is going to have those issues."