Ross Pierschbacher started at center for Detroit in the Lions’ preseason opener on Friday night. Two days later, the former Alabama lineman needs a new team.

Detroit released Pierschbacher with an injury settlement on Sunday, the NFL team announced.

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Pierschbacher played the first nine offensive snaps for the Lions in Detroit’s 21-16 victory over the New York Giants on Friday night. He left the game with 7:04 left in the first quarter.

The Lions did not announce the nature of Pierschbacher’s injury, but he left the game after right guard Colby Sorsdal fell on the back of the center’s right leg.

By releasing Pierschbacher with an injury settlement, Detroit gave him an opportunity to play again this season. If he had been placed on the Lions’ injured reserve, he could not have played. Now Pierschbacher will be eligible to sign with another team once he’s healthy.

Detroit had signed Pierschbacher to a one-year, $1.035 million contract extension in March to prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Pierschbacher played in three games with the Lions during the 2022 season, when he spent most of the campaign on Detroit’s practice squad before joining the active roster on Dec. 10.

Pierschbacher joined the Lions for his fourth NFL season on Sept. 8 after the New York Jets released him at the end of the preseason.

A four-season starter at Alabama, Pierschbacher earned first-team All-SEC recognition in 2017 while playing left guard and 2018 while playing center.

A fifth-round selection of the Washington Redskins in the 2019 NFL Draft, Pierschbacher has played in 11 NFL regular-season games – five for Washington in 2019, three for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020 and three for Detroit in 2022. He’s been on the field for one offensive snap and 39 special-teams plays.

Pierschbacher spent most of the 2021 season on the Jets’ practice squad.

On Saturday, the Lions had waived former Decatur High School standout Tae Hayes. But the cornerback landed with the Baltimore Ravens as a waiver claim on Sunday.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.