By Michael Stets
The Detroit Lions made several moves on Saturday afternoon to finalize their 53-man roster by the NFL’s 4 p.m. ET deadline. There was one trade, two 2017 draft picks who were let go, and a few surprises, including three undrafted players who made the team.
One of the biggest surprises was Tion Green, who was kept as the Lions’ fifth running back. The undrafted rookie out of Cincinnati exploded in the Lions’ fourth preseason game on Thursday night against the Bills with 150 yards of offense, including an electrifying 74-yard touchdown on a Brad Kaaya screen pass.
Defensive ends Alex Barrett (San Diego State) and Jeremiah Valoaga (UNLV) were the other two undrafted free agents to make the roster.
The Lions kept Jared Abbrederis as the fifth wide receiver, and waived Jace Billingsley, who led the team in receiving during the preseason for the second consecutive year.
The Lions made a trade with the Patriots earlier on Saturday, sending cornerback Johnson Bademosi to New England in exchange for a 2019 sixth-round draft pick. Bademosi, a standout on special teams, was signed by the Lions in 2016. The team kept six cornerbacks, and waived Josh Thornton and Adairius Barnes.
Quarterback Brad Kaaya, the Lions’ sixth-round draft pick out of the University of Miami, and defensive end Pat O’Connor, the Lions’ seventh-round selection out of Eastern Michigan, were both waived. Antwione Williams, the team’s fifth-round pick in 2016, was also waived. Kaaya will likely be retained for the practice squad should he clear waivers.
Kasey Redfern will start the 2017 season as the Lions’ punter as Sam Martin, who is recovering from a foot injury, starts the year on the NFI. Tackle Taylor Decker will begin the season on the PUP list while he recovers from shoulder surgery. And defensive tackle Khyri Thornton, and defensive end Armonty Bryant, will both be serving suspensions to start the season.
Here is a look at all the moves made on Saturday, and a breakdown of the Lions’ 53-man roster by position:
Quarterback:
- In: Matthew Stafford, Jake Rudock
- Waived: Brad Kaaya
Running Back:
- In: Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick, Zach Zenner, Dwayne Washington, Tion Green
- Waived: Matt Asiata
Wide Receiver:
- In: Golden Tate, Marvin Jones, TJ Jones, Kenny Golladay, Jared Abbrederis
- Waived: Jace Billingsley, Dontez Ford, Michael Rector, Noel Thomas
Tight End:
- In: Eric Ebron, Darren Fells, Michael Roberts
- Waived: Khari Lee, Scott Orndorf, Cole Wick, Robert Tonyan
Offensive Line:
- In: Greg Robinson, Graham Glasgow, Travis Swanson, T.J. Lang, Rick Wagner, Cornelius Lucas, Joe Dahl, Corey Robinson, Brandon Thomas
- Waived: C Leo Koloamatangi, T Storm Norton
Defensive Line:
- In: Ziggy Ansah, A’shawn Robinson, Haloti Ngata, Anthony Zettel, Cornelius Washington, Akeem Spence, Jeremiah Valoaga, Alex Barrett, Jeremiah Ledbetter
- Waived: Ego Ferguson, Derrick Lott, Caushaud Lyons, Pat O’Connor
Defensive Backs:
- In: Darius Slay, Nevin Lawson, Quandre Diggs, D.J. Hayden, Teez Tabor, Jamal Agnew, Glover Quin, Tavon Wilson, Miles Killebrew, Charles Washington, Don Carey
- Waived: Adairius Barnes, Alex Carter, Rolan Milligan, Josh Thornton
Linebacker:
- In: Jarrad Davis, Tahir Whitehead, Paul Worrilow, Nick Bellore, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Steve Longa
- Waived: Thurston Armbrister, Antwione Williams
Special Teams:
- In: Matt Prater, Don Muhlbach, Kasey Redfern
NFI:
- Sam Martin
PUP:
- Taylor Decker
Reserve/Suspended:
- Khyri Thornton, Armonty Bryant