Getty Garrett Griffin runs after a catch against Atlanta in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have begun to take the first steps toward whittling down their roster, and one of the first names to go was a free agent signed earlier this offseason.
On Monday, August 15, the Lions revealed they had waived tight end Nolan Givan as well as center Ryan McCollum. The team also revealed they had released tight end Garrett Griffin from the roster.
#Lions have waived TE Nolan Givan and C Ryan McCollum and released TE Garrett Griffin.
“Lions have waived TE Nolan Givan and C Ryan McCollum and released TE Garrett Griffin,” the team tweeted.
The move to release Griffin was eye-catching due to the fact that the player was one of the first signings the team made in free agency this year. Detroit added Griffin to beef up their depth in the tight end room, and the former New Orleans Saints player offered the team a veteran option.
Now, though, the Lions have seen some names emerge at the position, from Brock Wright to Shane Zylstra as well as Devin Funchess, who made an impressive opening statement in the preseason’s first game.
Detroit has to whittle their roster first to 85 players by August 16 and then down from there to 80 by August 23. The major cut comes on August 30, when teams must be down from 80 to the final 53 man roster.
These represent the first cuts the Lions will make this year coming out of camp.
Griffin’s Stats & Highlights
Coming into the league in 2016 as an undrafted free agent out of Air Force, Griffin hasn’t put up huge stats in his NFL career.
In college, he put up 678 yards and 8 scores. Coming too the pros, his production hasn’t been nearly as elite as that. Griffin has only 34 yards to his credit in the pros. His first touchdown did come in the playoffs in 2019 against Los Angeles. Here’s a look at the play:
Griffin was expected to bring the Lions some toughness in the trenches first, but it always seemed he could be a roster long shot given his propensity to be a better blocker than pass catcher in the league.
Ultimately, this could be the reason he was released early in camp this year.
Release of Griffin Provides Hint at Tight End
Seeing the Lions move on from a pair of tight ends shows how the clarity could be coming to Detroit’s room at the position ahead of the second week of the preseason.
The Lions have a deep room at tight end, and it could now be clear that the Lions are very happy with not only the health of T.J. Hockenson, but the players they have around him as well. Wright figures to be a key component of the offense, and Funchess may have earned himself a role with a solid preseason opener which showed what a valuable weapon he can be for the offense.
Griffin was more of a blocking option, so the team might be happy with what they already have. Regardless, a pair of shoes have dropped at tight end already as part of Detroit’s first cuts of the year.
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