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Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
The Detroit Lions are moving on from one of the newest additions to their cornerback room just days after signing him to their offseason roster.
According to the team’s official transaction wire, the Lions waived former New York Giants cornerback Divaad Wilson on Wednesday with an injury designation, cutting ties with him just 48 hours after signing him to replace undrafted rookie Gavin Holmes.
Wilson’s short-lived stint with the Lions has raised a few eyebrows. Detroit would have required Wilson to pass a physical before signing him to the roster, which suggests that he may have sustained his new undisclosed injury during their recent OTA practices.
Regardless, Wilson will now miss out on a chance to compete for a 53-man roster spot with the Lions for the 2025 season. He will revert to the Lions’ injured reserve list if he passes through waivers unclaimed, but he would need the team to release him with an injury settlement to play again in 2025. Otherwise, he will spend the season on IR.
The Lions also signed interior offensive lineman Trystan Colon on Wednesday in a corresponding roster move that kept them at the 90-man offseason roster limit.
Will Lions Seek Out Another CB to Replace Divaad Wilson?
While Wilson is no longer in the picture, the Lions could wade back into free agency to sign another cornerback if they feel they need more reinforcements at the position.
The Lions have their two starting spots on the perimeter solidified between veteran free-agent signing D.J. Reed and 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold. They also have 2024 second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw Jr. returning as the favorite to win the nickel role in competition with veteran Amik Robertson and new addition Avonte Maddox.
Even still, the Lions could tool around with their cornerback room in the months before the regular season if they want to further solidify their depth and add a valuable special-teams contributor to the mix. Their recent efforts with Wilson indicate that, at the very least, they want more competition in the room when they begin training camp in July.
Perhaps, after Wilson’s injury, the Lions will circle back to give Holmes another shot.
Lions Add Trystan Colon After Losing Frank Ragnow
The Lions also have a new potential option at center in the mix after signing Colon to their roster following veteran Frank Ragnow’s sudden retirement earlier this week.
After three consecutive Pro Bowl seasons with the Lions, Ragnow surprisingly shared a farewell message to his Instagram account on June 2 in which he lamented about his health and stated that he intends to retire from the NFL before the forthcoming season. Ragnow had two seasons left on his contract with the Lions and was expected to play a critical role for their offensive line in 2025, dealing a significant blow to Detroit’s plans.
Since then, speculation has endured about how the Lions will proceed without Ragnow. They could kick veteran Graham Glasgow back inside to hold down the center position. They could also convert second-round rookie draft pick Tate Ratledge from a guard to a center, though the 6-foot-6, 320-pound lineman played primarily at guard in college.
Now, the Lions will also have Colon to consider at center in 2025. The six-year veteran has played more at center than at guard over his first five seasons in the NFL, but he has experience at multiple spots along the interior. Most recently, he played right guard for the Arizona Cardinals in 2024, playing in all 17 games and making seven starts.
The Lions gain more flexibility with Colon regardless of where they play him. If they test him out at center and he emerges as a viable option, they could keep their guards where they are if the Lions feel they are better suited to play those positions. And if he falls short of a starting job, he can still add quality depth to all three interior spots.
Jordan J. Wilson is a sports reporter who covers the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. He has previously covered all levels of sports — high school, college and pro — for a variety of publications including The Indianapolis Star, The News-Gazette, Springfield State-Journal Register and Peoria Journal Star. More about Jordan J. Wilson
