Lions Move on From Versatile Safety Loren Strickland
The Detroit Lions have officially parted ways with safety Loren Strickland after the third-year defensive back suffered an injury during training camp.
Detroit waived Strickland on Wednesday with an injury settlement, according to the NFL transaction wire. The move came two days after the Lions initially waived him with an injury designation.
Strickland cleared waivers and temporarily returned to Detroit’s injured reserve, but the injury settlement now makes him a free agent. He will be able to sign with another team once he is healthy.
Strickland appeared in nine games for the Lions during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. His opportunities on defense were limited, but he primarily contributed on special teams. He played 78 special-teams snaps in 2024 and 33 more in 2025, along with 14 defensive snaps last season.
The safety’s only two career tackles came in the same game, when he recorded one solo stop and one assist during Detroit’s Week 7 Monday Night Football matchup in 2025.
Strickland entered the NFL with a reputation for being a versatile defensive back. During the 2024 draft process, evaluators highlighted his ability to contribute both as a hybrid safety and nickel defender while also potentially becoming a key special-teams player.
He spent his final two collegiate seasons at Ball State. As a senior, Strickland recorded 31 tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass breakups, one sack and one forced fumble.
Lions Dealing With Multiple Safety Injuries
Strickland isn’t the only safety Detroit has lost to injury this offseason. Veterans Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph have both remained on the physically unable to perform list since training camp began.
With those two unavailable, newcomers Chuck Clark and Christian Izien have handled much of the work at safety.
Strickland wasn’t expected to compete for a starting position, even if Branch or Joseph weren’t ready for Week 1. However, his versatility could have made him a useful option while the Lions navigated their injury situation.
Detroit still has Thomas Harper, Avonte Maddox and Dan Jackson available at safety as the team continues preparing for the regular season.
The Lions will get another opportunity to evaluate their remaining depth when they host the Washington Commanders on Saturday, Aug. 22, with kickoff scheduled for noon ET.
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