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Detroit Lions add three players, release three others

By Steven Mullenax

NEW ORLEANS, LA - SEPTEMBER 20: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints is hit by Jacquies Smith #56 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on September 20, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - SEPTEMBER 20: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints is hit by Jacquies Smith #56 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on September 20, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Despite it being their bye week, the Detroit Lions have made several roster moves in preparation for the remainder of their season.

Currently ranked third in the NFC North with a 3-3 record, the Detroit Lions refuse to sit idly by during their bye week. Instead, the Lions were very active on Wednesday, adding three players to their roster while releasing three others.

Due to several injuries suffered by their offensive line in recent weeks, Detroit needed to sure up that positional group. They are attempting to do so by signing offensive tackle Bryce Harris. Undrafted out of Fresno State in 2012, Harris was initially signed by the Atlanta Falcons as a rookie and became a member of their practice squad.

Harris would go on to spend three seasons with the New Orleans Saints, playing in a total of 34 games and starting in four of them. The past two seasons, the 28-year old lineman has bounced between the Falcons, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins. This year, Harris landed back with the Saints, only to be released earlier this week.

The Lions also signed defensive end Jacquies Smith. Undrafted out of Missouri, Smith racked up 13.5 sacks playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers his first two seasons in the NFL. But he spent all of last season sidelined due to a torn ACL. In his first game back with the Bucs in Week Four, Smith logged seven snaps and was promptly released.

Finally, the Lions won a waiver claim for quarterback Brad Kaaya on Wednesday. Detroit drafted the Miami (FL) prospect in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. But Kaaya was released during the Lions’ final cuts and claimed by the Carolina Panthers. Waived by the Panthers this week, the rookie quarterback will return to Detroit as additional insurance for a banged up Matthew Stafford.

Next: Will the Detroit Lions overcome the injury bug?

In order to make room for these three new additions to their roster, the Detroit Lions released defensive tackle Caraun Reid plus defensive ends George Johnson and Datone Jones. With defensive tackle Khyri Thornton eligible to return from his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, expect more roster moves very soon.

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