Roster

The Colts have released CB Antonio Smith and re-signed DT Dan Davis.

The Lions listed QB Drew Henson, DB Dexter Wynn, DB Darnell Bing, DL Langston Moore and WR Shaun McDonald among their inactives for Week 15 at Indianapolis.

The Lions have announced the inactives for their Week 12 game vs. Tampa Bay. Not uniform will be: QB Dan Orlovsky (hand), DB Keith Smith (coach's decision), LB Anthony Cannon (coach's decision), WR Mike Furrey (concussion), DE Landon Cohen (coach's decision) and DE Dewayne White (calf).

Eight players were signed to Detroit's practice squad on Sunday: LB Darnell Bing, OL Matt Butler, RB Allen Ervin, WR Eric Fowler, QB Drew Henson, DB LaMarcus Hicks, WR Kenneth Moore and TE Jake Nordin. The team also released LB Anthony Cannon and FB/TE Sean McHugh. Contract terms were not disclosed.

The Lions have ruled DL Jared DeVries out for Week 13 against the Titans because of a hand injury.

The Dallas Cowboys have acquired quarterback Jon Kitna to back up Tony Romo. The Cowboys sent cornerback Anthony Henry to Detroit in Saturday's trade. Kitna started four games for Detroit last year, completing 68 of 120 attempts for 758 yards and five touchdowns with five interceptions.

Former Michigan quarterback Drew Henson was re-signed Friday to the Detroit Lions' practice squad. Detroit cut Henson on Wednesday, replacing him on the roster with Adam Jennings to bolster their special teams. The Lions also released running back Allen Ervin from the practice squad.

Lions DB LaMarcus Hicks was promoted from Detroit's practice squad on Sunday. To make room, the Lions released WR John Standeford.

The Detroit Lions have signed running back Maurice Morris to a three-year deal and cornerback Eric King to a two-year contract. The team announced the deals with the free agents on Saturday.

The Lions continued to bulk up their offense when they took Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew with their second first-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Pettigrew, considered the best overall tight end in the draft, is the rare combination of power blocker and excellent receiver that makes him versatile enough to play on every down. Pettigrew caught 42 catches for the Cowboys last year for 472 yards (11.2 avg), but with no touchdowns (nine in his collegiate career). His arrival will likely mean less playing time for Lions veterans Michael Gaines, Casey FitzSimmons and Will Heller.

As Dan Orlovsky continues to be at the helm of the winless Detroit Lions, QB Daunte Culpepper was inactive for Week 16's game against New Orleans. Culpepper has now missed two straight games. The following Lions were also inactive for Sunday's game: QB Drew Henson (3rd QB), DB Chris Roberson, DB Darnell Bing and DL Andre Fluellen.

The Lions and free-agent WR Ronald Curry have agreed to a one-year contract. Curry, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound wide receiver, spent the last seven seasons in Oakland. He has 193 career receptions for 2,347 yards and 13 touchdowns in 76 games with Oakland. Curry has previously been a Fantasy sleeper but has yet to live up to big upside. He did have back-to-back 700-yard seasons with the Raiders in 2006-07 before losing out on playing time last season. "Right now I'm just basically trying to make the team," Curry said. "It seems like a talented receiver group, but I talked to the coach and he said it's a great place to reinvent yourself. So I'm just looking for the opportunity to go out there and still show people I can play."

MLive.com reports that new Lions WR Bryant Johnson dislocated a finger on his right hand during the club's recent minicamp. He's expected to be fine. "He just dislocated a finger during one of those drills. He's fine," head coach Jim Schwartz said. Johnson had 45 receptions for 546 yards and three touchdowns last year, his only season with the 49ers.

The Lions took Cal LB Zack Follett in the 2009 draft. Follett was a rangy, physical linebacker, but injuries and size issues pushed him late into the draft. Follett had 87 tackles as a senior with five forced fumbles and 10.5 sacks.

The Chiefs have signed free agent TE Sean Ryan and waived LB Curtis Gatewood and WR Kevin Robinson.

At the NFL Rookie Symposium in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Lions rookie QB Matthew Stafford told CBSSports.com in an exclusive interview that his new team's offense is familiar to him, and that's helped him get acclimated to his new playbook. "Coming from Georgia, we do a lot of the same concepts with [offensive coordinator Scott] Linehan that we did there," Stafford said. "It's obviously called something completely different and you may look for a different look for certain coverages, but a lot of the concepts are similar, so it's been a pretty easy transition for me so far."

