Detroit Lions Waive DT Demetrius Taylor

The Detroit Lions announced a roster decision Thursday afternoon following practice. 

Undrafted rookie free agent defensive tackle Demetrius Taylor has been waived, according to the team. 

Taylor was the only undrafted rookie who was able to earn a spot on the team's initial 53-man roster after training camp. 

If other NFL teams pass on claiming the talented rookie, he likely will have an opportunity to return and continue his development on the 16-man practice squad. 

Playing time likely diminished for the young rookie, as John Cominsky returned to the lineup after undergoing hand surgery. 

The 23-year-old played collegiately at Appalachian State.

Detroit's coaching staff immediately took to Taylor, who consistently found himself making plays and getting into the backfield during training camp practices.

"Yeah ‘Sawed Off,’ that’s AG’s (Aaron Glenn) name for him. This kid is -- man, he works, and he’s a grinder,” Dan Campbell told reporters about Taylor's training camp performance. 

His sole appearance was in Detroit's 29-0 loss to the New England Patriots. 

Aaron Glenn hopeful after defensive turnaround 

Following a solid defensive effort against the Cowboys, Detroit's defensive coaching staff is looking to build off what they were able to accomplish through three quarters on the road. 

"Obviously disappointed that we didn’t get the win this past week, but a number of positives came out of this game," said Glenn. "When you look at our young players that stepped up, just the overall effort of the defense, the overall looking to make plays, looking to right the ship for the most part, and trending in the right direction for the last two games. Again, there’s no moral victories for us as coaches and as players, but we are excited with the go-forward of a lot of our guys.”