For Lions' fans who follow the team's transaction news with rapt attention, the 72 hours before full-squad training camp workouts begin can seem like information overload. Within the last two days, Detroit has severed ties with presumptive No. 2 cornerback Aaron Berry, signed a quartet of players, and assigned three others to injury lists.
Many of these changes are routine transactions, and the Lions aren't alone in making them. Just about every team in the league makes moves like this to lock players up before camp starts. Here's a look at how Detroit's recent activity will impact the team:
Injury list assignments
PUP list: Detroit placed 2012 draft picks DE Ronnell Lewis (undisclosed) and CB Chris Greenwood (abdominal surgery) on the Physically unable to Perform (PUP) Tuesday. This serves as insurance in case players who are injured in football activities during the offseason can't practice. It's a move that must be made before camp because once a player practices, they're removed from the list. Players on the list are eligible for regular-season PUP protection, which gives them six extra weeks to recover without counting against the 53-man roster. Both Greenwood and Lewis are “project player” rookies, so their absence won't pose a serious problem to Detroit's training camp plans. Impact: Low.
Non-football injury list: The Lions placed 2012 second-round pick WR Ryan Broyles (ACL) on this list Tuesday. The list acts just like PUP for players whose injuries didn't happen as a result of NFL activities. Broyles' ACL injury happened in college, so he didn't qualify for PUP. While Lions' fans won't like seeing their team's second-round pick on the sidelines, remember that GM Martin Mayhew said during the draft that Detroit's existing WR depth gives the team time for the electric Broyles to recover at his own pace. They can always remove him from the list when he's ready, but the extra roster protection it provides makes this an easy call. Impact: Low.
Roster moves
Add: T Jonathan Scott. Cut: T Johnny Culbreath. This was a no-brainer move for Mayhew. A 2011 seventh-round pick, Culbreath missed his entire first season due to illness. He was one of the players arrested for marijuana offenses this offseason, but avoiding that incident likely wouldn't have prevented his release. Scott's a former Lions' draft pick who started 14 games – three in the playoffs -- over the last two seasons in Pittsburgh. When you have the chance to sign a player who has veteran experience and can add to the O-line competition in camp, you do it. Impact: Moderate.
Add: CB Drew Coleman -- no corresponding release announced. The team's website reports that Detroit acquired a legitimate contender for its vacant No. 2 cornerback slot Wednesday when they signed Coleman. The six-year veteran appeared in all 16 games – starting four-- for the Jaguars last season. He made 46 tackles and defended nine passes, but Jacksonville released him because they believed he would be nothing more than a slot CB. Despite his reputation as a one-dimensional DB, Coleman has starting experience, something Detroit will value as they encourage competition for a key starting spot. Impact: High.
Add: WR Dominique Curry. Detroit filled the roster spot vacated by Aaron Berry's release by adding Curry, who spent the 2011 season as a member of the Rams' special teams squad. His ten 2011 tackles represent a solid effort, but he'll face tough competition to make the roster. Impact: Low.
Add: CB Justin Miller. Cut: WR Marcus Harris. Marcus Harris' play as a member of Detroit's practice squad in 2011 didn't turn heads, and neither will his release. In exchange, Detroit adds another DB for its wide open secondary competition. A former Jets' second-round pick, Miller went to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist in 2006. He hasn't played in the NFL since 2009, but for a team without a presumptive No. 2 cornerback, adding DBs is never a bad thing. Impact: Low.
Follow Lions reporter John Kreger on Twitter: @CBSportsNFLDET.