The Lions have released wide receiver Breshad Perriman (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). This was the expected move given Perriman’s injury-riddled camp.
“There just hasn’t been enough out there,” head coach Dan Campbell said recently. “He had the hip injury and then he comes back, he was solid the other night for the plays that he had, but yet he had an OPI, which he knows better than. … I think he’ll be better coming off of this hip. But I think that room right now is still up for grabs. I think there is a heavy competition going on in that room right now.”
The move leaves the Lions with Tyrell Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Quintez Cephus, and Kalif Raymond as their top four wide receivers. There aren’t a ton of high-impact options left on the market, so the Lions will be paying close attention to the transactions wire over the next 48 hours. Another team’s discarded vet could easily step into a key role for Detroit and they still have some cap room to work with.
Perriman will leave Detroit with his $2MM guarantee in hand. Next, the 28-year-old pass catcher will try to heal up and hook on elsewhere. He could be en route to his sixth NFL team, after stints with the Ravens, Browns, Bucs, Jets, and Lions.
In his 2020 with the Jets, Perriman caught 30 passes for 505 yards and three touchdowns.
That’s disappointing. Perriman likely will get another chance somewhere after his injury heals, but Detroit could have used his speed and bigger body on the outside. Their room seems, like Campbell said, up for grabs, so this will make that decision slightly easier.
He’ll find a home
When I read the other names left on the roster it makes me think they could stash him on a practice squad once he clears waivers. There isn’t much there other than Williams
Perriman? He’s long since eligible for PS
Perriman getting $2MM for what he did this summer should be considered a bank heist
Well, in fairness to him, they could have kept him. It’s not that much, but given the fact that most of Perriman’s disappointing production was due to an injury, I think the Lions could have retained him if they really cared about the money. It’s not like there is a wealth of established receivers to definitively push Perriman out. As Campbell said, Detroit seems to have a lot of flexibility in that room.
The Lions are in deep trouble unless some decent receivers get cut from other teams like the Browns. They need to run the ball more then ever. Their strengths are at TE, and RB. They seriously should be a team that just pounds the ball on the ground 60% of the time. I don’t see a lot of wins for this team with their current roster.
I just read the Lions also cut Tyrell Crosby. WTH?
Lions’ cuts:
QB Jordan Ta’amu
RB Javon Leake
RB Robert McCray
RB Michael Warren
WR Chad Hansen
WR Breshad Perriman
WR Darius Jennings
WR Victor Bolden
WR Damion Ratley
TE Charlie Taumoepeau
TE Hunter Thedford
OL Tyrell Crosby
OL Dan Skipper
OL Evan Heim
C Evan Boehm
DT Michael Barnett
DT Miles Brown
DT P.J. Johnson
CB Alex Brown
CB Mike Ford
S Alijah Holder
0-17??