Getty Demetrius Taylor reacts during an Appalachian State game in 2019.
The Detroit Lions are trying to find some midseason momentum, and have made a lot of changes on defense as a result. One of their newest changes involves the defensive front.
Given their inability to get pressure up front, the Lions have made some changes to shake things up. Josh Paschal returned this past week, and made such an impact in his first game that the team may have realized others aren’t needed for depth.
Pushing toward Week 8, the team has made another change. Rookie Demetrius Taylor, who was signed as an undrafted free agent and then made Detroit’s roster out of training camp, has been given his walking papers by the team.
#Lions have waived DL Demetrius Taylor.
“Lions have waived DL Demetrius Taylor,” the team tweeted on Thursday afternoon.
Taylor, a rookie from Appalachian State, cracked the team this summer out of camp due to a lack of depth up front. Now, some of that depth is coming back, which means the ripple effect is being felt for a player like Taylor the most.
Though he will be leaving now, it doesn’t necessarily mark the end of his career in Detroit.
Why Taylor Got Released by Lions
The emergence of Paschal for the team made other players expendable up front, and it’s possible the Lions might also have some corresponding moves coming down the pipe just ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
Taylor will be a candidate to crack the practice squad if the Lions manage to see him pass through waivers unclaimed, and could be likely to see his return there. It was clear that he wasn’t going to be playing a big role for Detroit the rest of the season as a starter or role player, though, barring injury.
Paschal returned and looked like a game-breaker, and from there, the team also got John Cominsky back. Cominsky has been a gritty competitor this season, and when he went down with a hand injury, the team’s pass rush was greatly stunted. Along with the growth
It’s not as if Taylor won’t be given a chance to stick around. Injuries can and do happen, and this past week, the team released defensive lineman Bruce Hector from the practice squad. It’s more than possible that Taylor will take his place if he makes it back.
Taylor’s Stats & Highlights
Entering the season, Detroit seemed to have depth along the defensive line as well, but thanks to some injuries and struggles early on, Taylor was able to crack the roster.
Early on, he was seen as a player who could push for a role in Detroit this season as well as someone who could see the field given what he was able to do during the preseason to impress the brass.
Physical and tough, Taylor piled up the sacks in college for Appalachian State with an eye-popping 137 tackles, 26.5 sacks, 46 tackles for loss and 6 forced fumbles. The tape shows a player capable of making a huge impact, as he was first-team all Sun-Belt the last three years.
Taylor has the goods to be an interesting piece for the Lions as he develops. Due to numbers, it always seemed as if he may have to wait on the practice squad, but that could be a good place to stash a player who seems to have his combination of explosion and power up front.
This season, Taylor impressed simply by sticking around and cracking the roster. He may have a chance to do more in Detroit if he makes it back around for the team.