Lions' Kerby Joseph: Should be 100 percent for camp
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Joseph (hip) -- who won't take part in practices this spring -- expects to be fully healthy by the start of training camp, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Joseph underwent an offseason procedure to address a hip injury that originally occurred in Week 2 of the 2023 campaign. Though he returned to play after missing two contests, en route to logging 82 tackles and four picks in 15 regular-season outings overall, the issue evidently lingered to the point that it required attention following the postseason. Once he's back to 100 percent, Joseph will reprise his starting free safety role with the Lions.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Out until training camp
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Joseph (hip) will not be cleared to practice until training camp, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.
The report notes that Joseph is bouncing back from an offseason procedure to address a hip injury that he sustained in Week 2 of the 2023 season. Assuming he returns to health in time to begin the coming campaign, Joseph figures to serve as Detroit's starting free safety and is likely to rack up tackles and pass breakups in that role.
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Demetrius Taylor: Reinstated by NFL
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The NFL reinstated Taylor from suspension Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The 24-year-old defensive lineman has been reinstated after serving a one-year suspension for violating the league's gambling policy. Taylor has appeared in just one game and played 13 snaps across his NFL career, but he's now available to try and make his return to the field.
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C.J. Moore: Reinstated by NFL
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The NFL reinstated Moore from suspension Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Moore was suspended for violating the league's gambling policy last offseason, but he's now been reinstated by the NFL. The 28-year-old appeared in 56 games from 2019-2022, racking up 48 total tackles while primarily contributing on special teams. Detroit parted ways with Moore shortly after his suspension, so he's free to sign with any team now that he's reinstated.
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Lions' James Houston: Signs as ERFA
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The Lions re-signed Houston as an exclusive rights free agent Monday.
Houston is coming off a mostly lost 2023 campaign, as a fractured ankle suffered Week 2 kept him sidelined until Detroit's loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. He impressed as a rookie back in 2022, racking up 8.0 sacks despite suiting up for just seven games, so it makes sense for the Lions to retain Houston and work to continue his development.
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Lions' Kindle Vildor: Returns on one-year deal
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The Lions re-signed Vildor to a one-year contract Wednesday.
Vildor split time with the Titans, Eagles and Lions last season, appearing in seven total regular-season games. He took over as a starting cornerback for Detroit in Week 17 and held the job throughout the Lions' playoff run.
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Cameron Sutton: Appears in court
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Sutton appeared in court Monday after turning himself in to the Hillsborough (Fla.) County Sheriff's Office late Sunday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Per the report, Sutton was charged with one misdemeanor count of domestic battery stemming from an incident last month that led to an arrest warrant. Since then, the Lions released the cornerback, who appeared in 17 regular-season games with Detroit in 2023 and recorded 65 tackles and an interception.
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Cameron Sutton: Released by Detroit
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The Lions released Sutton on Thursday.
Jonathan Jones of CBSSports.com reports that Sutton is wanted by Florida police for his alleged involvement in a domestic violence case. There's a warrant out for his arrest, with authorities reportedly unable to locate him so far.
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Romeo Okwara: Announces retirement
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Okwara announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.
Okwara spent his first two seasons with the Giants, but he spent the majority of his career in Detroit. The Notre Dame product played 92 games across his eight-year career, tallying 25.0 sacks, including a career-high 10.0 in 2020.
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49ers' Chase Lucas: Headed to San Francisco
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The 49ers signed Lucas to a one-year deal Friday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
The 2022 seventh-round pick spent the first two seasons of his career with the Lions, but he's now found a new home in San Francisco. Lucas primarily served as a member of the special-teams units in Detroit, playing a total of 311 snaps (305 on special teams) and recording four tackles across the last two years. He's expected to compete for a similar role in San Francisco this offseason.
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Lions' Khalil Dorsey: Back with Detroit
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The Lions re-signed Dorsey on Thursday.
Detroit opted not to tender Dorsey as an exclusive rights free agent a couple weeks back, but the two sides were able to come to a compromise to get him back in the fold. Dorsey saw most of his action on special teams last season.
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Dolphins' Benito Jones: Moving to Miami
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The Dolphins signed Jones on Thursday, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.
