Detroit Lions waiving veteran safety Jayron Kearse

A few weeks ago, the Detroit Lions made a somewhat surprising move of waiving veteran receiver Marvin Hall. This week, with just one game remaining in the regular season, the Lions made another mildly surprising move. As first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Lions are waiving veteran safety Jayron Kearse.

The Lions signed Kearse to a one-year deal back in free agency, and after serving his three-game suspension, he became a full-time starter for Detroit. In 11 game appearances and seven starts, Kearse racked up 59 tackles, two passes defended and one forced fumble.

Though the move is a bit curious, the Lions only had Kearse under contract for one more game. And while this removes Detroit’s chances of re-signing him—and any chance at a compensatory pick—it does allow the Lions to give their younger players like Tracy Walker and Will Harris more playing time in the finale against the Vikings. By waiving Kearse, too, the Lions allow the veteran safety to find a team in the playoff hunt that could use some safety depth or special teams skills.