Detroit signs Daniel Thomas after trading Tim Patrick to Jacksonville, trimming the roster to 50 and reshaping the safety depth chart. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph remain the starting pair, with Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox added versatility in the secondary. Thomas brings 71 Jaguars games and 1,184 special-teams snaps, underscoring a shift toward depth and coverage ability over pure defensive upside.

The Patrick move to Jaguars clears cap and space for Lions decisions, while Thomas’ signing reinforces Detroit’s emphasis on special-teams value and cohesive camp performance. Dan Campbell stressed evaluating the full body of work, not just preseason flashes, as Detroit curates a 50-man active roster for Week 1.