By Sunday 
Training camp is heating up in Detroit, and while most of the buzz is about competition and position battles, the Lions made a quiet but telling move on Sunday: they released cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver III with an injury waiver.
For those keeping score, yes—Thomas-Oliver was technically on the roster last year. He joined the Lions late in the season, landed on the practice squad, and eventually earned a futures deal. Unfortunately, the “future” didn’t last long.
This summer hasn’t been kind to him. He started training camp on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list. Then, when he finally suited up on Friday, he didn’t last 24 hours before tweaking his hamstring on Saturday. That was enough for the Lions to decide it was time to move on.
It might feel a little cold, but this is training camp—decisions come fast. Depth matters, and injuries are just part of the brutal calculation.
And no, this doesn’t necessarily mean the Lions are clearing space for a reunion with someone like Za’Darius Smith (as a few hopeful fans speculated online). The more realistic scenario? Detroit is just trimming down a crowded cornerback room that already has names fighting hard for reps.
Let’s not forget: they’ve been active in bringing in competition. Linebacker Kyzir White even made a visit last week, and this move now opens up a spot—just in case the front office liked what they saw.
As for Thomas-Oliver, there’s a chance he could still land on injured reserve if he clears waivers. Or maybe another team takes a flier on the athletic 2020 seventh-round pick out of FIU. He’s got length, experience, and 26 career games under his belt—even if the stat sheet remains mostly clean.
For now, the Lions keep chugging forward in camp. Roster spots are precious, and they’re not waiting around.
Stay tuned for more Detroit Lions coverage as training camp rolls on and the 53-man roster starts to take shape.