Detroit News’ Justin Rogers is reporting that the Detroit Lions have waived defensive tackle Kevin Strong. With the Lions already thin on the defensive line, this is one of the more surprising moves of the offseason by the team.
Strong earned a spot on the roster last season after a stellar camp but after eight games into the season, he was injured and placed on injured reserve, ending his rookie season. He returned healthy in 2020.
After a slow start to camp, Strong had a solid camp over the final two weeks and was included in every Detroit beat writer’s 53-man projection — including ours at Lions Wire.
Strong should be a lock for the practice squad, and potentially even a protection label, as the Lions will surely need reliable, scheme-experienced defensive linemen throughout the season.
Strong’s exclusion from the active roster likely means players like Frank Herron or Albert Huggins — whom they just claimed off waivers this week — could be included to fill a depth role, or the Lions have plans beyond the roster to account for depth.