With the third week of the NFL preseason upon us, we’ll see many players across the league win jobs on the 53-man roster, while others will fall just short.
For those players who fall short of making the 53-man roster, they hope to get signed by a new team or get picked up on the practice squad. The Detroit Lions will have a lot of tough decisions to make at various positions in the coming days after their final preseason game on Friday night.
That said, one former Lions defensive lineman has already been sent packing by his new team after just signing with them earlier this month.
HC Mike Vrabel announces the first wave of transactions for the #Patriots to get down to 53 players:
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) August 22, 2025
LB RJ Moten, DT Kyle Peko, RB Shane Watts, DB Jordan Polk, TE Jaheim Bell, QB Ben Wooldridge, CB Isaiah Bolden, G Tyrese Robinson, and TE Cole Fotheringham.
Former Lions DT Kyle Peko Gets Shown the Door by New England Patriots
According to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com, the New England Patriots cut ties with several players on Friday, including former Lions defender Kyle Peko.
The Pats were one of four teams that played their final preseason game on Thursday night. It was a quick exit for the 32-year-old Peko, who just signed with the Patriots on Aug. 11.
The veteran defensive lineman didn’t play in New England’s preseason opener against the Washington Commanders. However, Peko saw 35 snaps (32 on defense) in the Pats’ second game against the Minnesota Vikings. Despite playing a heavy snap share, he only logged one quarterback hit.
Then, in the preseason finale against the New York Giants, the former Lion played 31 combined snaps (30 – defense) as he got the start. Peko had two combined tackles and a quarterback hit.
Given Peko’s NFL experience and ties to Mike Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, there was a thought that maybe he could sneak onto the 53-man roster as a depth piece on the defensive line.
Last season, Peko played in five games with the Lions before suffering a season-ending torn pectoral muscle. The veteran defensive lineman wasn’t impressive in his short stint in the Motor City, as he had a 36.8 run defense grade on Pro Football Focus.
Nonetheless, with the former Lions defensive tackle being released now by the Pats, it allows him to get another opportunity in the coming days. Teams are always looking for d-line depth, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him on a roster or practice squad before Week 1 begins in a couple of weeks.