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Lions Make Roster Cuts Official

By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby

With NFL rules mandating that teams' rosters be trimmed to 53 men Saturday, here are the biggest storylines from the Lions' cut day.

Detroit keeps only two quarterbacks

The Lions have, in recent history at least, always kept three quarterbacks on the roster. But with the release of Kellen Moore, Detroit's quarterback position is filled out by a duo, starter Matthew Stafford and backup Dan Orlovsky. Moore and Orlovsky had been battling it out during the preseason for the backup spot, but it turns out they were battling to just have their name on the roster, too.

Both quarterbacks kind of slogged through the preseason, and neither one exactly stood out as a star backup. If anything serious happens to Stafford this season, the Lions might be in trouble behind center.

Expect Zenner on the field at some point

The hottest storyline all preseason was whether or not undrafted rookie running back Zach Zenner would make the team. And now that he's earned his spot (with the release of George Winn), the question now becomes how Detroit actually uses him. Zenner showed enough physicality, elusiveness and nose for the end zone that it would be tough to imagine a season where he isn't used at least in some capacity. Expect at least a few special packages where the rookie out of South Dakota State could be utilized.

That Tim Wright trade spelled the end for Joseph Fauria

Almost everyone inferred that the likely outcome of the Lions trading for tight end Tim Wright was the end of Joseph Fauria's Detroit career. And on Saturday, that came about. Wright stuck, and Fauria, who just two seasons ago had seven touchdowns for the Lions, was sent packing. He tweeted his appreciation for the city, where he's been for two years:

Now that Fauria is gone, will Wright give some good competition to second-year starter Eric Ebron too?

TJ Jones earns fifth receiver spot

With the Lions likely only keeping five receivers on the roster, it was also likely that at least one of the Greg Salas-Jeremy Ross-Jones group would be cut. Both Salas (who had a good preseason with 10 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown) and Ross (who has been used as a returner last season) got the ax.

Jones had a huge final preseason game Thursday against Buffalo, where he had two catches for 80 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown. He also had an 18-yard punt return. Although Jones could see some return time during the regular season, rookie running back Ameer Abdullah will probably handle most of those duties.

It would have been interesting to see if Saturday would have shaken out differently, had Salas not injured his knee in Thursday's game. Before he left the field injured, he caught two passes for 21 yards, and he was the team's leading receiver during the preseason.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Salas' injury isn't serious:

Sometimes one game isn't enough

Defensive tackle Kerry Hyder had the night of his life Thursday, recovering three fumbles from Bills quarterback Matt Sims. If it had happened in the regular season, that stat line would have been historical. But since it was in the preseason, it didn't count. And now, Hyder won't see the regular season, at least with Detroit. He was one of the cut day casualties off the defensive line, along with end Larry Webster (one of the Lions' draft picks last year) and tackle Jerel Worthy.

One of the biggest things that football coaches, including Lions head man Jim Caldwell, preach is consistency. You can have a ridiculous night, like Hyder did this week, but if you can't put those performances together on a regular basis, teams eventually move on.

Corey Wootton to the IR

First reported by the Detroit News, Corey Wootton was considered one of the 22 official transactions Saturday, after he was put on season-ending injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle that he suffered in Thursday's game.

Final list of cuts

Below are the names and positions of those cut on Saturday, not including Wootton being moved to injured reserve:

QB Kellen Moore
RB George Winn
FB Emil Igwenagu
WR Jeremy Ross
WR Greg Salas
TE Joseph Fauria
TE Casey Pierce
C Braxston Cave
G/C Torrian Wilson
OT Xavier Proctor
C Joe Madsen
OG Al Bond
DE Larry Webster
DT Jermelle Cudjo
DT Jerel Worthy
DT Kerry Hyder
LB Julian Stanford
CB Crezdon Butler
S Isaiah Johnson
S Brian Suite
S Nate Ness

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