The Detroit Lions hoped to bring Starling Thomas V back on their practice squad after they cut the rookie cornerback Tuesday. The Arizona Cardinals had other ideas.
The Cardinals were awarded Thomas off waivers Wednesday, the only Lions cut claimed by another team.
The Lions did not make any waiver claims.
Thomas had an impressive spring after signing with the Lions as an undrafted free agent and played mostly with the second-team defense this summer, but his play plateaued enough in training camp that the Lions exposed him to waivers as one of their final roster cuts.
Undrafted rookie cornerback Steven Gilmore, special teams ace Khalil Dorsey, do-everything veteran Will Harris and oft-injured safety Ifeatu Melifonwu made the Lions’ initial 53-man roster as back-end defensive backs.
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With Wednesday’s waiver claims processed, the Lions began forming their practice squad, signing offensive tackle Connor Galvin and receiver Dylan Drummond.
Including Thomas, the Cardinals were awarded a league-high six players off waivers: tight end Elijah Higgins, defensive back K’Von Wallace and offensive linemen Ilm Manning, Keith Ismael and Trystan Colon.
Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.