Three preseason games gave Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell a couple of weeks before he made the tough decision to trim his roster. For all NFL teams, the roster cut deadline was August 30, 6 PM ET.
With starters skipping the Lions’ three preseason games in the past few weeks, the team still delivered, winning two of three and giving Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes a headache ahead of the deadline day. It was a reason the franchise waited until the eleventh hour to finally announce its roster cuts, whereas other teams started doing so much earlier.
With several major offseason additions, the Lions have put together a well-rounded squad with their regular starters and reliable backup players, but these veterans and newer faces failed to make the team this year.
Players Who Missed The 53-Man Squad
Released Veteran Offensive Players:
WR Greg Dortch,
WR Tom Kennedy,
Waived Offensive Players:
QB Luke Altmyer,
WR Malik Cunningham,
TE Thomas Gordon,
WR Tarik Black,
TE Zach Horton,
WR Lucky Jackson,
WR Dominic Lovett,
RB Roydell Williams,
G Mason Miller,
OL Gus Hartwig,
OL Devin Cochran,
OL Colby Sorsdal,
OL Michael Niese (waived with an injury designation)
Released Veteran Defensive Players:
DL Ben Stille,
LB Joe Bachie,
DL Myles Adams,
LB Troy Reeder
Waived Defensive Players:
CB Nick Whiteside,
S Jason Taylor II,
DL Tyre West,
CB Eric Scott Jr.
DL Chris Smith,
S Dan Jackson,
CB Bump Cooper Jr,
CB Ekow Boye-Doe,
DB Aamaris Brown,
LB Erick Hunter.
While there is plenty to like about the 53-man roster, with each position boasting proven talents, the wide receiver room looks a little thin, which could be a concern. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are the two starters, but they have only two backups there— Isaac TeSlaa and Tay Martin. Coach Campbell has released or waived a total of six receivers from the squad. Hence, mid-season injuries in the WR room could put the franchise in a difficult spot.
Some of the Lions’ roster cuts were easily predictable; some, however, certainly caught many fans off guard.
Several Lions Roster Cuts Come As A Surprise
Releasing the veteran wide receiver Greg Dortch was definitely the biggest surprise from the roster cuts, given that he was a training camp standout, looking set to be the team’s punt returner and WR4. When he did not feature extensively during the preseason games, he was initially expected to be fully locked in for the regular season, but the reality turned out to be much different.
Waiving cornerback Nick Whiteside also raised eyebrows, as he was an early training camp standout, even drawing praise from Dan Campbell and looking set to have a rotational role in the regular campaign. He showed versatility and did almost everything right, but he could not make the crowded Lions CB room.
Additionally, the veteran Tyler Conklin looked certain to be the TE3 behind Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright. Instead, they picked young Jackson Meeks, who is a wide receiver-turned-tight end with a lot of potential. That said, the final Lions roster looks promising on paper, giving the team a real shot at a deep playoff run.
Detroit Lions’ Full List of Players Who Didn’t Make 53-Man 2026 Roster