Cornerback has been an issue of concern for the Lions for at least a few seasons. Chris Houston is a lock to start, best guess is that he will be joined as a starter by Aaron Berry. Three reasons Berry will be a starting cornerback this season.

1. Berry has had trouble staying on the field due to injuries. He started the season opener in 2010 as a rookie, but then re-aggravated a shoulder injury and missed the rest of the season. He earned that start as an undrafted rookie out of Pittsburgh.

2. In an effort to get stronger, Berry added pounds and muscle in the offseason. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham has joked that he started at 115 pounds. He’s now 190 which should help with durability.

3. Berry is just 23, way too young to be written off. He played in 11 games last season and started three in weeks 12, 13 and 14. In week 14 he injured his shoulder and missed the next three games. Now is his time to step up.

(Until the start of training camp, the Lowdown lists will appear daily, Monday through Friday. Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Email her at Paula.Pasche@oakpress.com.)