According to the NFL transaction wire, the Detroit Lions have named the four practice squad players who have been protected for Week 1 of the 2020 regular season.
If you are not familiar with this new practice squad rule change, here’s the short version:
The NFL and NFLPA have added a clause, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that allows teams to protect four players on their practice squad from signing a contract with another NFL team. This protection label lasts one week (through the end of the day of the team’s game), then there is a short window where the player is not protected, and finally, the process starts over again on Tuesday afternoon.
For Week 1, the Lions assigned a protection label to quarterback David Blough, running back Jonathan Williams, tight end/H-back Isaac Nauta, and cornerback/gunner Dee Virgin.
Protecting Blough makes a ton of sense for the Lions, as having a third quarterback who knows the system in the building is imperative. It wouldn’t be at all surprising if Blough was protected every week he is on the Lions practice squad.
Williams was likely protected as health insurance at the running back position. With Bo Scarbrough on injured reserve, D’Andre Swift currently banged up, Kerryon Johnson coming off two seasons where he spent time on injured reserve, and Adrian Peterson only being in the building a few days, Williams gives the Lions some security.
Nauta gives the Lions insurance at two positions. Keeping him at the ready if rookie Hunter Bryant’s hamstring injury lingers, or if he struggles at the position. As well as at the fullback where Jason Cabinda is in his first year at the position.
Virgin has been terrific as a starting gunner for the Lions the last two seasons, but when that is all you do, it’s difficult to justify a spot on a 53-man roster. That being said, the starting gunner opposite Tony McRae is a bit of an unknown, and if that player struggles, having Virgin protected is a nice security blanket for special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs.
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