In the Lions' 47-10 loss vs. the Titans on Thanksgiving as part of Week 13 action, notable Lions defenders included: LB Ryan Nece (nine total tackles), LB Paris Lenon (eight total tackles), LB Ernie Sims (six total tackles) and DE Cliff Avril (three solo tackles, sack, forced fumble).

Detroit RB Rudi Johnson did not get a single carry in Week 16's loss to the New Orleans Saints. The following Lions were also active for the game but did not register any stats: WR Adam Jennings, TE Casey Fitzsimmons and TE Michael Gaines.

Lions DB Keith Smith left Week 15 at Indianapolis with a groin injury. He finished with three tackles, including two solo, and a forced fumble.

As Dan Orlovsky continues to be at the helm of the winless Detroit Lions, QB Daunte Culpepper was inactive for Week 16's game against New Orleans. Culpepper has now missed two straight games. The following Lions were also inactive for Sunday's game: QB Drew Henson (3rd QB), DB Chris Roberson, DB Darnell Bing and DL Andre Fluellen.

The Lions signed veteran PK Jason Hanson to a four-year contract, the club announced Tuesday. Hanson was a candidate for the franchise tag.

Detroit LB Paris Lenon led the Lions with nine tackles against the Saints in Week 16's 42-7 loss. Ernie Sims tied Lenon with nine stops and Daniel Bullocks finished with seven.

The Cowboys have released cornerback Tra Battle and defensive tackle Casey Tyler. The moves Tuesday came less than a month after Tyler signed as a free agent. He was out of football last season after the Patriots cut him in training camp. Dallas signed Battle off San Diego's practice squad in November. He had five tackles in five games with the Cowboys.

Detroit DL Dewayne White is listed as questionable for Week 16 against the Patriots with a calf injury. He has been on the inactive list since Week 11 with the injury.

According to a report, Lions RB Maurice Morris will make a good backup to starter Kevin Smith. Morris, an eight-year veteran, has done well as a backup in Seattle, said mlive.com. The Lions brought in Morris an unrestricted free agent this offseason to be the backup to Smith, who will carry the bulk of the workload.

Stillman College DT Sammie Lee Hill was tabbed by the Lions in the 2009 draft, and he'll likely compete for a spot in the defensive line rotation for the club. Hill is huge -- 6-foot-4 and over 320 pounds -- so the Lions obviously like him for his physical size and ability.

High-priced defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson is among six players cut by the Denver Broncos. Robertson, acquired last offseason from the New York Jets, was set to count $16 million against the team's $123 million cap. Also released Monday by new GM Brian Xanders were linebackers Niko Koutouvides ($3.06 million) and Jamie Winborn ($2.25 million), safety Marquand Manuel ($1.33 million), defensive end John Engelberger ($2.18 million) and tight end Nate Jackson (less than $1 million).

The Lions are looking for their starting FB between Terrelle Smith and Jerome Felton. But mlive.com reports that Smith could have the inside edge because he's accustomed to not carrying the football and the new coaching staff isn't likely to give it to him. Smith, who is entering his 10th NFL season, is the ultimate blocking fullback. In his rookie season of 2000 with the New Orleans Saints, Smith carried the ball 29 times. In the eight years that followed, Smith has carried the ball a total of 29 times. Last year with the Arizona Cardinals, Smith got a carry in the first preseason game and then didn't carry the ball once in the regular season - he played in 15 games (and started six). Smith didn't get a carry in four playoff games, including starts in the NFC Championship game and the Super Bowl.

The Lions drafted Wisconsin OLB DeAndre Levy in the 2009 draft. As a senior, Levy had 84 tackles and five sacks, along with 12 catches on offense for 260 yards and three touchdowns.

The Lions signed linebacker Cody Spencer and re-signed running back Aveion Cason to one-year contracts Monday. Spencer played the past three seasons with the New York Jets, appearing in 14 games - mostly on special teams - last year. Spencer played his first two seasons in Tennessee under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, now the Lions' head coach. Cason, who was an unrestricted free agent, played in seven games for Detroit last season as a kick returner and running back. The 29-year-old Cason has also played for St. Louis and Dallas.

