Kansas City Chiefs running back Deneric Prince (34) runs the ball as former Detroit Lions defensive end Isaac Ukwu (45) chases Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Detroit Lions Waive DE From Practice Squad

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By John Maakaron | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 1:02 PM ET

The Detroit Lions officially announced a corresponding practice squad roster decision, after officially signing veteran quarterback C.J. Beathard.

Isaac Ukwu, who made the decision to bulk up physically this offseason, was waived. The talented defender played collegiately at James Madison (2017-2022) and at Ole Miss (2023). He went undrafted and landed on the Lions' practice squad last season.

"I just wanted to be stronger, honestly,” Ukwu expressed during the preseason. “Looking back at some of the games last year, I wasn’t very firm setting the edge, especially against Minnesota. That was the main thing, and being able to play inside was kind of a byproduct of that.”

He noticed the added muscle assisted him to hold the edge much better throughout training camp.

Ukwu noted, “I feel like I’ve been able to hold the edge firmer, and my power rushes look a lot better this year. It definitely helped.”

Detroit made the decision to add multiple defensive ends after the initial 53-man roster was established. Detroit's coaching staff and front office has expressed a certain level of comfort with the defensive line room heading into the start of the season.

For Ukwu, his current journey in Motown has come to a close.

“I feel like I want to keep building upon that and keep getting better and better, like I did last year in the preseason and throughout the season,” Ukwu said. “I’ve definitely been getting better, more comfortable, and more confident with how I’ve been playing.”

Dan Campbell expresses confidence on coordinators

Ahead of the 2025 season, one of the biggest narratives impacting how pundits view the Lions has been the team hiring two new coordinators after Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson departed for head coaching positions.

Speaking last week, Dan Campbell noted he has very high confidence in the coordinators selected to fill some pretty big shoes.

“Yeah, it’s high. It’s high. I have a lot of confidence in both of those guys," Campbell said. "I think they’re going to do a good job. I think our players are going to pick up the slack and make us right when we’re not, that’s the beauty of our roster. We’ve got guys that - the good players, but man, they put in the work, pretty detailed. They’re smart, they work at it and they’ll find a way to make it right and that’s always going to give you a chance.”

This article first appeared on Detroit Lions on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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