The Detroit Lions made a series of practice squad moves on Tuesday, protecting the same four players as last week — OT Dan Skipper, EDGE Kareem Martin, DT Albert Huggins, and S Bobby Price — and releasing running back Dalyn Dawkins.
Last week, after protection, Skipper, Martin, and Price were all elevated to the game-day roster and all four protected players have been elevated at least once this season.
Skipper has been elevated twice — Week’s 10 and 14 — and has exhausted his elevation eligibility. If the Lions want him to play again this season, they will need to sign him to the active roster. That could be a possibility this week, with Tyrell Crosby’s health uncertain, and Hal Vaitai still on injured reserve — though he is eligible to be removed this week, if healthy.
Price has also been elevated twice this season — Week’s 13 and 14 — but unlike Skipper, he still has one eligibility elevation remaining. Last week, Price was elevated as a COVID-19 replacement for Everson Griffen, which does not count towards the standard elevation count. Price is a candidate for elevation this week, as C.J. Moore is still dealing with an ankle injury and his status is up in the air. Price has seen 35 special teams snaps over the last two weeks, including getting some run as a starting gunner.
With Griffen out, Martin saw 11 snaps on the edge last week. And with Griffen — who announced via Instagram that he had contracted the COVID-19 virus — likely to miss this week’s game, Martin could be elevated once again. Working against him is the fact that EDGE Julian Okwara (still on IR) has been practicing for two weeks and is a candidate to return to action soon, and EDGE Trey Flowers (also still on IR) has been moving towards a potential return as well.
The Lions are getting healthier at defensive tackle — though Da’Shawn Hand still looked limited last week — but with John Penisini the only rostered nose tackle, protecting Huggins looks like an insurance move.
After three different stints on the practice squad, the Lions quietly moved on from Dawkins last night. This gives the Lions an open spot on the practice squad — which could go to RB Kerrith Whyte, who has been on the practice squad IR since the fourth week of the season.
Another potential option is quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, who had a try out with the Lions yesterday — his second try out with Detroit this season:
This is the second time this year QB Jordan Ta’Amu has had a try out with the Lions https://t.co/CZoSkpQBwR
— Erik Schlitt (@erikschlitt) December 15, 2020