Detroit LB Paris Lenon led the Lions with nine tackles against the Saints in Week 16's 42-7 loss. Ernie Sims tied Lenon with nine stops and Daniel Bullocks finished with seven.

Caleb Campbell will not get a chance to play for the Detroit Lions because of a change in military policy. Campbell was a seventh-round draft pick for the Lions in April. At the time, Army policy would have allowed the West Point graduate to serve as a recruiter if he made the team. But a subsequent Department of Defense policy has superseded the 2005 Army policy. In a letter to Lions president Matt Millen dated Wednesday, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jonathan P. Liba wrote that Campbell has been ordered to give up professional football for "full-time traditional military duties." Liba wrote that 2nd Lt. Campbell may ask to be released from his active duty obligations in May 2010. Liba said Campbell was allowed to enter the draft "in good faith."

Lions RB Kevin Smith said on his personal web site that he's impressed with rookie QB Matthew Stafford. According to Smith, "One thing that really has surprised me so far in OTAs is how good Matthew Stafford has looked. ... So far, so good for Matt. He's very poised for a young quarterback and very smart from what I can see. He reads coverage and can deliver the ball. ... He's really impressed me now that I've had a chance to see him up close." Smith also praised Stafford's competition, Daunte Culpepper. "Daunte is a great teammate and a great professional. I know he's not going into practice worrying about whether he'll be starting or not. He goes into practice throwing the ball with strength and accuracy because he wants to be a better QB and help this team win more games. All of the quarterbacks here are great professionals willing to help each other."

The Lions listed the following players as inactive for Week 3: QB Drew Stanton (third QB), DB Ramzee Robinson, LB Jordon Dizon, DL Damion Cook, DL Cliff Avril DL, Andre Fluellen and DL Landon Cohen.

Lions head coach Jim Schwartz likes what he sees in rookie first-round pick TE Brandon Pettigrew, especially following the team's last offseason minicamp. Pettigrew jumped high for a pass from Matthew Stafford in the final practice, showing off his athleticism, and the relationship between a young quarterback and a young tight end is fairly familiar to the first-year head coach. "You don't have to throw a strike for him to catch it," Schwartz said of Pettigrew. "He's got great wingspan. A tight end - that reliable short receiver ... I was in Tennessee with Steve McNair early in his career and he had a guy like Frank Wycheck that, we'd hand it to Eddie George and we'd have some deep stuff, but if it wasn't there, he could always rely on Frank. We have pieces of offense where tight end is a big part for any quarterback, not just a young quarterback."

Lions LB Ryan Nece (six tackles, half a sack), DL Cory Redding (five tackles, sack), DL Ikaika Alama-Francis (four tackles, half a sack) and DL Jared DeVries (three tackles, fumble recovery) all chipped in with nice contributions in a Week 7 loss to the Texans.

As Dan Orlovsky continues to be at the helm of the winless Detroit Lions, QB Daunte Culpepper was inactive for Week 16's game against New Orleans. Culpepper has now missed two straight games. The following Lions were also inactive for Sunday's game: QB Drew Henson (3rd QB), DB Chris Roberson, DB Darnell Bing and DL Andre Fluellen.

The Sports Xchange reports Lions QB Drew Stanton looks better than he did earlier in the off-season. "He didn't start off very strong, but the thing I've been pleased with him is that, when he has had a bad day, he's come back the next time with a better day," Schwartz said. "Even though he's had a couple bumps in the road, his general graph has been trending up."

The Lions listed the following players as inactive for Week 6 at Minnesota: QB Drew Henson (third QB), QB Jon Kitna, DL Landon Cohen, DL Ikaika Alama-Francis, DL Andre Fluellen, DL Damion Cook and LB Gilbert Gardner.

DE Eric Hicks signed with the Lions, according to the Detroit Free Press, reuniting him with defensive guru Gunther Cunningham. The two worked together in Kansas City.

The Lions are looking for their starting FB between Terrelle Smith and Jerome Felton. But mlive.com reports that Smith could have the inside edge because he's accustomed to not carrying the football and the new coaching staff isn't likely to give it to him. Smith, who is entering his 10th NFL season, is the ultimate blocking fullback. In his rookie season of 2000 with the New Orleans Saints, Smith carried the ball 29 times. In the eight years that followed, Smith has carried the ball a total of 29 times. Last year with the Arizona Cardinals, Smith got a carry in the first preseason game and then didn't carry the ball once in the regular season - he played in 15 games (and started six). Smith didn't get a carry in four playoff games, including starts in the NFC Championship game and the Super Bowl.

