Two weeks after signing him, the Lions have waived defensive tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). No corresponding move was announced immediately, so the club is likely to promote a player from its practice squad on Saturday.
Kitchen, 27, earned 279 defensive snaps for the Browns in 2014, making 27 tackles. After being cut by Cleveland earlier in the year, Kitchen signed with the Lions prior to Week 5, when the team needed to add some depth at defensive tackle due to injuries. He appeared in just 15 defensive snaps for Detroit in his two weeks with the team.
The decision to cut Kitchen suggests that Haloti Ngata should be good to go this weekend. Ngata, who has been sidelined due to a calf injury, returned to practice for the Lions this week, and was a full participant on Thursday.
As for which player might replace Kitchen on the roster, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link) speculates that perhaps tight end Casey Pierce could be elevated from the taxi squad.