5 Detroit Lions cut candidates going into the summer

2. CB Kindle Vildor

By the end of last season, Vildor was a starting corner for the Lions and playing nearly every defensive snap. A team with Super Bowl aspirations can't have that be the case, and the cornerback depth chart was addressed strongly this offseason (Carlton Davis, Amik Robertson, Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw).

So Vildor is down to competing with Emmanuel Moseley, Khalil Dorsey and maybe Steven Gilmore for a couple of roster spots.
If Moseley's recovery from another torn ACL goes smoothly, he's a lock to be on the roster.
Dorsey returned kickoffs a bit last year, and was broadly a core special teamer too (248 special teams snaps).
Gilmore may be headed for the practice squad again if he doesn't make the active roster out of camp, and versatile undrafted rookie defensive back Morice Norris could be a factor in the battle for roster spots too.

Special teams value is a differentiator in the battle for spots on the end of a roster, likely even more so now with the new kickoff rules. Even before he was playing defense a lot for the Lions after coming aboard last year, Vildor did not play on special teams.

The fall from miscast starting corner in last year's playoffs to off the Lions roster before Week 1 this year seems to be coming for Vildor. It's really only a matter of time.