The Detroit Lions are making room for some of their injured players to return and parting ways with a second-year cornerback to make room on the roster.
The Lions announced a series of moves ahead of Saturday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, including the release of cornerback Chase Lucas. The 2022 seventh-round pick had played in 12 games this season but had only a light role on defense, appearing mostly on special teams.
The Lions also released linebacker Trevor Nowaske, who appeared in two games this season and made one tackle. Releasing Lucas and Nowaske cleared room for the Lions to activate fullback Jason Cabinda, with more players potentially returning on defense.
Chase Lucas Faced Training Camp Trouble
Though Lucas ended up playing an important role on special teams, appearing in 72% of special teams snaps through 12 games this season, his spot on the team was not always so certain. The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy predicted that after the team’s big offseason additions of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, Lucas could have trouble making the final roster after training camp.
“A seventh-round pick in 2022 who made Detroit’s 53-man roster after a strong preseason, Lucas needs a repeat this year,” Pouncy wrote. “Injuries have kept him off the field this offseason and there’s more competition in 2023. He’s in danger of falling out of the loop.”
Lucas ended up missing the final roster cut but was added to the practice squad, then signed to the active roster in September.
Lions Looking for Defensive Returns
The Lions could be close to getting two key players back after lengthy stays on injured reserve. Gardner-Johnson, who has been out since suffering a torn pectoral muscle in a Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, was designated to return to practice last week.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said this week that Gardner-Johnson was getting closer to a return to the field, though the team ruled him out of Saturday’s game against the Cowboys.
“C.J.’s close. He’s close,” Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket, via USA Today’s Lions Wire. “We’ve got to decide what we’re going to do there and just how close is ‘close.’ ”
The Lions have gotten strong play out of safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, who has three sacks this season and one interception — a game-sealing pick in last week’s division-clinching win over the Minnesota Vikings. Campbell said he looks forward to having two playmakers in the back of the secondary.
“We’re going to have a good problem to have when [Gardner-Johnson] comes back here. It just brings another playmaker to the mix,” Campbell said.
The Lions also activated the 21-day practice window for edge rusher James Houston, who had been on injured reserve since Week 2. Like Gardner-Johnson, Houston would be able to return to practice but was ruled out of Saturday’s game. Campbell said the team would continue to evaluate to decide exactly when the second-year linebacker would return to the field.
The Detroit Lions are getting back James Houston
Just a reminder of what he will bring to this Lions defense:
“He’s looking pretty good,” Campbell said, via MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke. “This is just another chance to get him going. Brad (Holmes) and I will talk about it after we get done today.”
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Lions Release Cornerback Who Appeared in 12 Games This Season