The Lions waived safety Don Carey on Friday, according to a team announcement. The move will create room for cornerback Marcus Cooper, who was claimed off waivers from the Bears on Thanksgiving. 

[RELATED: Lions Claim Marcus Cooper]

Because the Lions played on Thursday, the addition of Cooper was formally delayed until the next day. Carey was active for this week’s game against Chicago and served as a special teams gunner alongside Charles Washington. Carey had just returned to the Lions on Nov. 20, so his latest stint with the team lasted only a few days.

Carey bounced around the league after being selected in the sixth round of the 2009 draft by the Brown. Later on, the Norfolk State product found a home in Detroit. After signing with the Lions in 2011, Carey proceeded to play the next seven years for the organization. The 31-year-old served as mostly a backup and special teamer during his tenure in Detroit, including a 2017 campaign where he compiled nine tackles and one forced fumble in 13 games.

Cooper is expected to step into Carey’s old role, which means that he’ll serve as a cornerback behind Darius Slay, Nevin Lawson, Teez Tabor, DeShawn Shead, and Mike Ford.

The Lions have extended safety Don Carey, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a one-year, $1.35MM deal that will take him through 2017. 

Listed as a safety and sometimes as a cornerback, Carey’s main contributions come on special teams as a gunner. Thanks in part to Carey, Sam Martin currently leads the league with a 45.4 yard net average. This year, the 29-year-old has a team-high seven special teams tackles.

Overall, the Lions have made special teams a priority this year. In the offseason, they added special teams ace Johnson Bademosi and their September extension of Sam Martin made him one of the highest-paid punters in the NFL.