The Detroit Lions are reportedly signing safety Daniel Thomas, per a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Thomas, who has been with the Jacksonville Jaguars since he was drafted in the fifth round in 2020, has been an active contributor for each of those five seasons. He has played at least 15 games in the past four years and was active for 10 in his rookie season.
The 5-foot-10, 215-pound safety has only played sparingly on defense, but he’s been considered one of the team’s best special teamers for years. He has logged a total of 1,184 special teams snaps in five seasons, including at least 230 in each of the past four seasons. He’s basically played on every special teams unit, including the all-important gunner spot on punt coverage. His play earned him a two-year extension after his rookie contract was up, but he was released in the Jaguars’ final roster cuts this week.
The Lions opted to go a little shorthanded at safety during their roster cuts. Bubble players like Erick Hallett, Loren Strickland, and Ian Kennelly were all waived in the team’s cutdowns on Tuesday. That leaves just Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, and a couple of versatile defensive backs who can play safety—Avonte Maddox and Rock Ya-Sin—to fill out the room.
When this signing becomes official—along with the reported trade of Tim Patrick to the Jaguars—the Lions roster still sits at just 50 players. In other words, this is just the start to what should be a very busy day.
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