The 26-year-old defensive tackle is returning to Miami after spending six games with the Dolphins in 2020. Jones spent the last two years of his career with the Lions, appearing in 34 games (15 starts) and recording 38 total tackles, including 2.5 sacks, while also defending two passes. The Ole Miss product is now the newest addition to a Dolphins defense that's headlined by signings such as Kendall Fuller and Jordyn Brooks. Expect Jones to fill a solid role on Miami's defensive line this offseason.
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Lions' DJ Reader: Headed to Detroit
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The Lions signed Reader (quadriceps) to a two-year deal Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Reader's 2023 campaign was cut short due to a torn quadriceps, but it seems as if he's moved past the issue, and he's now signed with the Lions. The 29-year-old defensive tackle was putting up solid numbers before he sustained his injury, recording 34 total tackles, including 1.0 sacks and an additional tackle for loss across 14 appearances. Reader is known as one of the best run stoppers in the entire NFL, and he's expected to help improve a Lions defensive line that already ranked second in rush yards allowed per game (91.1 yards) in 2023.
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Commanders' Anthony Pittman: Moves to Washington
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Pittman is signing with the Commanders on Thursday, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.
Pittman spent the previous four seasons with the Lions, seeing the vast majority of his snaps on special teams. The Wayne State product will likely be working to earn a similar role with his new team.
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Jerry Jacobs: Becoming free agent
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Detroit will not tender Jacobs (hamstring), who will now become a free agent, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Jacobs played nearly every defensive snap for the Lions in 2023 before going down with a hamstring injury in Week 15, but it now looks like he might be playing in a different uniform in 2024. He'll likely draw the interest of multiple teams as the offseason progresses.
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Eagles' C.J. Gardner-Johnson: Heading back to Philly
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The Eagles are slated to sign Gardner-Johnson to a three-year deal worth up to $33 million, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Gardner-Johnson was part of the Eagles' Super Bowl team in 2022 before signing a one-year deal with the Lions last offseason. CJGJ ended up missing all but three games with a torn pec but was able to return for Week 18 and Detroit's playoff run. He's just 26 years old and should return to an every-down role in the Eagles' defensive backfield alongside Reed Blankenship.
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Lions' John Cominsky: Agrees to pay cut
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Cominsky agreed to restructure his contract with the Lions on Tuesday, Justin Rogers of The Detroit News reports.
Cominsky saw a drop in production from his 2022 numbers in 2023, recording 15 fewer pressures, along with 2.0 fewer sacks, despite playing two more games. The 28-year-old was due to be paid $5.1 million but agreed to a $2.1 million pay cut, bringing his 2024 cap hit down to $4.2 million instead of $6.3 million.
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Lions' Emmanuel Moseley: Another chance with Detroit
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Moseley (knee) signed a new one-year contract with the Lions on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Moseley signed a one-year deal with the Lions last offseason while he was recovering from a torn ACL suffered in 2022. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old cornerback suffered the same injury on his second defensive snap of the season when he made his debut with Detroit in Week 5. He will now get another opportunity with the club as it bolsters its secondary for 2024.
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Khalil Dorsey: Will hit free agency
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The Lions opted not to tender a contract to Dorsey on Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Dorsey had been scheduled for exclusive rights free agency this offseason, but he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the Lions chose not to tender him. He appeared in 13 games for the NFC North champions this past season, logging into 76 snaps on defense and 247 on special teams with finishing with 11 tackles (seven solo) and 244 yards on 12 kickoff returns.
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Lions' C.J. Gardner-Johnson: Productive when healthy in 2023
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Gardner-Johnson recorded 17 tackles and three passes defended including one interception over three regular-season games in 2023.
Gardner-Johnson signed a one-year deal to defend the slot in Detroit, but he ultimately was moved to safety to accommodate impressive rookie Brian Branch before missing 14 games due to a torn pectoral muscle. However, Gardner-Johnson was nonetheless productive when healthy, as the playmaker snagged a pick not only in his Week 18 return from injured reserve but also in Detroit's divisional-round win over Tampa Bay. Now set to become an unrestricted free agent, Gardner-Johnson may have to settle for another one-year contract given his injury-marred 2023.
