Detroit Lions reportedly waiving/injured S C.J. Moore

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Detroit Lions are planning to waive safety C.J. Moore with an injury designation.

Moore has been dealing with a lower leg injury for several weeks now and was seen in a walking boot during the final week of training camp. Per Fowler, if Moore clears waivers, he will revert back to the team’s injured reserve list, ending his 2022 season (unless the Lions release him again with an injury settlement).

Moore has long been one of the team’s major contributors on special teams, ranking in the top five of special teams snaps for the Lions in each of his three seasons. Last year he saw his most work on defense, logging 158 snaps, 22 tackles, and his first career interception—picking off Jordan Love in Detroit’s season finale win over the Green Bay Packers.

The Lions are a bit shorthanded at safety at the moment with second-year defender Ifeatu Melifonwu also dealing with an injury that is likely to keep him out for at least Week 1. That leaves Tracy Walker, DeShon Elliott, rookie Kerby Joseph, and JuJu Hughes as the only remaining healthy safeties on the roster. All four of those safeties could be safe on the roster, but don’t forget that Detroit could also use Will Harris or Chase Lucas at safety, if necessary.

With this move, the Lions are reportedly down to 68 players, with 15 more moves necessary to get the team down to the 53-man roster limit by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline. You can track all of the Lions’ moves thus far here.