Lions Waive Former Second-Round Pick

NFL teams across the league are making their final roster cuts in order to be ready to go when Week 1 rolls around. The Detroit Lions are no different and aim to take a major step up during the 2021 season. The team recently waived a former second-round pick in linebacker Jahlani Tavai.

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Tavai has had an up-and-down two seasons in Detroit. While his size was valued out on the field, he was constantly being exposed due to his lack of speed. Head coach Dan Campbell needs defensive playmakers that can sprint from sideline to sideline and Tavai simply didn't fit that mold.

The 24-year-old has shed almost 20 pounds this past offseason and may make sense as a developmental project for another NFL squad. Overall, Tavai has racked up 116 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 pass breakups and 1 interception over 31 career games played (16 starts).

The Lions are likely looking to lean on a veteran linebacker group highlighted by Jamie Collins Sr. moving forward. Alex Anzalone and Trey Flowers are also set to see a lot of snaps on a team desperately seeking to become tougher on defense (23.6 points per game allowed in 2020).

The Lions remain long shots to make any kind of noise this season in what is expected to be a competitive NFC North division. Detroit has odds set at +620 to make the playoffs and +18000 to win the Super Bowl, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.