Category: Roster News

Lions bring back safety Morice Norris

Norris played in relief of injured Ifeatu Melifonwu in the loss to the Commanders as an undrafted rookie

While the Lions are hemorrhaging coaches to various other teams after the season-ending loss to the Washington Commanders, the Detroit front office continues to keep several players in the den. The latest is defensive back Morice Norris.

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The undrafted rookie from Fresno State played extensively in the loss to Washington, filling in for an injured Ifeatu Melifonwu down the stretch. Norris can play either safety or cornerback and was noted for his blitzing prowess while in college.

Unlike other recent additions who were signed to reserve/future contracts, Norris is an addition to the 53-man roster. He was on the team’s active roster when the season ended, so he was ineligible for reserve/future contract status

Lions sign former Michigan WR to a reserve/future contract

Bell was a 7th-round pick by the 49ers in 2023 and caught 3 TD passes as a rookie

The Lions have added another name to the growing list of players signed to reserve/future contracts now that the season has ended. Former San Francisco 49ers wideout Ronnie Bell agreed to sign with the Lions.

Bell played collegiately at Michigan and was known for his playmaking skills while with the Wolverines. He was selected by the 49ers in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft. After playing in 17 games as a rookie and catching six passes–three of which went for touchdowns–Bell spent most of the 2024 campaign on San Francisco’s practice squad.

Reserve/future contracts are for players with NFL experience who did not finish the season on an active 53-man roster. The Lions signed 11 of their own practice squad players to those deals on Monday, with Bell joining on Tuesday.

Lions announce 11 players signed to futures contracts

The Lions signed 11 players from their season-ending practice squad to future/reserve contracts on Monday

The Lions announced 11 players were signed to futures contracts Monday.

The following players were given such contracts:

  • Abraham Beauplan
  • Kingsley Eguakun
  • Jake Fromm
  • Daron Gilbert
  • Erick Hallett
  • Jamarco Jones
  • Tom Kennedy
  • Chris Smith
  • Loren Strickland
  • Stantley Thomas-Oliver
  • Issac Ukwu

Futures contracts are given to players not on a team’s active roster. They are typically for the minimum amount and are given to players fighting for a roster spot in training camp.

All 11 players here finished the season on the Lions’ practice squad. These contracts ensure they’ll be with the Lions during the offseason.

The contracts and the salary cap charges that come with them won’t take effect until the new league year begins on March 12. This is a way for the Lions to accrue players towards their 90-man roster limit during the offseason that they feel could at least compete for a roster spot next season.

Lions roster moves: Tom Kennedy released, Morice Norris back on practice squad

Lions roster moves: Tom Kennedy released, Morice Norris back on practice squad

The Detroit Lions made a couple of roster moves on Thursday in advance of Sunday night’s matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.

Wide receiver Tom Kennedy was released after a stint on the active roster. Kennedy has served as the Lions primary return man for the last two games.

The Lions also brought back DB Morice Norris to the team’s practice squad. Norris made his NFL debut on special teams in the Week 17 win over the 49ers. He was released on Tuesday and cleared waivers.

Kennedy’s release could be a sign that regular return man Kalif Raymond is ready to return from injured reserve.

Lions waive rookie DB after win over 49ers

Lions waive rookie DB Morice Norris after the win over 49ers, perhaps an indication that Alex Anzalone is ready to return

On Monday night, Morice Norris made his NFL debut as a Detroit Lions defensive back. An undrafted rookie from Fresno State, Norris played on special teams in the Lions’ Week 17 win over San Francisco after being signed to the active roster over the weekend.

Norris’ stay on the Lions active roster was a brief one. The Lions released Norris on Tuesday.

With no correlating roster move, waiving Norris could be a sign that the Lions are poised to activate LB Alex Anzalone from the injured reserve list. Head coach Dan Campbell indicated after Monday night’s win that Anzalone is close to being ready. Adding the team captain and starting linebacker into the lineup after missing several weeks with a broken arm would be a great boost for the Lions in the winner-take-all matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Lions activate Jalen Reeves-Maybin for the 49ers game, elevate 2 from practice squad

Lions activate Jalen Reeves-Maybin for the 49ers game, elevate 2 from practice squad for Week 17

Jalen Reeves-Maybin is back on the Lions active roster. The Lions activated the veteran linebacker and special teams standout from the injured reserve list ahead of Monday night’s game against the 49ers in San Francisco.

