Allen Park — In the early days of training camp during Ifeatu Melifonwu's rookie season, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was asked if he had given any thought to trying the supersized, athletic cornerback at safety.
Glenn didn't hesitate, saying he'd be a bad coach if he put that much responsibility on a rookie's plate. Melifonwu already was being asked to learn multiple cornerback alignments. Adding another position to the mix could have paralyzed the young player's early adjustment and development.
But Glenn also didn't rule out exploring the possibility down the road, noting Melifonwu had the ability.