This week, the Detroit Lions hosted defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina, whom they had signed to a three-year contract during the offseason; however, he didn’t make the roster, likely because of an injury.
However, the two sides have come together once again, and he’s back with the franchise. The Lions announced on Tuesday that they’ve signed Keanaain to the practice squad.
In a corresponding move, they’ve also announced the release of defensive lineman Chris Smith from the practice squad.
The Detroit Lions Make Things Official With Defensive Lineman Aidan Keanaaina
On Tuesday, the Lions made things official with Keanaaina, signing him to the practice squad.
The Lions had originally waived him with an injury settlement in mid-August.
He’d caught the attention of Lions beat writer Tim Twentyman during Training Camp, noting his interior playmaking abilities.
“One player I’m looking forward to watching a little closer once the pads come on Monday is rookie defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina out of California,” Twentyman wrote. “He’s had some nice interior rushes early in camp and has worked his way into some second-team reps. Detroit’s looking for depth and playmakers along the interior, especially at nose tackle. He had 101 tackles his last two years at Cal in that role. That’s a lot of tackle production from the position.”
Meanwhile, Smith had drawn praise from head coach Dan Campbell following his performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in preseason action in August.
“He doesn’t make the same mistake twice,” said Campbell of Smith. “He’s the guy you love to coach because he’s up here all offseason, works his tail off, is always trying to hone his game. He plays disciplined football.”
The Lions Expect Injured Safety Kerby Joseph Back This Season
While the Lions have been anything but fully healthy this season, the good news is that on Tuesady, head coach Dan Campbell indicated that he’s expecting safety Kerby Joseph, who missed 11 games last season and every game so far in 2026, to return at some point.
“He’s doing well. I’ll leave it at that,” Campbell said on Tuesday. “He really is. He’s doing a good job. I’m not going to give you a timetable, but I’ve been pleased with where he’s at. He’s got a good headspace right now, which is great because that’s hard. You’re coming off this, you’re wanting to go, and you’re working at it, and at some point it’s time for football.”
Lions Make It Official With $3.12 Million Defensive Tackle