Reeves-Maybin has been sidelined for several weeks with a neck injury. He was listed as questionable for Monday’s game after practicing for the last two weeks.

Detroit also elevated running back Jermar Jefferson and defensive tackle Chris Smith from the practice squad for the Week 17 game. It’s the second straight elevation for both players.

 

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Lions add rookie CB, bring back Kwon Alexander

Lions add rookie CB Morice Norris to the active roster and bring back LB Kwon Alexander to the practice squad

It wouldn’t be a Lions weekend without some roster moves. With the Lions heading to San Francisco for a Monday night date with the 49ers in Week 17, Detroit added one player to the active 53-man roster and brought another back to the practice squad.

Defensive back Morice Norris was signed from the practice squad to the active roster. Norris is an undrafted rookie from Fresno State who has played both safety and slot CB for the Lions during training camp and preseason. In college, the 5-11 dynamo was known for his blitzing ability — he led the Bulldogs in plays behind the line of scrimmage in his senior season.

The Lions also brought back linebacker Kwon Alexander to the practice squad, as was expected when Detroit let the veteran go earlier in the week. Alexander played in two games for Detroit as an emergency linebacker due to rampant roster injuries.

Lions waive another LB, officially add Teddy Bridgewater to active roster

Lions waive another LB, Kwon Alexander, and officially add Teddy Bridgewater to active roster

Teddy Bridgewater is officially back with the Detroit Lions. The team signed the quarterback out of retirement and added Bridgewater to the active 53-man roster on Thursday.

The veteran was at practice on Thursday before the signing was even made officially public. Bridgewater rejoins the Lions after retiring following the 2023 season. He had been coaching his high school alma mater, Miami Northwestern, and led them to a state title in Florida just last weekend.

To make room on the roster, the Lions released linebacker Kwon Alexander. It was a short stint in Detroit for Alexander, who was signed as an injury replacement in early December. The veteran played in two games for Detroit and was inactive in the Week 16 win over the Chicago Bears.

Detroit also added linebacker DaRon Gilbert to the practice squad. Gilbert was with the Lions in the offseason as an undrafted rookie from Nothern Illinois. He was waived with an injury designation back in August.

Lions waive veteran LB, bring back Maurice Alexander to the practice squad

The move is an indication that the Lions appear ready to activate a linebacker off the injured reserve list

In a move that indicates the team is getting a healthy return to the defensive lineup, the Detroit Lions released veteran linebacker David Long on Tuesday.

Long, 28, spent five weeks with the Lions after coming from the Miami Dolphins. The off-ball backer started one game, the Thanksgiving win over the Bears, and saw action on defense in three others. Long only played on special teams in the Week 16 rematch against the Bears.

In total, Long recorded seven tackles, one TFL and recovered one fumble.

With Jalen Reeves-Maybin already into his 21-day activation window, the move is a sign that Long’s services are no longer needed by the Lions.

Detroit also brought back wide receiver/kick returner Maurice Alexander to the practice squad.

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Lions sign 3 from practice squad in huge series of roster moves ahead of Week 16

Lions sign 3 from practice squad and activate Melifonwu in a huge series of roster moves ahead of Week 16

The Detroit Lions made a litany of roster moves on Saturday, a day ahead of the team’s Week 16 trip to Chicago to play the Bears.

Detroit signed three players from its practice squad to the active roster:

LB Mitchell Agude

WR Tom Kennedy

DT Chris Smith

All three have been with the Lions all season, with Smith already spending time on the active roster.

The Lions also elevated two more players from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game. As expected, running back Jermar Jefferson earned an elevation with David Montgomery sidelined. Rookie safety Loren Strickland was also elevated.

In addition, the Lions activated safety Ifeatu Melifonwu from injured reserve for the second time this season. Melifonwu will continue to be questionable for Sunday as he returns from a hand injury that has kept him out for a month.

Those are all the additions. There were some subtractions from the roster, too.

First, the Lions waived safety Brandon Joseph and wide receiver Maurice Alexander. Joseph has been the team’s third safety with Melifonwu out all year, and his release is something of a surprise. Alexander had been filling the return man role previously occupied by now-injured Kalif Raymond. That role figures to become Kennedy’s, as the veteran slot has considerable special teams experience.

Finally, the Lions waived defensive lineman David Bada with an injury settlement. Bada has been on I.R. all season after suffering a preseason injury.

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