2025 Detroit Lions roster cuts: All the news, moves down to 53 players

One of the more complicated processes when it comes to NFL roster cuts is the maneuvering of injured players. There is a litany of rules and regulations, and they seem to change every single year. And with the 2025 Detroit Lions entering the final day of roster cuts with a total of 11 players on an injury list (and a couple more dealing with injuries without designation), it’s important to understand what each list means, each player’s eligibility to return, and what it means for finalizing a 53-man roster.

So here’s what it means to be on injured reserve (IR), physically unable to perform (PUP), or the non-football injury (NFI) list.

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While the Detroit Lions have likely made most—if not, all—of their roster cuts, only 18 have leaked to the public. That leaves 20 more moves to come, and a lot of mystery still out there for Lions fans.

But a lot of tricky decisions have already been made public. Many of the cuts already leaked have been to players we thought could land on either side of the roster bubble, including Jackson Meeks, Dan Skipper, Nate Lynn, Myles Adams, Anthony Pittman, Erick Hallett, Nick Whiteside, and Ian Kennelly. I’ve already seen five players I had on my final 53-man roster prediction get cut.

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The Detroit Lions are parting ways with defensive tackle Brodric Martin, as first reported by AtoZ Sports’ Mike Payton.

Martin was selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Having played college ball at Western Kentucky, there was a belief that Martin had strong developmental potential. Not only did Martin have good speed for his size, but his 35-inch arms were longer than any other defensive tackle in his draft class.

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According to Aaron Wilson, the Detroit Lions are waiving defensive back Erick Hallett.

Hallett was firmly on the roster bubble all of training camp, and there was some belief he could make the team after showing off his versatility. Initially believed to be in competition at outside cornerback, the Lions started playing him at both nickel and safety this year, and he looked somewhat comfortable in those roles.

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The Detroit Lions are waiving wide receiver Jackson Meeks, according to a report from the Detroit News’ Nolan Bianchi.

Meeks made a very strong impression during the preseason, leading the team with 176 receiving yards on 11 catches. He also found the endzone twice and played a good amount of special teams both in training camp and during the preseason.

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In what is the most surprising of early Detroit Lions roster cuts, the team has reportedly informed veteran offensive tackle Dan Skipper that he is being released.

For the past three years, Skipper has served as Detroit’s primary backup tackle behind Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell. Over that time, the veteran offensive tackle appeared in 44 games and made 11 starts for Detroit. He became an iconic figure in Detroit after being incorrectly identified as an eligible receiver on Taylor Decker’s would-be game-winning two-point conversion against the Cowboys in 2023.

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The Detroit Lions are reportedly waiving safety Ian Kennelly, according to NFL insider Aaron Wilson.

Kennelly went undrafted this year, but was a fascinating story to watch during training camp. From local college Grand Valley State, Kennelly slowly worked his way up the depth chart throughout training camp and even saw significant work with the starting special teams unit.

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According to insider Jordan Schultz and others, the Detroit Lions are waiving quarterback Hendon Hooker.

The news doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Despite entering camp as the favorite to win Detroit’s backup job and with a strong start to camp, Hooker struggled immensely this preseason. In four games, he completed just 22-of-40 passes for 187 yards, three interceptions, and two fumbles lost. He led Detroit on just a single scoring drive—a field goal after the Lions started in opponent territory following a turnover.

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The first reported Detroit Lions roster cut has leaked. According to the Detroit Free Press, the Lions are releasing linebacker Anthony Pittman.

Pittman first joined the Lions way back in 2019 as an undrafted player out of Wayne State. He spent the next four seasons with the Lions, establishing himself as one of the more valuable players on their special teams units over that span. In 2024, Pittman gambled on himself—seeking out a defensive role with the Washington Commanders. Unfortunately, he didn’t make the cut for Washington and would end up with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad early in the season.

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With the preseason complete, the Detroit Lions’ next step on the NFL schedule is to reduce their roster from 91 to 53 players. All 32 teams have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to make their final decisions, though many will begin to waive/release players ahead of the deadline.

To keep you up to date with all the latest moves, this article will be continually updated, listing the most recent roster moves near the top of the article, while also tracking each move by position group.

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