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Detroit Lions made a series of practice moves on Tuesday, adding center Jon Toth, releasing center Marcus Martin, placing linebacker Anthony Pittman on the COVID-19 list, and protecting four players in Week 16.
The Lions protected players include, center Evan Brown, defensive tackle Albert Huggins, corner Tramaine Brock, and safety Bobby Price.
With Frank Ragnow still dealing with a throat injury, the Lions turned to Joe Dahl to start at center last week, and elevated natural center Martin to act as a reserve. Unfortunately, Martin has exhausted his elevation eligibility in 2020, and the Lions released him to make room for Toth.
Toth (6-5, 310-pounds) played center at Kentucky, was undrafted in 2017, and joined the Eagles. After just over a year on Philadelphia’s practice squad, he joined the Jets practice squad in 2018. He also spent time in the XFL with the D.C. Defenders, before joining the Browns earlier this year.
Toth will compete with Brown (who is protected this week) for a potential elevation spot in week 16. Neither has been elevated this year.
Brock has also not used an elevation this year, but with corners Darryl Roberts and Mike Ford banged up (both were estimated to be limited on Tuesday) they may need him as an elevation option this week. Brock will be competing with fellow practice squader Alex Meyers — who was posterized by Derrick Henry last week.
Huggins was elevated once by the Lions in Week 12, while Price was a standard elevation in Week 13, and a COVID-19 replacement elevation in Week 14, meaning each has one standard elevation remaining as COVID-19 elevations don’t count against the standard numbers.
Pittman was placed on the COVID-19 list and per an NFL/NFLPA agreement, teams do not differentiate between if a player tested positive for COVID-19 or if he had a close contact exposure, so it’s unclear how long he will be out at this time.
However, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, “One Lions player and one non-player tested positive for COVID-19, per league source. The team facility is closed and players and coaches are meeting virtually, with contact tracing ongoing.”
So, if Pittman did indeed test positive, his season could potentially be over. But, if the report is wrong, and it is a close contact exposure — like Matthew Stafford, Jarrad Davis, and Jalen Elliott earlier this year — it’s possible he could return before the season’s conclusion.