The Detroit Lions are holding their final training camp practice of the 2026 offseason on Thursday, but that doesn’t mean the front office is done trying to find solutions for the roster. The Lions still have one preseason game remaining, and with a few injuries in the secondary, they’ve signed corner Eric Scott Jr. to their 90-man roster.
Scott started his college career at Illinois State and worked his way up through Butler Community College to Southern Mississippi. He started the next two and a half seasons for the Golden Eagles and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys, who traded up into the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft to secure him. He made the roster as a rookie, but didn’t see the field as he was declared inactive each game.
In 2024, the Cowboys waived Scott near the end of training camp, and the Kansas City Chiefs claimed him off waivers (ironically, the team the Cowboys traded with to draft Scott). Scott ended up on the Chiefs’ practice squad that season; then, the following training camp, he suffered an injury that forced him to injured reserve and cost him the 2025 season.
Ahead of the Lions’ final training camp practice, coach Dan Campbell noted that he’s not sure if he’ll play his starters in the final preseason game (it’d be surprising if he did), and with a couple of injuries in the secondary—most notably Nick Whiteside at corner—adding a player like Scott could give the Lions the depth they need to close out the preseason.
While the road to a spot on the roster is steep for Scott, there’s a chance for him to get some extended playing time and put some things on tape for the Lions and 31 other NFL teams. If he shows well, a spot on a team’s practice squad could be in his future.
The Lions have not announced a corresponding move at this time.