The Detroit Lions are seeing a familiar face join a division rival.
The team parted ways with cornerback Natrone Brooks to start the week, cutting the 26-year-old from their practice squad. Brooks didn’t last the week on the open market, joining another NFC North team.
Former Lions Cornerback Lands With Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings announced on Friday that they signed Brooks to their practice squad. As the team noted in its announcement, Brooks has garnered plenty of experience around the NFL.
“Brooks entered the NFL with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi,” the team noted. “He spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons on Atlanta’s practice squad until signing to the 53-man roster in November 2024.
“Brooks appeared in nine games for the Falcons that season and all 17 in 2025, making one start last season. He also spent time on Detroit’s practice squad this September. Brooks, 26, has recorded 15 tackles, one QB hit and three passes defended.”
The Lions had cut Brooks earlier in the week, making room for some help in the tight end room.
“Lions have released DB Natrone Brooks from the Practice Squad and signed TE Miles Kitselman to the Practice Squad,” the team announced in a post on X.
The Lions have made some other moves in their secondary, placing cornerback Avonte Maddox on injured reserve after his Week 2 injury against the Buffalo Bills. The team is already missing safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, who both started the season on the reserve/PUP list.
Another Former Lions Player Joins Division Rival
Brooks was the second former Lions player to find a new home within the division this week. The Green Bay Packers signed former Lions starting guard Kevin Zeitler to a one-year deal earlier in the week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Zeitler was a stalwart for the Lions during the 2024 season, starting 16 games and helping key a league-best offense that led the team to a 15-2 record and an NFC North title.
Zeitler said he believes he will have a short learning curve with the Packers due to his experience around the NFL.
“The best part about playing for all these teams over the years is I’ve had access to almost every type of offense here and there, so right now, it’s just learning the terminology,” Zeitler said. “But all the concepts, I’ve done in some way, shape or form. Now it’s just learning how the guys talk, how they space themselves, how it all works out. For Day 1, it went pretty darn smoothly, I’d say.”
Lions Cornerback Lands With Division Rival Days After Being Cut