The Detroit Lions have made a small change at cornerback before jumping into their next block of OTAs this week, adding a little more experience to the room.
According to Monday’s NFL transaction wire, the Lions signed former New York Giants cornerback Divaad Wilson and waived undrafted rookie cornerback Gavin Holmes with an injury designation in a corresponding roster move ahead of Tuesday’s next practice.
Holmes had signed with the Lions as a UDFA following the 2025 NFL draft in April, looking to overcome his size disadvantage (5-foot-11, 173 pounds) and compete for a reserve role in Detroit’s cornerback rotation for the forthcoming season. An unspecified injury, however, will now send him back to square one in his journey to play in the NFL.
If Holmes passes through the waiver wire unclaimed, he will revert to the Lions’ injured reserve list, where he will remain unless the team waives him again with a settlement.
Divaad Wilson Has Playing Experience at NFL Level
The Lions may have lost one of their intriguing rookies to an injury, but they are at least swapping him out for a new cornerback who has played actual snaps in the NFL before.
Wilson — who went undrafted in 2023 — has played regular-season snaps for both the Arizona Cardinals and the Giants over the past two years. As a rookie, he even made his first career NFL start for the Cardinals, tallying four tackles while playing all 61 snaps.
Since then, Wilson has more frequently seen playing time on special teams, but he still logged 26 defensive snaps in the Giants’ 2024 regular-season finale, recording the first pass deflection of his pro career while adding five more tackles and a defensive stop.
For the Lions, Wilson represents a wise, low-risk investment at cornerback behind clear starters D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold. He could face an uphill battle trying to make the 53-man roster over other perimeter cornerbacks contending for backup spots, such as Amik Robertson, Avonte Maddox and Rock Ya-Sin, but he may have a shot at pushing for a reserve role in the rotation — if he displays value on special teams for the Lions.
Could Lions Soon Make Another Roster Move at Center?
While the Lions made a few roster moves to clean up their cornerback position Monday, they also received more significant — and problematic — news about their center job.
In a surprise announcement, All-Pro Lions center Frank Ragnow revealed Monday that he has decided to retire from the NFL at 29 years old, citing his health as the primary reason for him stepping away from the game in a note posted to his Instagram account.
“These past couple of months have been very trying as I’ve come to the realization that my football journey is ending and I’m officially retiring from the NFL,” Ragnow wrote. “I’ve tried to convince myself that I’m feeling good, but I’m not, and it’s time to prioritize my health and my [family’s] future. I have given this team everything I have, and I thought I had more to give, but the reality is I simply don’t.”
Now, the Lions will need to settle on a new starting center before the 2025 season after an offseason chock-full of personnel and coaching changes. They could consider moving veteran Graham Glasgow back to center for the forthcoming season. Alternatively, they could keep Glasgow at guard and plug in second-round rookie Tate Ratledge at center — where, according to PFF’s Trevor Sikkema, the Lions have been cross-training him.
Whichever path they choose, the Lions may decide to seek out more reinforcements for their interior on the free-agent market before camp — whether that be adding another center to compete with Glasgow/Ratledge or a guard to cover one changing positions.
