Detroit Lions waive center Seth McLaughlin and running back Jabari Small

The Detroit Lions released center Seth McLaughlin and running back Jabari Small on Wednesday. Both players were on the team's initial 53-man roster announced earlier this week. The decision follows a strategy to avoid injury settlements, as both players were injured at the time of final roster cuts. McLaughlin had been dealing with a concussion, while Small was also listed with an injury heading into the regular season. These moves create two open spots on the active roster for general manager Brad Holmes to fill. The Lions backfield currently consists of Jahmyr Gibbs, Jacob Saylors, and Sione Vaki, with Isiah Pacheco remaining on injured reserve.

• 8:38 PMYahoo Sports — Lions open 2 roster spots by waiving Seth McLaughlin, Jabari Small
• 8:33 PMYahoo Sports — Lions waive RB Jabari Small, C Seth McLaughlin
• 8:14 PMYahoo Sports — Detroit Lions Waive 2 Players in Latest Roster Shuffle