Tag: Austin Seibert

Lions injury report: 3 players out, 5 more limited as team prepares for first game

Lions injury report: 3 players out, 5 more limited in practice as Detroit prepares for Week 1

The Detroit Lions have released their first injury report of the 2022 season while just days away from their first regular season matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Did not practice: DL John Cominsky (illness), OL Tommy Kraemer (back), DL Levi Onwuzurike (back)

While three players sat out of Wednesday’s practice, only one is of real concern at the moment.

Reserve offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer is currently held out of practice due to a back injury. This injury comes as starting right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai was recently placed on injured reserve.

Kraemer is one of a few players who could fill in at right guard, especially since he did so several times last season as an undrafted rookie. He played well enough to stick around again this season and the coaches seem to have faith in the young versatile lineman. If this back injury is serious enough to hold him out, the team may have to rely on Logan Stenberg in his place.

Onwuzurike’s injury is old news and even coach Dan Campbell knows that it will take some time for him to be healthy. That said, it does bring up some concerns about the former second-round pick and his availability on game days.

Cominsky missed practice due to an illness and should be ready to go for Sunday, where he will surely be in the interior defensive line rotation.

Limited practice: LB Chris Board (knee), DB Ifeatu Melifonwu (hamstring), EDGE Julian Okwara (hamstring), OL Frank Ragnow (groin), K Austin Seibert (right groin)

While there’s no need to sound the alarms just yet, it is concerning that several of Detroit’s starters are already being limited in practice due to injuries.

To add on to the aforementioned injury to Vaitai, starting center Frank Ragnow is dealing with a groin injury at the moment. The former Pro Bowler missed a majority of games last season due to a toe injury and is now being held back by a groin issue. He isn’t ruled out for Sunday’s game, but the Lions can rest easy knowing they have reliable backup Evan Brown ready to go if needed.

Seibert’s groin injury comes after he too missed a large chunk of the 2021 season. While it hasn’t been reported on before, his injury may explain why the Lions re-signed Aldrick Rosas to the practice squad last week.

Linebacker Chris Board is dealing with a recent knee injury, but his limited status provides some hope that it isn’t too serious. Board should be in line for some reps at inside linebacker while playing predominantly on special teams.

Melifonwu and Okwara’s names appearing on this list inspire more optimism than concern as the two have missed many practices throughout camp and the preseason. This was Melifonwu’s first practice back in weeks and he may be sidelined for the game against Philadelphia. Okwara has been back at practice for a week now and is looking more and more likely to see the field in a limited capacity this Sunday.

Predicting the Detroit Lions player stats for 2022

Projecting the stats for Detroit Lions players in the 2022 regular season

The 2022 regular season kicks off in a few short days for the Detroit Lions. The roster is set, the plays installed and the gameplans ready to roll for Dan Campbell’s second season in Detroit.

Projecting the stats for the key players in Detroit is a difficult challenge. There are new schemes on both offense and defense, with each unit efforting to be more aggressive and proactive than they were a season ago. Many of the key players return, with some high-end newcomers also impacting the depth chart and stat projections.

All of these statistical projections are calculated on the assumption of each player participating in all 17 games. Injuries unfortunately will derail that, but predicting injuries is even harder than forecasting stats.

Here are the fearless predictions for Lions player stats in 2022.

Lions coach Dan Campbell hints at a leader in the kicking battle

Lions coach Dan Campbell hints at a leader in the kicking battle between Austin Seibert and Riley Patterson

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell fielded questions during training camp on Monday, and amongst them was just how well the kicking competition in camp between Austin Siebert and Riley Patterson is going.

Patterson signed with Detroit in mid-November last year, and appeared in seven games, booting 13-of-14 field goals, and a perfect 16-for-16 extra points in his debut. He was resigned in April as an exclusive rights free agent to compete with Seibert. Patterson replaced Seibert when the veteran went down with a hip injury that needed surgery after only signing with the Lions in September.

Both kickers are fairly young, and the Lions are looking for the long-term answer at kicker. They are utilizing this camp to have the two battle for the job. Both have limited games in Detroit, with six games for Seibert and seven for Patterson, so this camp battle is the best way to determine who will be the kicker for at least 2022, while the Lions determine if that long-term answer is even in the building.

