The Detroit Lions, who narrowly escaped what would have been a disastrous loss against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL campaign, are right back at it on Thursday evening on the road against the Buffalo Bills at new Highmark Stadium.
However, the Lions are considerably shorthanded, as they won’t have the likes of offensive linemen Blake Miller and Christian Mahogany, both of whom left the win over the Saints.
To compensate, the Lions have announced a series of roster moves prior to kick-off in western New York.
The Lions are signing DL Levi Onwuzurike to the active roster from the practice squad, while also elevating OT Devin Cochran and C Seth McLaughlin from the practice squad to the Active/Inactive list.
The Detroit Lions Have Announced Multiple Roster Moves Before Facing The Bills
Detroit is going to be considerably shorthanded against the Bills, as both Miller and Mahogany are both unavailable in addition to center Cade Mays, along with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.
Onwuzurike was one of the final players cut from the Lions after Training Camp; he missed all of last season after suffering a torn ACL prior to the campaign even beginning.
The Lions took Onwuzurike 41st overall out of Washington in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he then signed a four-year, $8.14 million rookie contract.
Injuries, however, limited his early years in Detroit, including a significant back problem that required surgery and sidelined him for most of the 2022 season. He returned to form in 2024, picking up 28 tackles and 1.5 sacks while appearing in all 16 games.
The Lions Elevated OT Devin Cochran And Seth McLaughlin
Cochran entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Cincinnati in 2022, spending most of his first two seasons on the Bengals’ practice squad. He made his NFL debut in 2024 after being elevated for a game against Las Vegas and later joined Cincinnati’s active roster.
Cochran moved to Detroit’s practice squad in September 2025 and signed a reserve/future contract with the Lions the following January. After being waived during Detroit’s 2026 roster cuts, he returned to the practice squad.
Meanwhile, McLaughlin also originally joined the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2025 after ESPN ranked him among the top available players in the draft. He was working back from a torn Achilles suffered at Ohio State in 2024 and spent most of his rookie season on the Bengals’ practice squad.
McLaughlin signed with Detroit on a reserve/future deal in January 2026. After being waived in September, he also returned to the Lions’ practice squad.
Lions Bring Back Former Starter as Part of Several Moves Before Bills Game