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Detroit Lions continuing to churn their roster

By Ash Thompson

LUBBOCK, TX - OCTOBER 31: Chris Lacy #15 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys runs around Nigel Bethel #1 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second quarter on October 31, 2015 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Oklahoma State defeated Texas Tech 70-53. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - OCTOBER 31: Chris Lacy #15 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys runs around Nigel Bethel #1 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second quarter on October 31, 2015 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Oklahoma State defeated Texas Tech 70-53. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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The Detroit Lions have made another move at the bottom of their roster. They have been awarded the services of wide receiver Chris Lac on waivers.

The Detroit Lions claimed wide receiver Chris Lacy off waivers from the New England Patriots yesterday. In a corresponding move, the team parted ways with cornerback Josh Okonye. Lacy joins a Lions wide receiver group that has grown in height this offseason. As pointed out by Kyle Meinke of mlive.com, the Lions 2018 additions to the group have all been 6’1″ or taller but one.

Lacy’s best season in college was a 31 catch 489-yard season. It is not reasonable to expect him to make the team. The obvious question becomes: why does the team bother? There are several reasons for teams to keep tweaking the bottom of their roster. Lions fans should remember that Joique Bell bounced around several teams practice squads before having a couple solid seasons for the Lions. Players like James Harrison, Malcolm Butler, Arian Foster, Allen Hurns, Victor Cruz, John Randle, and Kurt Warner all put together solid careers after going undrafted.

Some immediately proved critics wrong, like Hurns and Butler. Others, however, took a few tries to find their NFL home. Warner and Harrison spent time in multiple teams camps before truly kicking off their NFL careers. One team’s trash can become another team’s treasure.

I am not claiming that Chris Lacy is anything more than a clone of Kenny Golliday. He was likely brought in so that the second or third team offense has a player that will do similar things, though nowhere near as well, as a starter. Lacy ran a similar 40 time to Golladay, but athletically that is where the similarities end. Lacy lacks the quickness and explosiveness that define Golladay. If nothing else, Lacy will give Matt Cassel and Jake Rudock a target moving at the same speed as Golladay on vertical routes.

Next: Red Wings draft prospect Noah Dobson

The Lions wide receiver group is currently 12 players deep. There is not much chance of Lacy making the final roster. Bringing in camp bodies that are capable of mimicking starters for the backup quarterbacks is always a good idea. The Lions will continue to tweak the bottom of the roster. Okonye, for example, was a Detroit Lion for seven days.

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