Lions Sign Former UFL Cornerback to Bolster Secondary
The Detroit Lions have made a move to strengthen their cornerback position by signing former Saginaw Valley State standout, Nick Whiteside.
On Monday, the 25-year-old cornerback was added to the Lions’ roster and took part in practice, donning No. 38. Whiteside most recently played for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL during the spring season.
A two-time Division II All-American during his college career, Whiteside recorded 12 interceptions over 43 games. After going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, he initially signed with the Washington Commanders, spending much of the season on their practice squad.
The Michigan native made his NFL regular-season debut in Week 17 of the 2023 season and stayed with the Commanders through the start of the following training camp. However, he was waived by Washington on Aug. 27, 2024.
Whiteside then joined the St. Louis Battlehawks for the spring UFL season, where he contributed 16 tackles and four pass breakups across 10 regular-season games. He has now been brought in as a replacement in the secondary for Stantley Thomas-Oliver, who was waived by the Lions on Sunday due to injury.
Personnel Moves:
In addition to signing Whiteside, the Lions also announced several changes within their Player Personnel and Football Operations departments. Here’s a breakdown of the staff changes:
Player Personnel:
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Don Corzine – Director, Scouting Operations/Special Assistant to the General Manager
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Michael Pelfrey – Manager of Scouting Advancement
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Austin White – Personnel Assistant
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Bri Howard – Personnel Assistant
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Brandon Crank – Scouting Assistant
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Evan Ford – Nunn Wooten Scouting Fellow
Football Operations:
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Jessica Gray – Senior Director of Player Engagement
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Caio Brighenti – Director, Football Information
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Scott Nealon – Director of Performance Nutrition
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Paul Ibrahim – Lead Decision Science Analyst, Football Information
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Haley English – Lead Advance Scouting Analyst, Football Information
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Brandon Harlin – Player Engagement Coordinator
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Lauren Crawford – Team Operations Assistant
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