Lions Sign Three Tryout Players, Cut Two

The Detroit Lions announced Monday that they’ve signed WR Deontez Alexander, CB Josh Okonye and TE Marcus Lucas.

The Lions also waived WR Kyle Lewis and waived-injured TE Brandon Barnes.

Should Barnes clear waivers on Tuesday, he would revert to the Lions’ injured reserve list.

Barnes, 23, originally signed on with the Lions as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama State back in May of last year. He was among Detroit’s final roster cuts and signed on with the Jets two weeks later.

However, New York decided to waive him a week later and it took until December before he returned to the Lions. Detroit brought Barnes back on a futures contract this past January.

During his four-year college career, Barnes recorded 29 receptions for 436 yards receiving (15 YPC) and six touchdowns.

Lucas, 25, wound up signing on with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri back in back in 2014. He wound up spending his rookie year on the Panthers’ practice squad and later returned to Carolina on a future/reserve contract. However, the Panthers waived him at the start of the 2015 season.

Since then, Lucas has played for the Dolphins, Bears and Panthers before signing on to the Seahawks’ practice squad last year. Seattle signed Lucas to a futures deal last January only to eventually waive him from injured reserve with a settlement before the start of the regular season.

Lucas has yet to appear in an NFL game.