Lions Announce Roster Cuts
In addition to trading offensive tackle Corey Robinson to the Panthers, the Lions have also reduced their roster to 53 players.
Released:
- LB Jonathan Freeny
- C Wesley Johnson
- TE Sean McGrath
- CB DeShawn Shead
Waived:
- DE Alex Barrett
- WR Jace Billingsley
- LB Freddie Bishop
- WR Dontez Ford
- CB Mike Ford
- CB Chris Jones
- WR Chris Lacy
- DT Jeremiah Ledbetter
- S Rolan Milligan
- QB Jake Rudock
- LB Darnell Sankey
- P Ryan Santoso
- T Dan Skipper
- RB Dwayne Washington
Placed on injured reserve:
- RB Zach Zenner
Placed on PUP:
- WR Andy Jones
Waived from injured reserve:
- DT Toby Johnson
With Rudock out of the picture, Matt Cassel will serve as the backup to quarterback Matthew Stafford. Freeny conceivably could have made the roster based on his familiarity with head coach Matt Patricia, but the Lions went in another direction.
Lions Bring In 16 UDFAs
One of the last UDFA contingents to be unveiled, the Lions have announced their 16-man group. Here’s the full rundown:
- Al-Rasheed Benton, LB (West Virginia)
- Amari Coleman, CB (Central Michigan)
- Antwuan Davis, CB (Texas)
- Josh Fatu, DT (USC)
- Mike Ford, CB (Southeast Missouri)
- DeAndre Goolsby, TE (Florida)
- Chris Jones, CB (Nebraska)
- Kyle Lewis, WR (Cal Poly)
- Chad Meredith, LB (Southeast Missouri)
- John Montelus, OL (Virginia)
- Beau Nunn, OL (Appalachian State)
- Brandon Powell, WR (Florida)
- Teo Redding, WR (Bowling Green)
- Ryan Santoso, P (Minnesota)
- Anthony Sherrils, S (Missouri)
- JoJo Wicker, DL (Arizona State)
This class interestingly houses two members of Southeast Missouri’s most recent defense. Ford led the Redhawks with 14 passes defensed last season and finished with 28 bench press reps at his pro day. Meredith was a first-team all-conference performer as a junior in 2016. Having started 41 career games at Appalachian State, Nunn finished last season with the fewest pressures allowed among full-time Division I-FBS players.
Detroit will bring in four cornerbacks after not using one of its six draft choices at this spot. The Lions did add former Seahawks corner DeShawn Shead in free agency and have 2017 second- and fifth-round picks Teez Tabor and Jamal Agnew on their roster.