So who exactly is leading the way for the Detroit Lions in 2022–and hopefully beyond–kicker? Coach Campbell was asked about how the kicker competition is progressing this far,

“I thought they both did a good job. But I felt really good about Seibert. I feel like he’s, right now, if you’re asking me today, he’s a tick better,” Campbell told reporters.

Hearing that after coming off a promising start to Austin Seibert’s Lions tenure, going 10-for-12 (longest of 52) and 5-for-5 in extra points before his season was cut short, is a huge plus for the former Cleveland Brown and Cincinnati Bengal. Especially considering that Seibert is coming off of surgery, and Patterson is fresh and has also looked promising thus far.

With these words from the head coach, it is possible to believe that Seibert could not only win the job for 2022, but may have a chance at landing in the Lions’ den long-term. So where does this leave Patterson’s chances of swinging the tides due to his performance?

Campbell had this to say about the battle,

“I thought (Seibert) did a hell of a job in there, just kicking. His kickoffs were outstanding. Now that being said, Patterson, Patterson’s still not banging away. It’s not like he’s not in there, and we still have a long camp to go. So, Patterson’s doing a good job, but I really like where Seibert’s at.”

As Campbell said, we do have a long camp to go, but each day is ticking by very fast, and in the short time we have left before final roster cuts, we would expect the kicking competition to have the flame turned higher.

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8 things to watch in Detroit Lions training camp

From position battles to schematic changes to coaching approach, here are 8 things our Jeff Risdon will be watching in Lions training camp in 2022

Detroit Lions training camp fires up on Wednesday morning at the team’s headquarters in Allen Park. A month of play implementation, roster battles, skills development and team building should produce a lot to talk about.

Here are some of the things I will be focused upon in Lions training camp over the next few weeks.

Lions training camp position preview: Wide receivers

Lions training camp position preview: Linebacker

Lions training camp position preview: Quarterback

The Lions have the cheapest group of specialists in the NFL in 2022

No team will pay less salary cap room to the punter, kicker and long snapper positions than the Lions in 2022

No NFL team will spend less salary cap room in 2022 on their specialists than the Detroit Lions. The core punter, kicker and long snapper payroll in Detroit tally up at just $3.51 million for 2022.

That is the lowest figure in the entire league. The Dallas Cowboys are next at just over $4 million. Seattle has the highest specialist payroll at $10.5 million. The Seahawks have the league’s highest-paid punter in Michael Dickson and fifth-highest-paid kicker in Jason Myers, each of whom earns significantly more than what the Lions will pay their entire current quartet.

The low figure really stands out because the Lions currently employ two kickers. Veteran Austin Seibert will battle second-year Riley Patterson for the kicking gig to join long snapper Scott Daly and punter Jack Fox as the Lions’ specialists.

All four specialists will earn the league minimum for their experience level this year. None will earn more than Seibert’s $965,000.

Fox and Daly are among the better players at their positions from 2021. The kicking shoes of longtime Lion Matt Prater are still struggling to get filled, however.

All salary information is provided by Spotrac. 

New Lions WR DJ Chark reveals his jersey number in Detroit

Chark takes over his new number from a player still on the roster

If you’re looking to purchase a new DJ Chark jersey for the newest Lions wide receiver, Chark revealed his jersey number for Detroit. He will be No. 4 for the Lions after donning No. 17 in his first four seasons in Jacksonville.

Chark takes over the No. 4 jersey in Detroit from kicker Austin Seibert, who finished the 2021 season on injured reserve. The new wideout threw some credit to Seibert in his Instagram post,

4’s up! Can’t wait to rock out! S/O to my guy @bigseib for the switch! I appreciate it!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbP-YUxro6R/

No word on Seibert’s new number. It won’t be No. 1, however; cornerback Jeff Okudah switched to that jersey earlier this offseason.

Lions sign kicker Aldrick Rosas to a reserve/futures contract

The Lions sign kicker Aldrick Rosas to a reserve/futures contract, giving them 3 kickers from 2021 now under their contractual control

A battle royale is shaping up in Allen Park this offseason for the rights to be the kicker for the Detroit Lions in 2021. After a season where the Lions burned through four kickers for various reasons, three of them are now back on the team and ready to compete for the gig in 2022.

The Lions signed Aldrick Rosas to a reserve/future contract on Monday, tying Rosas to the team through the offseason. Rosas spent one week as the Lions kicker last fall, making one extra point and one field goal in Detroit’s 13-10 loss to Cleveland in Week 11.

