The Detroit Lions made a flurry of moves Tuesday, none more surprising than the waiving of right tackle LaAdrian Waddle, who began the season as the team's starter.
Waddle was an undrafted free agent in 2013 and ended up as the team's starter at right tackle by midseason due to injuries to Jason Fox and Corey Hilliard. Waddle had played well and looked to potentially be the right tackle of the future in Detroit.
He struggled with injuries in 2014 and 2015, including a season-ending ACL injury in 2014 and a concussion. Waddle never seemed to regain his form following the ACL injury. He played 347 snaps in 2015, but had faded from the lineup in the second half of the season after being replaced by Michael Ola. He had been a healthy inactive three of the past four weeks, including Sunday against St. Louis.
The Lions now have starters Ola and Riley Reiff, Cornelius Lucas and rookie Corey Robinson at tackle.
Detroit claimed center Gabe Ikard, who has bounced between Tennessee, Buffalo and Cleveland after being undrafted out of Oklahoma in 2014. The team also signed tight end Bear Pascoe to replace Brandon Pettigrew, who was placed on injured reserve.
Pascoe is primarily a blocking tight end and has played in 82 games, making 40 catches for 336 yards and two touchdowns -- primarily with the New York Giants.
The Lions also made a practice squad move Tuesday, signing defensive back Kendall James, who was drafted in the sixth round by Minnesota in 2014 and has been with the Vikings, San Diego and Cleveland so far in his career. To make room for James, the Lions cut Stanley Jean-Baptiste, the former second round pick of the New Orleans Saints.
