The Lions announced on Thursday that they had released cornerback Cameron Sutton, who was facing a felony charge of domestic battery by strangulation that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sutton, who had signed with the Detroit Lions in March 2023 after six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, started all games for the team last year, both in the regular season and postseason.
For two weeks, Sutton had been wanted by authorities after an arrest warrant was issued on March 7 following his alleged battery of a woman at a house before fleeing. Despite efforts to locate him, Sutton has remained elusive.
Due to his release, Sutton will forfeit his $10.5 million salary for this year, which became fully guaranteed on March 16. While his guaranteed salary may have been voided before his release, the Lions may not be able to recover any of the $10.9 million signing bonus he received in 2023 on a three-year deal.
Typically, a signing bonus forfeiture occurs if a player misses a mandatory practice or game due to suspension or incarceration. However, an update from a source familiar with the situation confirmed that the Lions invalidated Sutton’s guaranteed salary for 2024 before releasing him.
