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The Detroit Lions released three players on Wednesday afternoon: linebacker Steve Longa, tight end Paul Butler and wide receiver Jonathan Duhart. The team confirmed the moves via their official Twitter account.
The Lions announced today that they have released TE Paul Butler, WR Jonathan Duhart and LB Steve Longa.
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) April 15, 2020
Longa is a former undrafted free agent out of Rutgers who signed with the team in 2016. He did not feature much in the four years he was on the team, playing mostly on special teams. He missed the entire 2018 season after suffering an ACL tear in a preseason game.
Jonathan Duhart was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion in 2020. He joined college roommate and Lions sixth-round selection Travis Fulgham on the Lions roster, though he never featured for Detroit in his one season with the team.
Paul Butler joined the Lions at the end of 2019 and signed a futures deal with the team. He was previously with the Oakland Raiders.
The three moves clear up room on the team’s 90-man offseason roster ahead of next week’s NFL draft. The team will likely have to make other similar moves over the next few weeks to clear more space for incoming draftees and undrafted free agents.