Tag: Anthony Pittman

Lions tender an offer to LB Anthony Pittman

Lions tender an offer to restricted free agent LB Anthony Pittman

One of the keys to the Lions superlative special teams units in 2022 will be back for another season. Linebacker Anthony Pittman was offered the requisite tender contract and will return to Detroit.

Pittman was an exclusive rights free agent. He will earn the league minimum salary in 2023 on a one-year contract.

The 26-year-old from Wayne State played in all 17 games in each of the last two seasons. Pittman plays almost exclusively on special teams, where he has been an integral member of all punt and kick units.

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Lions sign LB Anthony Pittman to active roster, place Tracy Walker on IR

Lions sign LB Anthony Pittman to the active roster and place Tracy Walker on IR

The Detroit Lions have signed linebacker Anthony Pittman to the active 53-man roster. Pittman was on the Lions’ practice squad for the first three weeks of the season but has been with the organization since 2019. The Wayne State product played in all 17 games for Detroit in 2021.

Pittman has been elevated from the practice squad in each of the last two weeks and has played extensively on special teams, as well as four defensive reps. Players are allowed to be elevated three times from the practice squad for active gamedays, so signing Pittman ends any concerns about that.

As expected, the Lions placed safety Tracy Walker on the injured reserve list. Walker tore his Achilles tendon in his left leg during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He is out for the season.

Detroit also added WR Josh Johnson to the practice squad to fill Pittman’s spot. Johnson is an undrafted rookie from Tulsa who spent training camp and preseason with the Lions.

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Lions elevate Dan Skipper, Anthony Pittman for Week 3 vs. Vikings

The Lions elevate Dan Skipper and Anthony Pittman from the practice squad for Week 3 vs. Vikings

For the second week in a row, the Detroit Lions have elevated offensive lineman Dan Skipper and linebacker Anthony Pittman from the practice squad to the active gameday roster. Both Pittman and Skipper will be in uniform when the Lions visit the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3.

Skipper could be in line to start at left guard again after a successful debut in the Week 2 win over the Washington Commanders. Regular starting LG Jonah Jackson is out with a finger injury. Pittman played on special teams in the Week 2 win.

Teams are allowed to elevate a player from the practice squad to the active gameday roster up to three times before being forced to sign them to the active 53-man roster. This is the second promotion for both Pittman and Skipper.

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Lions elevate Dan Skipper and Anthony Pittman from practice squad, downgrade LG Jonah Jackson

Skipper could be the insurance policy for Jackson at left guard if the Pro Bowler can’t play with his finger injury in Week 2

In a set of related roster moves on Saturday, the Detroit Lions elevated two players from the practice squad while delivering some unfortunate news on an injured player.

Practice squad linebacker Anthony Pittman and offensive lineman Dan Skipper were elevated for Week 2. It’s the second week in a row where Pittman has been elevated from the practice squad. He played extensively on special teams in Week 1.

Skipper is getting the promotion because of the downgraded injury status of starting left guard Jonah Jackson. The Pro Bowl LG is now listed as doubtful after being questionable on Friday’s injury report. Jackson has an injured finger.

Skipper has been a tackle throughout his career, but there’s a chance the Lions could install the 6-foot-10 veteran at guard in place of Jackson. He did get some looks inside during training camp and presents a more seasoned matchup than either Drew Forbes or Kayode Owusika, the other reserve guard options on the active roster.

Lions place DT Levi Onwuzurike on IR among roster moves for Week 1

The Detroit Lions place DT Levi Onwuzurike on IR and promote 2 players from the practice squad for Week 1

The Detroit Lions made a few roster moves the day before the Week 1 opener at Ford Field against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Most notable is moving defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike to the injured reserve list. Onwuzurike has not practiced in over a month with a back and hip injury, one that head coach Dan Campbell labeled a “snail’s pace” of a recovery. He had been ruled out for Sunday’s game on the final injury report for the week.

In addition to shelving Onwuzurike through at least the next four weeks, the Lions also promoted two players from the practice squad to the active roster for the game versus the Eagles. Running back Justin Jackson and linebacker Anthony Pittman earned the call-up.

