Detroit Lions waive tight end Hunter Bryant and linebacker Curtis Bolton

The Detroit Lions cleared a couple roster spots for incoming draft picks and UDFAs on Wednesday, waiving tight end Hunter Bryant and linebacker Curtis Bolton.

With eight draft picks slated to be added and undrafted free agents to be signed as well, the Detroit Lions started on some roster trimming Wednesday. Per the team’s announcement, tight end Hunter Bryant and linebacker Curtis Bolton have been waived.

Bryant landed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent out of Washington in 2020. He played in five games as a rookie, with one catch for 44 yards and 60 total snaps (35 on special teams) as concussion issues cost him time. A non-football injury led to him being waived in 2021, but he reverted back to the Lions’ injured reserve after clearing waivers and missed the entire season.

With six other tight ends under contract–T.J. Hockenson, Garrett Griffin, Brock Wright, Shane Zylstra, Jared Pinkney and Matt Sokol, waiting for Bryant to get healthy and be an option as the primary backup to Hockenson was no longer really necessary for the Lions. A draft pick may also be on the horizon.

Bolton was signed to the Lions’ practice squad in December of 2021. He played in five games on special teams late last season (58 snaps), with three total tackles. Bolton went undrafted out of Oklahoma in 2019, and the Lions were his fifth NFL organization.

The Lions still have eight linebackers under contract–Alex Anzalone, Jarrad Davis, Derrick Barnes, Chris Board, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Josh Woods, Anthony Pittman and Tavante Beckett–with at least one addition feeling all but certain in the draft.

Detroit Lions clearing room for draft picks and undrafted free agents

With the moves to waive Bryant and Bolton, the Lions went from 80 to 78 players under contract. So there’s room to add all eight draft picks and few undrafted free agents to get to max of 90 for offseason work, pending any further moves to create more spots.