Tag: Beau Benzschawel

Lions sign RB Dalyn Dawkins to practice squad, release OG Beau Benzschawel

Dawkins played for the Titans in 2018-2019

The Detroit Lions shook up the practice squad on Thursday. Detroit signed free agent RB Dalyn Dawkins to the practice roster, and to make room they released offensive lineman Beau Benzschawel.

Dawkins, 25, has NFL experience with the Tennessee Titans in the 2018-2019 seasons. He has 11 career carries for 26 yards. The 5-7, 183-pound Dawkins was originally an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State after transferring from Purdue. He was most recently on the Titans’ practice squad. Dawkins is the nephew of former NFL safety Brian Dawkins.

Benzschawel has been with the Lions since signing as an undrafted free agent from Wisconsin in 2019. The team had tried to convert him to center. Benzschawel played exclusively on special teams in a brief two-game stint in Detroit in 2019. He is now free to sign with any other team.

Lions 2020 training camp participation report: Jeff Okudah misses time on Saturday

Updating the Detroit Lions player participation report during the fifth day of their 2020 training camp.

During Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia’s Saturday morning press conference, he acknowledged concerns around soft tissue injuries with the shortened offseason, as we have seen some of that with Lions players so far in training camp.

“Certainly in general, high-injury-rate players in the NFL are rookies and younger players, plus older-injured vets,” Patricia said. “Those are kind of the two groups that we always keep track of as far as injury histories and things like that. Sometimes we’re a little bit cautious with those guys.”

Today, two more rookies appeared to suffer soft tissue injuries, though the severity of each looks a bit different.

Jeff Okudah

After stretching, position groups split up and began warm-up drills. After his first or second rep, Okudah pulled up and was called off the field. A trainer and Okudah had a discussion for a few minutes, then Patricia was called over and appeared to shut him down for the day.

Okudah remained on the sidelines, following the position group around and chatting with coaches and players but he did not participate. On the surface, this looks precautionary but soft tissue injuries can be tricky so we will have to wait and see where he is tomorrow.

Hunter Bryant

Bryant pulled up during a TE vs S one-on-one drill and grabbed his hamstring. He was seen and stretched out by a trainer but after several minutes he slowly left the field and did not return.

D’Andre Swift and Bo Scarbrough remain sidelined

Also during his morning press conference, Patricia acknowledged that both running backs D’Andre Swift and Bo Scarbrough would be held out of Saturday’s practice. He didn’t address the type of injuries they are dealing with but noted that due to the pace of Saturday’s practice he didn’t want to expose them to at this point.

Desmond Trufant sits again

Friday looked like a rest day for Trufant but he remained on the sideline and not participating again on Saturday, which is mildly concerning. This could be a “pace of practice” issue, or potentially something more — but the fact that he was present is encouraging.

Marvin Hall returns in full

Hall left the field on Friday and his limp looked worrisome. Fortunately, Hall returned to the field on Saturday, took his place with the second team, and didn’t miss a rep.

Victor Bolden and Matt Nelson getting light work

On Friday the extent of Bolden’s participation was riding a stationary bike, and while he did that again on Saturday, he also was with his position group on the field which is a step in the right direction to returning.

Nelson only ran on Friday, and on Saturday he saw reps at right tackle when the Lions rolled three offensive lines — which was only a few times.

Nick Bawden, Isaac Nauta, Beau Benzschawel

Bawden, Nauta, and Benzschawel are with their position groups but not mixing in yet. Mostly just doing stuff off to the side and learning from the sidelines.

Austin Bryant remains on PUP

Bryant remains on the Physically Unable to Participate (PUP) list with an undisclosed injury. He is eligible to be removed at any time once he is deemed healthy.

Lions 2020 training camp participation report: D’Andre Swift absent on Friday

Updating the Detroit Lions player participation levels during their 2020 training camp, including rookie running back D’Andre Swift’s absence on Friday.

Updating the Detroit Lions player participation levels during Friday’s 2020 training camp practice.

D’Andre Swift, RB

According to Detroit News’ Justin Rogers, at Thursday’s practice, Swift required attention from a trainer after “working one-on-one routes and blocking assignments against the team’s linebackers”.

On Friday, he came out with the team for stretches, got some more time with a trainer, and wasn’t seen on the field for the rest of the day.

Bo Scarbrough, RB

On Tuesday, Pride of Detroit’s Jeremy Reisman noted that Scarbrough “got up slowly and didn’t appear to do much the rest of the day.” He was absent from practice on Thursday and again on Friday.

“I think we’re going to re-evaluate him right now,” coach Matt Patricia said at his morning press conference. “One thing for us to remember in all of this is that we’re continually trying to build on everybody’s back-to-practice workload. Just trying to be smart with some of those guys too, if there’s general soreness or tightness or things like that we need to keep an eye on.”

Nick Bawden, FB

Bawden was not known to have an injury at this time but he was not seen participating in today’s practice, only running off to the side and observing. He is coming off a second ACL injury in as many years and this may be part of the recovery process.

Isaac Nauta, TE/H-B

Iauta has apparently been limited since the beginning of camp was only seen doing conditioning work with trainers.

Marvin Hall, WR

Near the end of practice, Hall required attention from a trainer, left the field, and was unable to return before the session expired. We will have to wait and see if he is able to participate tomorrow.

