Lions' TJ Jones wins 5th WR job; Ross released

TJ Jones had a strong finish to the preseason, and apparently that was enough for the second-year receiver to earn a spot on the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster.

The Lions waived Jeremy Ross and Greg Salas among their roster cuts today, and in the process handed Jones, a sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame last year, a job as the No. 5 receiver.

Ross' release was reported by CBS Sports.

"I think he performed well. I think he did a nice job," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said of Jones after he caught two passes in the Lions' 17-10 win over the Buffalo Bills on Thursday. "I think he did a nice job in terms of special teams and his returns were gutty, and then also obviously, just in terms of him being able to get the ball in the end zone. He showed a flash of speed, caught the ball well. He did nice job."

Jones spent all of his rookie season on the physically unable to perform list because of a nerve problem that resulted from spring shoulder surgery and he began training camp this year down the depth chart behind veterans like Ross, Salas and Lance Moore.

But Jones turned heads with a couple nice punt returns in a preseason-opening win over the New York Jets, and he turned a quick slant into a 64-yard touchdown against the Bills.

With Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate locked into the top two receiver spots, Jones isn't likely to play a big role on offense this fall - Moore and Corey Fuller also are in the receiver rotation - but he could be a viable option in the return game.

The Lions were expected to use rookie running back Ameer Abdullah as their kick- and punt-returner this year, but Jones and Tate both have punt-return experience as well.

Ross handled return duties for the Lions most of the last two years. He caught 24 passes for 314 yards while playing as a slot receiver last year.

■Zen Master: Zenner, who led the NFL with 183 yards rushing on 35 carries this exhibition-season, is another in a long line of undrafted free agents to make the Lions’ initial 53-man roster.

Both Fauria and Moore made the team as undrafted rookies, and Cornelius Lucas and LaAdrian Waddle are other rookie free agents who’ve made an impact with the Lions their first year.

Zenner is expected to backup Joique Bell, Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick in the running back rotation, and perhaps play on special teams.

Winn, one of the Lions’ more dependable special-teams players last year, could return on the practice squad.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Download our free Lions Xtra app on your Apple and Android devices.

Lions' 53-man roster

Active

NO

PLAYER

POS

HT

WT

AGE

YRS

COLLEGE

42

Abdul-Quddus, Isa

FS

6-1

203

26

5

Fordham

21

Abdullah, Ameer

RB

5-9

203

22

R

Nebraska

94

Ansah, Ezekiel

DE

6-6

279

26

3

Brigham Young

35

Bell, Joique

RB

5-11

231

29

5

Wayne State

65

Boggs, Taylor

C

6-3

302

28

3

Humboldt State

46

Burton, Michael

FB

6-0

247

23

R

Rutgers

57

Bynes, Josh

LB

6-1

235

26

4

Auburn

26

Carey, Don

S

5-11

202

28

7

Norfolk State

33

Carter, Alex

CB

6-0

198

20

R

Stanford

95

Copeland, Brandon

LB

6-3

248

24

1

Pennsylvania

28

Diggs, Quandre

CB

5-9

197

23

R

Texas

85

Ebron, Eric

TE

6-4

255

22

2

North Carolina

10

Fuller, Corey

WR

6-2

200

25

2

Virginia Tech

58

Hunt, Phillip

DE

6-1

258

29

3

Houston

32

Ihedigbo, James

SS

6-1

214

31

8

Massachusetts

81

Johnson, Calvin

WR

6-5

237

29

9

Georgia Tech

91

Jones, Jason

DE

6-5

275

29

8

Eastern Michigan

13

Jones, TJ

WR

6-0

190

23

2

Notre Dame

24

Lawson, Nevin

CB

5-10

191

24

2

Utah State

54

Levy, DeAndre

LB

6-2

234

28

7

Wisconsin

50

Lewis, Travis

LB

6-2

235

27

4

Oklahoma

77

Lucas, Cornelius

T

6-9

328

24

2

Kansas State

6

Martin, Sam

P

6-1

211

25

3

Appalachian State

31

Mathis, Rashean

CB

6-1

195

35

13

Bethune-Cookman

16

Moore, Lance

WR

5-9

187

32

10

Toledo

48

Muhlbach, Don

LS

6-4

258

34

12

Texas A&M

92

Ngata, Haloti

DT

6-4

345

31

10

Oregon

8

Orlovsky, Dan

QB

6-5

215

32

10

Connecticut

87

Pettigrew, Brandon

TE

6-5

278

30

7

Oklahoma State

5

Prater, Matt

K

5-10

211

31

9

Central Florida

27

Quin, Glover

FS

6-0

207

29

7

New Mexico

63

Ramirez, Manny

G

6-3

325

32

9

Texas Tech

97

Reid, Caraun

DT

6-2

298

23

2

Princeton

71

Reiff, Riley

T

6-6

308

26

4

Iowa

25

Riddick, Theo

RB

5-9

201

24

3

Notre Dame

70

Robinson, Corey

OT

6-7

316

23

R

South Carolina

23

Slay, Darius

CB

6-1

190

24

3

Mississippi State

9

Stafford, Matthew

QB

6-3

236

27

7

Georgia

64

Swanson, Travis

C

6-5

307

24

2

Arkansas

52

Tapp, Darryl

DE

6-1

270

30

10

Virginia Tech

15

Tate, Golden

WR

5-10

198

27

6

Notre Dame

98

Taylor, Devin

DE

6-7

275

25

3

South Carolina

72

Tomlinson, Laken

OG

6-3

322

23

R

Duke

55

Tulloch, Stephen

LB

5-11

246

30

10

N.C. State

53

Van Noy, Kyle

LB

6-3

248

24

2

BYU

66

Waddle, LaAdrian

T

6-6

328

24

3

Texas Tech

93

Walker, Tyrunn

DT

6-3

305

25

4

Tulsa

75

Warford, Larry

G

6-3

332

24

3

Kentucky

59

Whitehead, Tahir

LB

6-2

241

25

4

Temple

30

Wilson, Josh

CB

5-9

187

30

9

Maryland

90

Wright, Gabe

DT

6-3

305

23

R

Auburn

89

Wright, Timothy

TE

6-4

220

25

3

Rutgers

41

Zenner, Zach

RB

5-11

222

23

R

South Dakota St.

Reserve/Injured

NO

PLAYER

POS

HT

WT

AGE

YRS

COLLEGE

68

Keyton, Darren

G

6-3

312

25

1

Central Michigan

44

Owens, Chris

CB

5-9

179

28

7

San Jose State

18

Salas, Greg

WR

6-2

214

27

5

Hawaii

46

Snyder, Kevin

LB

6-2

240

23

R

Rutgers

82

Thompson, Jordan

TE

6-4

256

26

1

Ohio

99

Wootton, Corey

DE

6-6

284

28

6

Northwestern