The Detroit Lions are reportedly making room for their newest safety addition by releasing linebacker Joe Bachie.
According to KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson, Detroit has released Bachie. The move corresponds with the Lions reportedly signing rookie safety Bishop Fitzgerald off the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad.
Bachie had provided veteran depth at linebacker and special teams, but Detroit’s immediate need at safety has become impossible to ignore. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph remain sidelined, while Avonte Maddox is out for the season following foot surgery.
Lions prioritize a thin safety room
By signing Fitzgerald from Pittsburgh’s practice squad, the Lions are adding a young player to the active roster at a position that has been hit hard by injuries.
Detroit already has Chuck Clark, Thomas Harper and Christian Izien among its available safety options, but the team has continued searching for more depth. The release of Bachie shows the front office is willing to make difficult roster decisions to address that short-term need.
The Lions recently confirmed that Branch and Joseph will not return to practice this week, leaving Detroit without its top two projected safeties for at least another game.
Bachie’s Detroit tenure ends
Bachie’s release ends his latest stint with the Lions and opens an opportunity elsewhere for the veteran linebacker.
For Detroit, the transaction is less about moving on from Bachie than it is about roster math. The Lions lost Maddox for the remainder of the season, and Fitzgerald gives the coaching staff another player to evaluate as it attempts to stabilize the secondary.
The Lions’ roster continues to shift quickly ahead of Week 3.
