The Detroit Lions found a gem in rookie safety Loren Strickland, who signed with the team as an undrafted rookie out of Ball State and impressed enough to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
But after failing to crack the defensive rotation and playing exclusively on special teams, Strickland’s time in Detroit could be coming to an end. The Lions announced on Wednesday that they waived the rookie safety, which USA Today’s Jeff Risdon noted could make way for a pair of new additions.
“The recent additions of linebackers Jamal Adams and Ezekiel Turner and the anticipated need to add more impactful help on the injury-riddled Detroit defense necessitated waiving Strickland,” Risdon wrote.
Lions Could Have Other Plans for Rookie Safety
The 24-year-old Strickland appeared in six games for the Lions, logging a total of 71 snaps on special team and none on defense.
Risdon predicted that he could still have a future with the Lions as a long-term project who could return this week to the practice squad.
“Should he clear waivers, expect Strickland back on Detroit’s practice squad,” Risdon wrote. “His physical presence as a safety and on punt and kick coverage units has some real value and long-term developmental potential for the Lions.”
New Addition Ready to Make a Difference
The Lions made a key addition to their defense this week, signing the former All-Pro Adams to help bring reinforcement after a series of injuries, including one for linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez.
Adams said he was happy to join a physical defense, saying he’s will do to whatever the team needs.
“I mean, they’ve been kicking everybody’s [expletive],” Adams said, via the Detroit Free Press. “So I’m fortunate enough to, again, just to be on a team that’s rolling like that. And whatever I can do to help, that’s what I’m here for.”
Lions head coach Dan Campbell noted that the team has brought in other talent on defense and could be ready to deploy some of them in a key matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday.
“Yeah, there again, we brought in he and Kwon Alexander, Myles Adams and Jonah Williams,” Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket during an appearance on Monday. “So we’ve got some guys that we’re gonna get a look at and see, with what we have on this roster, who we can use, how we can use them, what gives us the best chance. There may be a place, there may be a place here for Jamal and today’s gonna tell a lot. This will be our full speed today, we’re gonna get really good movement. So we’ll have a whole better feel by this afternoon, five, six-o’clock tonight.”
The Lions lead the NFC at 11-1, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the best record in the NFL, and are looking to lock up the franchise’s first-ever No. 1 overall seed in the modern playoff format. The Lions face a tight race not only for the top seed, but also in the NFC North as the Minnesota Vikings are just behind them at 10-2.
