The Detroit Lions lost some key depth in their secondary when one of the bottom teams in the AFC poached a promising safety and spot starter.
The Tennessee Titans signed safety Erick Hallett from Detroit’s practice squad, giving him the chance to join an active roster but leaving the Lions with a hole in their secondary. The Lions did fill some of the gaps by signing a new cornerback, but Hallett’s departure could hurt the team at a time when they have no margin for error in the playoff race.
Titans Snag Lions Safety
As reporter John Maakaron of SI.com noted, the Titans poached Hallett from Detroit’s practice squad and will have him on their active roster for the final three games of the season. Hallett was pushed into starting duties earlier this season amid a slew of injuries to Detroit’s secondary, the Titans team website noted.
“Hallett, who played in college at Pittsburgh, initially joined the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2023,” the Titans noted in their announcement of Hallett’s signing. “He was signed by the Lions in 2024 and has spent time on the team’s active roster and practice squad. Hallett started his first game with the Lions in October of 2025 and tallied a team-high eight tackles while playing 62 defensive snaps.”
The Titans must now keep Hallett on their active roster for the final three games of the season, giving him the chance to audition for a new NFL job next year.
The Lions have suffered a slew of injuries to their secondary, and losing the trusted depth of Hallett will mean another blow. Maakaron noted that the Lions filled their open practice squad spot immediately, signing rookie cornerback Keenan Garber.
“The inexperienced defensive back stands at 6’0,188 pounds,” Maakaron wrote. “He participated in the Minnesota Vikings‘ 2025 training camp, after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent.
“Garber played collegiately at Kansas State. He appeared in 59 career games with 17 starts.”
Lions Face Slim Playoff Path
After last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Lions face a difficult path back to a playoff spot. They will likely need to win out in their three remaining games, especially in the season finale against the Chicago Bears.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said his team must focus on one game at a time, starting with this week’s tilt against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
”Go to work, man. ….That’s the message,” Campbell said. “Don’t worry about the what-if’s. Yeah, we gotta win. So be it. (Expletive), we wanted to win Week 1, we wanted to win Week 2, we wanted to win Week 8, we wanna win this one. …Let’s go find a way to win a game.”
The Lions could face elimination with a loss on Sunday. The team could actually have a small chance of making the playoffs even with a loss, but only if it comes on Sunday against the Steelers. If the Lions lose this week but win out against the Minnesota Vikings and Bears, The Athletic’s playoff calculator gives them a 41% chance of earning a postseason berth.
Lions Lose Former Starting Safety After Being Poached by AFC Team