Eight players were signed to Detroit's practice squad on Sunday: LB Darnell Bing, OL Matt Butler, RB Allen Ervin, WR Eric Fowler, QB Drew Henson, DB LaMarcus Hicks, WR Kenneth Moore and TE Jake Nordin. The team also released LB Anthony Cannon and FB/TE Sean McHugh. Contract terms were not disclosed.

The Detroit Lions signed unrestricted free-agent defensive tackle Grady Jackson to a three-year contract and free-agent cornerback Phillip Buchanon to a two-year deal Wednesday. The 6-foot-2, 345-pound Jackson played most of the past three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2008, Jackson started 15 games and had 23 tackles (21 solo) and two sacks for the Falcons. Buchanon, 28, started all 16 games for Tampa Bay last season, intercepting two passes and returning one for a touchdown.

The Detroit Lions signed unrestricted free-agent defensive tackle Grady Jackson to a three-year contract and free-agent cornerback Phillip Buchanon to a two-year deal Wednesday. The 6-foot-2, 345-pound Jackson played most of the past three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2008, Jackson started 15 games and had 23 tackles (21 solo) and two sacks for the Falcons. Buchanon, 28, started all 16 games for Tampa Bay last season, intercepting two passes and returning one for a touchdown.

The AFC champion New England Patriots released four players a day after wrapping up their first winless preseason since 1990 with a 19-14 loss to the New York Giants. The cuts of tackle Steve Fifita, offensive lineman Jimmy Martin, cornerback Jeff Shoate and tight end Jonathan Stupar leave New England with 71 players before Saturday's deadline.

The Lions made Georgia QB Matthew Stafford the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, giving the team a thick, strong-armed quarterback to lead them into the future. That's good news for Calvin Johnson, who has made a living posting huge numbers on a near-weekly basis with mediocre quarterbacks since he entered the league.

The Lions signed LS Don Muhlbach to a five-year extension. He had been a restricted free agent.

Detroit WR John Standeford caught three passes for 46 yards in Week 16's loss to the New Orleans Saints.

After promising a playoff appearance earlier this offseason, Lions RB Kevin Smith blogged on his official Web site that he's working hard over the next five weeks or so to be in tip-top shape for training camp. His goal: To be a workhorse runner for the Lions. "I'm headed down to Miami to train and get ready ... I'm going to start training the day I get off the plane in Miami," Smith wrote. "I'm already in pretty good shape but I'm going to train and get on the right diet so I can get my legs strong and condition myself and perform at a high level all through training camp. Most guys know enough to show up in shape but there's always a few who just aren't ready. For me being in shape and ready to go is a must. It's not even an issue. I feel I'm a tempo-setter, so I have to be in great shape and looking and feeling good for this training camp."

The Lions signed linebacker Cody Spencer and re-signed running back Aveion Cason to one-year contracts Monday. Spencer played the past three seasons with the New York Jets, appearing in 14 games - mostly on special teams - last year. Spencer played his first two seasons in Tennessee under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, now the Lions' head coach. Cason, who was an unrestricted free agent, played in seven games for Detroit last season as a kick returner and running back. The 29-year-old Cason has also played for St. Louis and Dallas.

The Lions could be ready to use TE Will Heller more as a WR this year. Heller has only caught 36 passes in his six-year career, including four in 12 games as a backup with the Seahawks last season. But, mlive.com reports, there are two things to remember: Heller played under Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan in 2005 (when they were with the Dolphins) and Linehan believes Heller is a better receiver than is evidenced by his receiving totals. Heller will likely go into training camp as the No. 2 TE behind rookie Brandon Pettigrew and, because of his stellar blocking ability, it's safe to assume he'll stay in that role.

The Jets cut running back Noah Herron and defensive end Sean Conover, both signed in January.

Detroit announced Saturday that they have released the following players to get their roster down to 53: WR Ron Bellamy; LB Darnell Bing; S Greg Blue; LB Buster Davis; DE Victor DeGrate; CB Dovonte Edwards; WR Devale Ellis; DE Rudolph Hardie; TE Clark Harris; QB Drew Henson; S LaMarcus Hicks; LB Leon Joe; WR Brandon Middleton; WR Kenneth Moore; RB Artose Pinner; WR John Standeford and CB Kiwaukee Thomas.

