5 NFL Roster-Cut Casualties Detroit Lions Should Target Immediately

With NFL teams having set their initial 53-man rosters Sunday, a plethora of intriguing talent has now become available.

For the Detroit Lions, this provides an opportunity to address some notable depth concerns prior to the start of the 2026 regular season.

With that said, here are five recently released players who Detroit general manager Brad Holmes should target.

CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

A local product who played his high school football at Clinton Twp. (Mich.) Chippewa Valley, Murphy-Bunting would be a great pick-up at this stage in the game for the cornerback-deficient Lions.

The former second-round pick proved to be a fairly reliable defensive back in his time with the Buccaneers (2019-2022) and the Titans (2023). However, at this juncture, he hasn't logged a regular season snap since 2024 with the Cardinals, and he was one of Arizona's roster cutdown casualties Sunday.

Still, he could provide Detroit with some valuable reps in the secondary this upcoming season, especially at nickel corner. Because of such, I believe adding the 29-year-old would prove to be a worthwhile acquisition for Holmes.

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QB Will Levis

If the Lions aren't sold on their current backup QB options (Josh Dobbs and Luke Altmyer), it wouldn't hurt the organization to take a flyer on Levis.

The 2023 second-round pick completed just 61 percent of his passes, and threw for a pedestrian 21 touchdowns (and 16 interceptions) in his two seasons as a starter with the Titans.

However, the former Kentucky quarterback could also prove to be a solid reclamation project for a team like the Lions which doesn't possess a bonafide backup passer.

Subsequently, I wouldn't blame Holmes for picking up the one-time highly-touted QB prospect.

Safety D’Anthony Bell

A surprise cut by the Seahawks, Bell could end up being a valuable acquisition for the Lions’ injury-depleted safeties group.

He was known as a solid locker room presence during his stint in Seattle in 2025 (14 games), and so much so that he was allowed to receive a Super Bowl ring despite the fact he finished the season with Carolina. Plus, he brings to the table an ample amount of special teams value, having logged 66 percent of the Seahawks’ special teams snaps.

With that said, I believe that Bell would be a worthwhile late addition to Detroit’s 53-man roster.

DL Rayshaun Benny

Benny, who played collegiately at the University of Michigan, went undrafted to the Ravens this past April. But, in the eyes of many pundits, he could've been a Day 3 pick.

A Michigan native who attended Oak Park (Mich.) High School, the 6-foot-3, 298-pounder profiles as a run-stuffing interior defender in the NFL. While he might not be an every-down DT, he could at the very least become a reliable depth piece along the interior of the line.

Consequently, it wouldn't hurt Detroit to leave an open spot on its practice squad for the local product.

Safety Geno Stone

Stone, who was cut by the Bills Sunday, would be a solid veteran addition for the Lions’ secondary.

Detroit is set to enter the 2026 campaign with significant injury concerns at safety, with both Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee) on the PUP list to begin the season. Consequently, picking up Stone, who spent the past two seasons in Cincinnati, would ease those concerns a bit.

Stone, who has 14 career interceptions to his name, is coming off a season in which he suited up for all 17 games and amassed a career-high 104 total tackles. He also secured a pair of picks and sacks, and recorded four passes defensed and a defensive touchdown. He'd be a nice last-minute acquisition for Holmes & Co.

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