Lions release CB following news of arrest warrant

One day after it was learned an arrest warrant was out for Cameron Sutton, his Lions tenure ended. The veteran corner has been released, per a team announcement.

A report from Wednesday detailed how a warrant for Sutton’s arrest has been in place for nearly two weeks. Police currently cannot locate the 29-year-old, who is facing a charge of domestic battery by strangulation. In advance of potential legal and NFL punishments, his Lions contract has been terminated.

The former third-rounder is wanted in connection with an incident that occurred in Lutz, Florida. Sutton is alleged to have been involved in a domestic incident with a woman, with evidence of wounds found on the victim’s body. He fled the scene at the time of the incident, and ESPN’s Eric Woodward reports Sutton has still yet to surrender himself to police.

The Lions signed Sutton to a three-year, $33M contract last offseason. That deal called for $10.5M in base salary in 2024, $9M of which was guaranteed. However, NFL suspensions void guaranteed compensation, and while it is too early to know if it will be relevant, convictions are not necessary for league bans to be imposed. Detroit could also attempt to recoup the outstanding $8.72M of Sutton’s $10.9M signing bonus, which has not already been paid out on the cap.

The Lions made Sutton a central part of their efforts to add in the secondary in 2023, and the former Steeler was a full-time starter in his debut campaign with Detroit. The team once again prioritized CB moves concerning free agency this offseason, resulting in the trade acquisition of Carlton Davis from the Buccaneers. Amik Robertson was also added on a two-year deal, and returnee Emmanuel Moseley will join those arrivals in 2024.

With Sutton no longer in the picture, cornerback will be a position of focus for the Lions ahead of next month’s draft. Meanwhile, For Sutton, this news jeopardizes his NFL future.