Released Defensive Lineman Claimed by NFC Team

The Detroit Lions add Bruce Hector to their roster a day after the Tennessee Titans waived him.

It seemed as if the timing could not have been worse. The Tennessee Titans released Bruce Hector a day before the majority of the roster was to report for the start of training camp.

As it turned out, he did not have to wait long for another opportunity. Then again, the 6-foot-2, 296-pound defensive lineman has been wanted almost any time he has been available in the NFL.

The Detroit Lions claimed Hector off waivers on Tuesday. He filled a roster spot created when another defensive lineman, Brian Price, retired after five seasons and time spent with seven different franchises.

Last year, the Carolina Panthers claimed Hector off waivers when the Philadelphia Eagles released him fewer than two weeks into training camp. Late in the 2019 preseason, the Arizona Cardinals acquired him in a trade with the Eagles, and Philadelphia promptly re-signed him to its practice squad a day after Arizona released him in its final cuts.

Undrafted out of South Florida in 2018, Hector has played nine games (one start), all over two seasons (2018-19) with the Eagles. He has been credited with two tackles and half a sack.

His last regular-season appearance was in the final game of 2019. He spent all of 2020 on Carolina’s practice squad.

The 26-year-old signed with the Titans on April 22. That same day they added another lineman, Woodrow Hamilton, along with two others on defense. He was released Monday when franchise officials signed a pair of defensive linemen in the wake of veteran Abry Jones’ retirement.