Detroit added Thomas Harper off waivers from Las Vegas to fill the Lions’ final 53-man roster spot. Harper started five games and appeared in 15 for the Raiders last season. The move came after Detroit traded Tim Patrick to the Jaguars for a draft pick, signed ex-Jaguars safety Daniel Thomas, and added two defensive linemen off waivers. Harper will compete with Thomas and other defensive backs for roles in a crowded Detroit secondary.

Additionally, the Lions are integrating Harper into a group that already features seasoned safeties and versatile defensive backs, signaling a push for depth and upside in IDP formats. Fantasy players should monitor how he works into sub-packages and special-teams, as any early path to starting snaps could unlock immediate fantasy utility.

Detroit signs Daniel Thomas after trading Tim Patrick to Jacksonville, trimming the roster to 50 and reshaping the safety depth chart. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph remain the starting pair, with Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox added versatility in the secondary. Thomas brings 71 Jaguars games and 1,184 special-teams snaps, underscoring a shift toward depth and coverage ability over pure defensive upside.

The Patrick move to Jaguars clears cap and space for Lions decisions, while Thomas’ signing reinforces Detroit’s emphasis on special-teams value and cohesive camp performance. Dan Campbell stressed evaluating the full body of work, not just preseason flashes, as Detroit curates a 50-man active roster for Week 1.

Daniel Thomas signed with the Detroit Lions after Jacksonville cut him, giving Detroit a veteran special-teams option and depth at safety. Thomas has been a steady ST contributor, racking up 200+ snaps in each of the last four seasons, a trait Lions fans will value as they shuffle safeties behind their top options.

Jacksonville moved on as Rayuan Lane, an experienced college-level special-teams standout, flashed in camp and could carve out a rookie role on special teams. The Jaguars’ depth at safety—Eric Murray, Darnell Savage, Antonio Johnson, and Andrew Wingard—made Thomas expendable, sealing the move to Detroit.

Two Jaguars UDFA edge players, Danny Striggow and BJ Green II, earned spots in Jacksonville’s 53-man roster, signaling a heavier rotation at defensive end. The club also trimmed its special-teams core by releasing Chad Muma and Daniel Thomas, while Jack Kiser and Rayuan Lane stepped in as core ST contributors. The WR room sits at five, with potential future additions still on the radar. This blend of youth, pass-rush upside, and a retooled special-teams group frames a Jaguars roster built for versatile depth and weekly fantasy upside.

Striggow and Green’s camp performances give Jacksonville opposite veteran anchors a flexible edge package, while Muma and Thomas’ departures hint at a sharper focus on speed and playmaking in the return game. Kiser’s steady outplay of Muma in camp underscores a trend of rapid depth-chart reshaping under GM James Gladstone. Keep an eye on how these shifts influence snap shares and ST scoring as the season unfolds.