Detroit Lions GM Martin Mayhew and coach Jim Schwartz have said that a team's roster strength can be evaluated by its actions on roster deadline day. If a franchise is forced to release players that it suspects other teams will claim off waivers, the roster is strong. For the first time in recent memory, Detroit's depth makes it one of those strong teams. No fan favorites are in danger of losing their jobs, but the competition for the final roster spots now involves players who would have easily made the roster in previous years.

For two veterans and a high-profile rookie, the decision over whether or not they remain a Lion may have less to do with their individual performance than with the numbers game Detroit faces at key positions.

Andre Fluellen (DT, 5th year, 46 games played) -- Fluellen has steadily improved in his four years in Detroit, but he's never quite done enough to push for a consistent starting place. His role as a career backup wasn't challenged, however, until DEs Everette Brown and Ronnell Lewis arrived this season. Both Lewis and Brown have looked better during team drills, and Lewis is a far better special teams player. A fixture on kick coverage units in previous years, Fluellen has seen his reps slowly decrease as camp has progressed. Since Detroit's first and second team D-line units are virtually set, it's tough to see Fluellen filling enough roles to justify a spot when compared to younger, more versatile players. Verdict: Cut

Maurice Stovall (WR, 7th year, special-teams contributor) -- Detroit signed Stovall in 2011 to provide experience for a young special teams unit. He did enough on a coverage team that struggled last season to warrant a return to camp, and preseason projections had him earning a roster place again this year. As camp has progressed, however, Stovall has seen his reps slowly decrease due to the solid performances of Dominique Curry and Nate Hughes. Both Hughes and Curry are younger players that fit Detroit's scheme well, so Stovall's major edge in the competition was his role as the veteran leader of the coverage unit. When Detroit added WR Kassim Osgood Wednesday, they addressed their need for a veteran presence – and got a better player than Stovall to boot. Verdict: Cut

Kellen Moore (QB, undrafted free agent, NCAA all-time wins leader among starting QBs) -- The question surrounding Moore's status isn't whether the Lions think he can become a good NFL player, it's whether carrying a third QB holds more value to the team than adding an additional DB or lineman to protect against injury issues. Detroit didn't dress 2011 third QB Drew Stanton for a single game. That makes it hard to believe that carrying three QBs on the roster is a good idea when compared to the quality players Detroit could keep at other positions. Despite these concerns, Lions coaches have been very complimentary of Moore's development in camp. GM Martin Mayhew is a proponent of keeping three QBs, so it appears that Moore has a decent chance to stay. If the Lions do keep him, it'll be interesting to track his contributions this year as opposed to the efforts of the position players the Lions will release. Verdict: Too close to call

Follow Lions reporter John Kreger on Twitter at @cbssportsNFLDET and @JohnKreger.