Veteran full back Jason Cabinda made a comeback from the injured reserve for the Detroit Lions in time for their Week 17 face-off against the Dallas Cowboys. However, his return was brief.
The Lions, just one day after activating Cabinda on December 28, surprisingly waived him on December 29. In a corresponding move, the team signed kicker Michael Badgley to the active roster from their practice squad.
Over the past five seasons, Cabinda had been with the Lions, transitioning from linebacker to full back during that period. In the current season, he appeared in three games for the team.
On the same day, December 29, the Lions also released defensive lineman Chris Smith from the practice squad and added offensive
lineman Michael Schofield.
Despite the unexpected release of Cabinda, it appears the move was made to create an open roster spot for potential activations. One such player could be safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who returned to practice on December 20 after sustaining a pectoral muscle injury in Week 2. Although ruled out for Week 17, the Lions may be preparing for Gardner-Johnson’s return in Week 18.
In anticipation of their upcoming matchup on December 30, the Lions activated the 21-day practice window for linebacker James Houston, who has been sidelined since Week 2 with an ankle injury. SB Nation’s Jeremy Reisman suggested the team might also consider signing defensive end Bruce Irvin to the active roster using the available spot.
Cabinda, who started his NFL career as an undrafted free agent linebacker for the then Oakland Raiders in 2018, played 10 games in his rookie season, including three starts. After joining the Lions in 2019, he played four games primarily on special teams. Following his return to Detroit the next season, Cabinda made the switch to full back.
While Cabinda had limited playing time this season with only 26 offensive snaps and 54 special teams snaps, there is a possibility of him returning to the Lions on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Lions Sign Kicker Michael Badgley to Active Roster
With the release of Cabinda, the Lions have officially addressed their kicker situation. Badgley took over from Riley Patterson, who had been the kicker in every game for the Lions until Week 15. Subsequently, Patterson was released to create space for quarterback Hendon Hooker on the active roster on December 19.
Badgley had been elevated from the practice squad for the past two games, and the Lions, by signing him, avoided the possibility of maximizing their options with a veteran kicker. In the two games played, Badgley successfully made his only field-goal attempt of the season for the Lions and has a 9-for-10 record on extra-point tries, with the only miss being a blocked attempt.
Throughout his six-year NFL career, Badgley has an 81.9% success rate on field goals.
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