The Detroit Lions have until 4 p.m. Saturday to establish their 53-man roster for the regular season. Check back for updates throughout the day.
1:40 p.m. – According to ESPN, Detroit is waiving linebacker Anthony Pittman. A Wayne State alum, he spent last season on the practice squad and could be headed back to that role, assuming he clears waivers.
With two hours until the deadline, there are still another dozen cuts for the Lions to get down to 53. Thus far, there haven’t been any real surprises.
1:02 p.m – The NFL Network is reporting the team will waive running back Jonathan Williams. Added just prior to the start of camp, he got an extended look with D’Andre Swift and Bo Scarbrough battling injuries and the Lions limiting Kerryon Johnson’s camp workload.
Williams flashed some ability with the Colts last season, rushing over 100 yards in back-to-back games.
12:43 p.m – According to multiple reports, the Lions are waiving cornerback Dee Virgin. No one played more special teams snaps for Detroit last season, but with changing schemes under new coordinator Brayden Coombs, and top competitor Tony McRae having the more impressive camp, Detroit’s decision here wasn’t a surprise.
12:39 p.m. – Another wide receiver is headed to waivers, with the Lions opting to cut Victor Bolden. He marks the fourth wideout to be waived in the past few days.
12:24 p.m – The Lions are waiving defensive tackle Kevin Strong. An undrafted free agent a year ago, he had a great camp in 2019 to make the roster, appearing in eight games as a rookie.
With some depth concerns along the interior of the defensive front, particularly surrounding Da’Shawn Hand’s durability, Strong is another of the players being waived today who make sense for Detroit’s 16-man practice squad.
11:55 a.m. – With four hours until the deadline, things have been relatively quiet through the morning. The latest is the Lions are waiving undrafted safety Bobby Price, according to the player’s agent.
With the offseason being virtual, Price was playing catch up from the start camp, but there was clear progress with his technique as the practices progressed. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, he has unteachable size, making him a solid choice as a developmental option for the practice squad.
10 a.m. — The Lions got an early start on the process, informing wide receiver Chris Lacy he was being waived Friday evening. And according to an ESPN report, the team is also cutting Tom Kennedy.
Both Lacy and Kennedy spent much of last season on the practice squad, but each had stints on the active roster. Neither cut is surprising given the depth the Lions have built at the receiver position this offseason, adding Quintez Cephus in the draft and successfully transitioning Jamal Agnew from the defensive side of the ball.
Kennedy, in his second season, made some of the more noticeable developmental strides of any player this training camp, showcasing vastly improved route running. Both he and Lacy are candidates for the team’s practice squad.
► Justin Rogers’ final 53-man roster projection
► Lions’ Patricia on cut day: ‘I hate it, it’s the worst’