Detroit Lions sign WR Chad Hansen, leave roster spot open for RB Todd Gurley

If Todd Gurley wants it, the Detroit Lions have one open roster spot that is his for the taking.

The Lions signed quarterback Jared Goff's former Cal teammate, wide receiver Chad Hansen, on Thursday and waived undrafted rookie Jonathan Adams.

The Lions currently have 89 players on their 90-man roster, a situation they have been in since hosting Gurley on a free agent visit in late May.

In the past three weeks, the Lions have signed four players (Hansen, defensive tackle Brian Price, linebacker Reggie Gilbert and running back Michael Warren), waived four (Adams, running back Rakeem Boyd, fullback Nick Bawden and defensive tackle John Atkins) and placed defensive lineman Joel Heath on injured reserve.

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Lions coach Dan Campbell said he hoped to sign Gurley in early June, but the free agent continues to mull his options.

The Lions want Gurley to be their No. 3 running back behind D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, and to be a veteran presence in their running back room.

Last week, Gurley, who led the Atlanta Falcons with 678 yards rushing last season, visited his hometown Baltimore Ravens.

The Lions capped their offseason program with workouts for rookies and first- and second-year players this week.

They report for training camp July 27.

Hansen, a fourth-round pick by the New York Jets in 2017, caught 17 passes for the Houston Texans last season in his first action since his rookie year. He played briefly for the New Orleans Saints in 2019, when Campbell was a Saints assistant.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions make more moves, leave roster spot open for Todd Gurley