Packers DL Jason Hunter returned a fumble for a touchdown in a Week 11 win over the Bears.

The Detroit Free-Press reports the Lions have brought back WR Keary Colbert, who played four games for them last season and caught five passes for 64 yards. Colbert spent four years with Carolina, then played for three teams in 2008 — Denver, Seattle and Detroit. His best season was his rookie season in 2004, when he caught 47 passes for 754 yards and five touchdowns.

Lions LB Paris Lenon (seven tackles), DB Kalvin Pearson (six tackles), LB Alex Lewis (five tackles), LB Ernie Sims (five tackles), LB Ryan Nece (four tackles, sack), DL Cliff Avril (sack) and DL Chartric Darby (sack) all helped out in a Week 12 loss to the Buccaneers.

The following Detroit Lions players are inactive for Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings: QB Drew Stanton (3rd QB), WR Shaun McDonald, QB Dan Orlovsky, DB Keith Smith, LB Alex Lewis and DL Dewayne White.

The Lions drafted Penn State WR Derrick Williams in the 2009 draft. Williams was of interest to many GMs after a quality career as a receiver, rusher and kick returner for the Nittany Lions. As a senior, Williams had 44 catches for 485 yards and four touchdowns along with 43 carries for 243 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. He also scored once on 18 punt returns and had 20 kick returns.

The Lions took safety Louis Delmas out of Western Michigan with the top pick in Round 2 of the 2009 NFL Draft, and the expectation is that he'll battle for a starting spot right away. The Lions like his tenacity and hard-hitting skills and don't consider his size (just under 6-foot) to be a detriment. "You can't help but watch tape on Delmas and like the way he plays the game of football," coach Jim Schwartz said. "He is a passionate player; he fits everything in a profile that we're looking for: a four-year starter, two-time team captain, outstanding person, plays like a guided missile."

The Lions have acquired WR Dennis Northcutt from the Jaguars in exchange for SS Gerald Alexander. Northcutt is expected to battle for playing time with the Lions as a slot receiver and also be a candidate to work on punt returns. He was likely pushed out of Jacksonville's receiving rotation due to the abundance of talent already on the roster.

The Lions took TCU RB Aaron Brown with a selection in the 2009 draft. Brown amassed 2,596 rush yards and 857 receiving yards with 26 total touchdowns (20 rushing, five receiving, one kickoff return) over four years.

The Giants announced the following cuts Saturday: QB Anthony Wright, QB Andre Woodson, FB Robert Douglas, WR Marcus Monk, WR Brandon London, TE Eric Butler, TE Jerome Collins, DE Wallace Gilberry, DE Alex Morrow, DT Jeremy Clark, DT Ogemdi Nwagbuo, LB Tank Daniels, LB James Terry, CB Geoffrey Pope, S Stuart Schweigert, CB Darren Barnett, K Josh Huston.

Lions LB Paris Lenon (seven tackles), DB Kalvin Pearson (six tackles), LB Alex Lewis (five tackles), LB Ernie Sims (five tackles), LB Ryan Nece (four tackles, sack), DL Cliff Avril (sack) and DL Chartric Darby (sack) all helped out in a Week 12 loss to the Buccaneers.

Larry Foote says he has agreed to a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions. Foote said terms of the deal were reached Tuesday night and he planned to sign it Wednesday morning. "I'm excited because it's a fresh start for me," Foote said Tuesday night in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "It's a one-year deal to show my talents, and hopefully end up signing a long-term deal after showing the Lions and their new coaching staff what I can do."

Detroit acquired Pro Bowl linebacker Julian Peterson on Saturday from the Seattle Seahawks for defensive tackle Cory Redding and a fifth-round pick in next month's NFL draft. Both players must pass physicals to complete the trade. Peterson became expendable in Seattle when the Seahawks asked him to reduce his $6.5 million salary for 2009 and he refused. He'll likely play along the outside for the Lions.

The Lions spent a seventh-round draft choice on Maryland TE Dan Gronkowski, who is more of a blocking tight end than a receiving option (40 catches and four TDs in four seasons).

The Lions announced that they have placed LB Jordon Dizon on Injured Reserve, released WR Paul Raymond from their practice squad and signed LB Chris Graham to their practice squad. The Lions also claimed WR Chris Hannon off waivers from the Miami Dolphins.