Lions Roster Update: Kevin Barnes Released, Jerome Murphy Claimed

Hoping to bolster their secondary after Sunday's loss to San Francisco, the Detroit Lions waived corner Kevin Barnes on Tuesday in order to claim Saints defensive back Jerome Murphy off waivers according to Lions beat writer Tim Twentyman.

Barnes was added in an Aug. 27 trade with Washington due to Detroit's glaring need for bodies in its defensive backfield, but clearly did not blow the coaching staff away despite only seeing 14 snaps against the 49ers.The 26-year-old cornerback was a third-round selection out of Maryland in 2009 and has recorded three career interceptions.

The thought of adding the 6'0, 200-pound Murphy clearly intrigued the Lions enough to make this move, as the organization obviously felt that his long-term potential outweighed that of Barnes'. Aside from the fact that Murphy, a former standout at South Florida, was recently released by the Saints following their loss to Carolina over the weekend, the youngster will at the very least offer plenty of speed for a secondary that can't seem to stay healthy.

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Kevin Barnes Wants To Be Known For More Than Hit On Jahvid Best

The Detroit Lions traded for Kevin Barnes on Monday and, while Barnes is far from a household name at this point, fans of Lions running back Jahvid Best likely recognized Barnes from a hit he put on his new teammate while the two were still in college.

Barnes absolutely crushed Best in the backfield while he was a member of the Maryland Terrapins (video of it is on YouTube for those looking for a refresher), but the cornerback told the media on Monday that he's ready to move on from being known for that big hit.

"Being that I pretty much got a chance to start my career at home, every time I interact with fans, there's always a few that bring it up," said Barnes, a Maryland product whom the Lions acquired in a trade with the Washington Redskins on Monday. "But after awhile, it gets a little tiring. I want to be known for something else, so I have a lot to prove there in Detroit."

For his part, Best -- who was just placed on the PUP list -- said that the above hit did not result in a concussion.

For more on the Lions trade, visit the SB Nation blog Pride Of Detroit. For more news on NFL roster cuts and transactions, visit the SB Nation NFL homepage.

Lions Trade For Redskins CB Kevin Barnes, According To Report

The Detroit Lions have acquired three-year veteran cornerback Kevin Barnes in a trade with the Washington Redskins.