Yes, the Detroit Lions do have to trim their active roster down to 80 players prior to 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday but it is possible that they can pull that off without actually having to cut any players.
The NFL has some new rules in place this season as for when teams must trim their rosters down during training camp and the second date is coming on Tuesday afternoon, which means the Lions will have some important decisions to make.
Currently, the Lions roster sits at 85 players and they will have until Aug. 23 to trim that roster down to the maximum of 80 players.
Because of that, the Lions will have to make a decision on five of their players by Tuesday.
Here are the NFL‘s mandatory roster cutdown dates for the remainder of training camp.
Aug. 23: reduce to 80
Aug. 30: reduce to 53
How the Detroit Lions can avoid making any cuts at all before deadline
The Detroit Lions have to cut their active roster down to 80 players prior to 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday but it’s very possible they can pull that off without actually having to cut anyone at all.
Thanks to a new NFL rule, the Lions could actually shift the status of five of their players who are currently on the PUP or NFI list from “active” to “reserve”.
If the Lions decide to go that route with WR Jameson Williams, EDGE Romeo Okwara, FB Jason Cabinda, CB Jerry Jacobs, and/or DE Josh Paschal, that would mean fewer players (or potentially zero) players would have to be cut by Tuesday’s deadline.
Click here to see which of the players listed above we believe will land on the PUP list/NFI list to start the season.
Here’s what you need to know about the 2022 NFL cut-down days
From Yahoo:
What is an NFL cut-down day?
In the final weeks between preseason and the regular season, NFL teams shed nearly half their roster in a series of three cut-down days. These are designated across the league, starting with gradual cuts before the third cut-down day when the roster drops to 53.
When are the NFL roster cut dates for 2022?
The NFL cut-down dates and their quotas for 2022 are as follows:
- August 16: 90 to 85 players
- August 23: 85 to 80 players
- August 30: 80 to 53 players
The deadline for cuts is 4 p.m. ET on each date.
Those dates coincide with each of the three weeks of preseason games.
How many players are on an NFL team?
NFL teams are allowed 53 players on the roster, plus a 16-member practice squad. However, only 47 players — 48 if the roster includes at least eight offensive linemen — can suit up per game under the new collective bargaining agreement.
What are the other key dates after NFL cutdowns?
After cut-down days, it’s full steam ahead toward the regular season, which is set to begin Sept. 8. The next major date to keep an eye out for is the trade deadline on Nov. 1.