The Detroit Lions aimed to add some depth to their secondary when they signed third-year cornerback Divaad Wilson in June, but his tenure with the team has now come to an abrupt end.
The Lions announced a pair of roster moves this week, including the waiving of Wilson after the 25-year-old was hit with an unfortunate injury. The release could leave the door open for his potential return somewhere down the road, but it also leaves a more immediate hole in the secondary.
Lions Move on From Injured Defensive Back
As reporter John Maakaron of SI.com noted, the Lions waived Wilson with an injury settlement after he suffered a knee injury just two days after signing with the team in June.
Jeremy Reisman of SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit noted that Wilson’s release will not affect the roster size and could leave room for an eventual return.
“Because Wilson was already on injured reserve, he did not count against the 90-man roster, so his release does not open an additional spot,” Reisman wrote. “That said, Wilson would be eligible to return to the Lions after the length of his injury settlement plus an additional three weeks.”
Wilson had a chance to earn a spot on the final roster, having some NFL experience with seven appearances in the last two seasons. Wilson came into the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023, appearing in two games with one start and making five total tackles. He split time between the Cardinals and New York Giants last season.
Though the Lions are set at the top of the depth chart at cornerback with Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed expected to start, there could be some competition for the other spots on the depth chart.
SI.comâs Vito Chirco noted that second-year cornerback Ennis Rakestraw could have a lot to prove this summer, looking to move beyond the struggles of his rookie year with a strong performance in training camp.
âHe failed to make much of an impact as a rookie, and now faces serious competition for the nickel cornerback job from veterans Amik Robertson and Avonte Maddox,â Chirco wrote. âSubsequently, heâll need to impress in training camp to fend off the two more experienced defensive backs.â
Fellow SI.com writer Christian Booher suggested that Rakestraw could have a chance to earn a starting spot if he performs well enough.
“If Rakestraw is able to remain on the field and put together a solid camp, he’ll have the ability to challenge for a starting spot. Robertson is the first candidate to start at nickel, though Avonte Maddox could be in that mix as well,” Booher wrote.
Lions Make Another Move Official
As Reisman reported, the Lions also marked the official retirement of offensive lineman Frank Ragnow by placing him on the reserve/retired list. Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder suggested that the Lions could look for some more help for the interior offensive line, potentially signing or trading for another player.
“Meanwhile, Detroit surprisingly lost longtime starting center Frank Ragnow this summer to retirement,” Holder wrote. “That leaves the offense with some question marks on the interior offensive line, and swinging a deal for a veteran would be a smart move for an expected Super Bowl contender.”
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