Each player can be elevated for a game from the practice squad up to three times before the team is required to sign them to the active roster.

Jackson could very well serve as the kick returner for the game. Pittman has been a special teams fixture in his prior Lions seasons and that could carry into Sunday if he’s not placed on the inactive list.

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Presenting the Detroit Lions initial 2022 practice squad

The following players have been confirmed to sign on as the initial members of the Detroit Lions’ practice squad for the 2022 season.

The following players have been confirmed to sign on as the initial members of the Detroit Lions’ practice squad for the 2022 season.

Like all NFL teams, the Lions can carry up to 16 players on the practice squad. Up to four can be protected each week from signing to the active roster of another, though that protection does not go into effect until Tuesdays. Detroit signed 13 players who were with the team in the offseason to the initial practice squad.

A player can be promoted from the practice squad to the active roster on game days up to three times per season. After that, they must be signed to the active roster.

Lions to cut LB Anthony Pittman

The Detroit Lions are cutting LB and special teams ace Anthony Pittman

We have our first real surprise of the Detroit Lions roster cutdown reports. Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Lions are waiving linebacker and special teams ace Anthony Pittman.

Pittman has been with the Lions since the start of the 2019 season, bouncing between the active roster and practice squad a few times. He played in all 17 games in 2021, almost exclusively on special teams outside of injury-necessitated spot duty at linebacker in December. He recorded 18 total tackles and broke up one pass.

Pittman was one of the more prominent players sitting on the Lions’ roster bubble. His departure, paired with the news of Jarrad Davis’ release from Monday, leaves the Lions with five LBs: Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, Chris Board and Josh Woods.

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6 Lions players on the roster bubble on cutdown day

Here are a few Lions players sitting on the roster bubble as we enter the final hours before the deadline

While they aren’t official until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the Detroit Lions have already informed several players they will not make the initial 53-man roster. Among those no longer with the team: LB Jarrad Davis, TE Devin Funchess and WR Tom Kennedy.

The bubble burst on those three roster aspirants, who all had at least outside chances to make the Lions regular-season roster. There are still quite a few players anxiously perched on that roster bubble as the cutdown deadline rapidly approaches.

Here are a few Lions players sitting on the roster bubble as we enter the final hours before the deadline.

Lions make contract tender offers to 13 exclusive rights free agents

The Detroit Lions make contract tender offers to 13 exclusive rights free agents, including all 3 starting specialists

In a move that is best described as a contractual formality, the Detroit Lions made the required contract tender offers to 13 pending exclusive rights free agents on Wednesday.

Exclusive rights free agents, more commonly known as ERFAs, are players who were on the active roster for just one or two seasons and have an expiring contract. Practice squad players do not count. The players are offered the league-minimum salary for the upcoming season.

The 13 players feature the three starting specialists and several young players who have played quite a bit on special teams:

  • LS Scott Daly
  • P Jack Fox
  • CB Mark Gilbert
  • S JuJu Hughes
  • RB Godwin Igwebuike
  • WR Tom Kennedy
  • G Tommy Kraemer
  • OLB Jessie Lemonier
  • T Matt Nelson
  • K Riley Patterson
  • LB Anthony Pittman
  • CB Bobby Price
  • TE Brock Wright

Not all of the ERFA players were brought back. Detroit did not make offers to three: OLB Rashod Berry, S Jalen Elliott and OL Ryan McCollum. They are now street free agents free to sign with any other NFL team.

Lions roster bubble watch: 6 players who improved their roster odds

The Detroit Lions suffered another defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steeler, but these 6 players improved their roster odds this week

The Detroit Lions suffered another preseason defeat, this time at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers, losing 26-20. Even though the score may seem close, it was nowhere near the performance the Lions were hoping for, especially in the first half.

Between poor defensive performances and questionable quarterback play, the Lions found it difficult to get anything going to muster up any fight against the Steelers. However, the second half was a different story. The Lions seemed to find their roar after halftime. Even coach Dan Campbell was questioning some players that have been viewed as roster locks and praising some underdogs.

It may not seem like all sunshine and rainbows, but a few players performed quite well, making some decisions harder than some may have thought initially.

Here are six players who raised their odds on finding a way on the 53-man roster.