Lions Part Ways With Former Starting Safety in Abrupt Roster Move
The Detroit Lions were forced to turn to a group of little-known defensive backs to lead their secondary amid a flurry of injuries this season, with the group even earning the nickname “Legion of Whom” for their relative anonymity in the NFL.
But the Lions have started to get some key players back, and one of the fill-in defensive backs is looking for a new home. The team announced that safety Erick Hallett had been released from the active roster, making way for some returning players.
The release came just hours before the Lions kicked off against the New York Giants in a game with big playoff implications.
Former Sixth-Round Pick Saw First NFL Action This Season
Hallett came into the NFL as a sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023, but got his first NFL experience this year when he appeared in two games for the Lions with one start. He made a total of eight tackles in that time, with opposing quarterbacks targeting him nine times and completing six of those passes for 75 yards.
Hallett came up big in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, part of a group that drew praise from defensive coordinator Kelvin Shappard.
“The ‘Legion of Whom,’ they introduced themselves to the NFL,” Sheppard said,
Sheppard added that the group of fill-ins did well stopping Tampa’s strong passing game, and mentioned Hallett by name when praising the group.
“For them to not only get that opportunity but make the most of it — Erick Hallett, Art Maulet, Tyrus Wheat — the names go on and on of guys who went out and not only played and held the line, but put some pressure on some of our starters,” he said.
The Lions can still bring Hallett back to the practice squad, where he started this season before earning a call-up to the active roster in October.
Lions Get Back on Track With Big Win
The Lions jumped back to the top of the NFC North with a gritty win over the Giants on Sunday, battling back after trailing for the majority of the game and winning 34-27 in overtime.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said the team took some calculated risks and were lucky to see things fall their way. The Giants also rolled the dice, including a fourth-down attempt when they could have kicked a field goal to extend their lead to six points late in the game, but saw it backfire on them.
“That very easily — a number of times — could’ve gone the other way, but it didn’t,” Campbell said. “We made the plays we had to make.”
Kirk Cousins' Statement Victory Could Shape Falcons' Outlook for Next Season
The Falcons needed more than a win in New Orleans. They needed a message. They needed a sign that the veteran leading them through the storm still had command of the locker room and the offense.
Kirk Cousins delivered that message with a performance that felt bigger than the final score. It was calm, it was efficient, and it was exactly the kind of statement Atlanta needed as it stares toward a future built around recovery, development, and belief.
This matchup came at the worst possible time for a team that has been searching for answers since Week 6. Atlanta had taken two games to overtime and lost both. The offense sputtered far too often. Third down conversions vanished. Momentum never lasted long enough to matter. Then came the blow that rattled the entire direction of the franchise.
Michael Penix Jr. suffered another season ending knee injury, the third of his football career, and the Falcons watched the quarterback they drafted to shape their future prepare for reconstructive surgery. The pressure shifted immediately to Cousins.
This was not supposed to be his story anymore. Atlanta signed Cousins to guide the present while Penix learned the ropes. But football rarely honors clean timelines. The moment Penix went down, Cousins became the bridge to 2026. What the Falcons needed in New Orleans was a veteran who could steady the team in its lowest hour.
Cousins answered every part of the assignment. His numbers were not designed to impress fantasy or Betpack sheets. They were designed to stabilize a franchise. Sixteen completions on twenty three attempts.
One interception that came on a throw he was right to make. A game sealing touchdown to Darnell Mooney, delivered with confidence and touch. A physical scramble where he lowered his shoulder to secure a first down, a moment that sent a message louder than any stat line.
Raheem Morris shaped the offense around Cousins with more under center work and play action. Cousins rewarded that trust by refusing to get in the way of the game. He played within rhythm. He kept the chains moving. He let the defense take control of the night while he kept the offense on schedule.
Cousins may not be Atlanta’s long term answer, but he is the right answer for right now. This win was more than a temporary lift. It was a statement that the Falcons can still build, still compete, and still trust the veteran who is carrying them toward next season. If this is the tone setter for 2025, Atlanta finally has something real to lean on again.
