One of the perks of coming off a dismal 3-13-1 season for the Lions was that Detroit held the No. 2 priority spot in the NFL’s waiver claim process. If they put a claim in on a player who was waived, that player came to Detroit unless the Jacksonville Jaguars also claimed him with their No. 1 status.
Detroit snagged DT Benito Jones off waivers from the Dolphins after the initial roster cutdowns this year, but the high claim order really paid off with DL John Cominsky. No fewer than 11 teams put claims in on Cominsky after the Falcons waived him this summer, but the Lions landed him on the basis of having the No. 2 spot.
Now that has changed. The NFL realigns the waiver wire claim order based on records after Week 3. Instead of using last year’s draft order (before trades), it’s now based on 2022 records.
The Lions are in a gaggle of teams grouped at 1-2, but then the strength of schedule in 2022 factors in. Detroit is tied for 14th with the Commanders — who they beat in Week 2 — and the Patriots. If more than one team puts a claim in on a player, it’s decided by a coin flip.
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