Lions waive Hooker, trim to 50 and keep three open spots for depth

The Detroit Lions trimmed their roster to 50 players at Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, cutting several recent developmental picks and leaving three roster spots intentionally open as they weigh additions to a team viewed as a Super Bowl contender but thin at several key positions. Among the notable moves, the Lions waived quarterback Hendon Hooker and offensive lineman Dan Skipper, placed several players on injured lists, and released a handful of veterans as they finalize the roster for the 2025 season opener.

General manager Brad Holmes acknowledged the deliberate nature of the short roster, saying the team kept three vacancies "for the player that makes the most sense for us, whoever that player may be." Coach Dan Campbell framed roster construction around depth and readiness, repeatedly stressing the need for reinforcements in areas hit by injuries and departures.

Hooker, the Lions' 2023 third round pick, was waived and later signed by the Carolina Panthers, where he said he wanted "to go somewhere I was wanted" and to continue his development. The move leaves Jared Goff as Detroit's undisputed starter. Goff is coming off a career season in which he threw for 4,629 yards and...