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Rosas took over that week for Ryan Santoso, who was dispatched after a brutal game in the tie with the Steelers. Santoso missed an extra point and wildly botched a field goal. He is the only Lions kicker from the 2021 season not with the team any longer.

Rosas joins Riley Patterson, who took over his job in Week 12, and Austin Seibert on the roster. Seibert made 10 of his 12 field goal attempts in the first six games before suffering a hip injury. He remains under contract. Patterson went 13-of-14 on field goals after taking over for Rosas. The 2021 rookie is an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA), meaning the Lions can retain his rights quite inexpensively if they so choose.

One area where Rosas, 27, has a leg up is in kickoffs. Over 60 percent of his kickoffs in his five-year career have been downed for touchbacks. Seibert is at 39 percent in his three NFL seasons, while Patterson ceded kickoff duties to Lions punter Jack Fox.

Lions vs. Steelers: Final injury report rules out Jamaal Williams, Austin Seibert

Williams and Seibert will miss the trip to Pittsburgh, while Taylor Decker is one of two Lions listed as questionable

The Detroit Lions will be without two regular starters when they head to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers on Sunday. Running back Jamaal Williams and kicker Austin Seibert have been ruled out for the game on Detroit’s final practice injury report.

Williams remains sidelined with a thigh injury that also kept him out of the Week 8 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He is the team’s leading rusher. Expect rookie Jermar Jefferson to get more work in Williams’ absence.

Seibert popped onto the injury report late in the week with a hip injury that will keep him out. The Lions have protected kicker Ryan Santoso on the practice squad all season, and Santoso was perfect while filling in for Seibert earlier this season too.

Two Lions are listed as questionable. OLB Austin Bryant was limited all week with a shoulder issue. Left tackle Taylor Decker was a full participant in every practice but earned a questionable nod as he attempts to return from a finger injury. Coach Dan Campbell indicated that it’s more likely than not that Decker will play.

“I would say high. High percentage. Higher than 50,” Campbell said of Decker’s chances to play in his pre-practice press conference on Friday.

For Pittsburgh, only one player carries any injury designation into the game. Wide receiver Chase Claypool is ruled out with a toe injury. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger practiced in full on Friday after missing the earlier action with hip, chest and shoulder injuries.

Lions place Frank Ragnow on I.R. in flurry of roster moves

Ragnow will miss at least 3 weeks with his toe injury

The Detroit Lions kept the NFL’s transaction wire busy on Wednesday morning with a series of roster moves. The most significant of the moves is placing Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow on injured reserve with a toe injury suffered in the Week 4 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Ragnow will miss at least the next three weeks. He joins standout left tackle Taylor Decker on I.R., depriving the Lions of their top two offensive linemen.

In other active 53-man roster news, the Lions activated kicker Austin Seibert from the reserve/COVID-19 list and promoted OLB Jessie Lemonier from the practice squad. Lemonier takes the place of Romeo Okwara, who was placed on I.R. with a torn Achilles earlier this week.

Seibert missed the last two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19. Ryan Santoso filled in quite capably as a practice squad promotion for Weeks 3-4.

Detroit also tinkered with the practice squad, and yes it once again involves WR Javon McKinley. His on-again/off-again status is now off, with the Lions releasing the undrafted rookie from Notre Dame for the fourth time in five weeks. Detroit signed veteran OL Parker Ehinger and brought back OLB Rashod Berry to the practice squad.

Lions place Tyrell Williams on I.R. among series of roster moves

The Detroit Lions place Tyrell Williams on I.R. among series of roster moves that includes a change at kicker

The Detroit Lions kept the NFL’s transaction wire busy on Thursday with a series of moves.

The most notable move is the Lions placing WR Tyrell Williams on injured reserve with his concussion. Williams suffered his brain injury in Week 1 and has not progressed enough to be able to practice. The team’s top wideout will not be eligible to return until Week 6.

There will also be a change at kicker. Regular Lions PK Austin Seibert was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday. The Lions quickly signed Ryan Santoso from the practice squad to replace Seibert. Santoso signed to Detroit’s practice squad on Wednesday and takes over as the kicker for Week 3 less than a day later.

Williams’ spot on the 53-man roster goes to linebacker Josh Woods, who was signed off the Chicago Bears practice squad. Linebacker Jamie Collins remains with the team for now, though the Lions are actively attempting to trade the veteran.