Victor Bolden, WR

Bolden stretched with the team to begin the day but as they split off into positional drills, he shifted to the conditioning tent and rode a stationary bike for the better part of the morning.

Beau Benzschawel, IOL

Benzschawel continues to only participate in conditioning exercises with trainers.

Austin Bryant, EDGE

Bryant remains on the Physically Unable to Participate (PUP) list with an undisclosed injury. He is eligible to be removed at any time once he is deemed healthy.

Desmond Trufant, CB

From a distance, Trufant appeared to get a veteran rest day. He was not with trainers, followed his group around, and interacted with the younger corners. If he is not on the field tomorrow, there may be more to this story.

Bumps and bruises

Jamal Agnew and Jeff Okudah both required attention from trainers at different points but both remained on the field and participated in practice.

“I landed pretty awkwardly, Okudah said after practice. “Got up, shrugged it off. Pretty much just a football play. That happens over the course of a practice. The big thing was that I was able to come back and finish practice.”

Okudah would go on to make an interception a short time later — he’s fine.

Establishing the 53: Answering the mailbag, Part 1

Answering the reader’s mailbag questions after Erik Schlitt’s Establishing the 53 series of articles at Lions Wire.

After the conclusion of my “Establishing the 53” series of articles, I posed a question to the #OnePride fan base on Twitter asking for any mailbag questions surrounding my conclusions.

Let’s take a closer look at some of those questions in Part 1 of our mailbag.

Jamal Agnew

I received several questions surrounding my inclusion of Jamal Agnew on my 53-man roster projection, mostly centered around the following concerns:

  • kick returner value in the NFL is diminishing due to new rules
  • he will be challenged by fifth-round rookie Jason Huntley
  • he has been inconsistent as a punt returner and nickel corner
  • C.J. Moore, who was left off the projection, could have more roster value as a starting gunner and safety depth

All four of these concerns have merit, and it’s possible one (or more) of these reasons is why the Lions are moving Agnew to wide receiver.

With the news of this position switch, and how I believe the Lions will use Agnew on offense, I adjusted my 53-man projection by removing gadget tight end Hunter Bryant and adding Moore to defense/special teams.

As the only player in the NFL to have four kicks/punts returned for touchdowns in the last three seasons, I still believe Agnew has the inside track for return duties, giving him an edge to make the 53 — and if he can also provide some gadget work on offense, all the better.

Beau Benzschawel

Another player who I received multiple questions on was second-year offensive lineman Beau Benzschawel, but unlike Agnew, questions concerning Benzschawel ranged from should he make the roster to could he win a starting role?

I have Benzschawel making the 53 as a reserve right now based on the fact that the Lions kept him on the active roster all of last season despite not playing him and the things I’ve heard about his progress in practices. If the Lions keep nine offensive linemen, I firmly believe Benzschawel makes the team, but if the Lions only keep eight (because of new roster rules being put in place this year) his spot may be in jeopardy.

When do (the rosters) go to 55 players? — @MMoneynva

With a new CBA in place this season, there are a few rules changes for rosters — the most notable being a roster expansion.

While teams can have up to 55 players on their active rosters in any given week, there are some caveats that go along with it.

First, there will only be 53 everyday players on the active roster, but teams can promote up to two players from the practice squad each week to increase the roster up to 55. That additional one/two players can only be promoted for the week and after the week’s conclusion (after the game), the player(s) will revert back to the practice squad.

Second, a player can only be promoted from the practice squad to the active roster twice in a season before they become susceptible to waivers. Meaning if a player is promoted a third time, they will have to clear league waivers at the end of the week before the team can re-sign them in any capacity.

Third, in order for a team to be eligible to promote any player, they must carry a minimum of eight offensive linemen on their active roster.

Most teams only keep seven offensive linemen active on game days, yet keep nine to ten on the active roster for injury insurance and/or development. With the implementation of the new promotion rule, some teams may decide to keep less offensive linemen on the active roster as they can promote from within if there is an injury.

Benzschawel is an example of a player who was kept as injury insurance/development in 2019 but could find himself on the practice squad in 2020 if he keeps the same role and the Lions need another spot on the roster.

The third addendum above — carrying eight offensive linemen — allows teams the flexibility to stash a role player like Benzschawel but also keeps them from taking advantage and placing all reserve offensive linemen on the practice squad.

Lions Mailbag: Rookie roles and available free agents

Lions Mailbag: Rookie roles and available free agents

The Detroit Lions have had an eventful offseason.

Free agency and the draft are over, which leaves us all speculating over what the roster will look like come September.

Lions fans submitted their questions about roles rookies will hold, depth chart predictions, and available free agents. Here’s what I had to say:

“Can Huntley and Ty Johnson both stick on the Lions? Who will go if they both do? Or could either one of them survive to be put on the practice squad without being picked up?” -@SFHCommish_1

The Lions’ front office will have a lot of tough choices to make when it comes to the running back position.

2020 fifth-round pick Jason Huntley is in direct competition with Ty Johnson, who was selected in the sixth round last year. Both are speedy options in the backfield, capable receivers, and dynamic kick returners.

Both are young players with plenty of upside and athletic ability, so it’s likely, but not certain, that Detroit opts to keep both on the active roster. What would that mean for the other running backs on the team?

Detroit generally decides to run with four running backs on their active roster, and Kerryon Johnson and D’Andre Swift appear to have the top two running back spots locked down. That would most likely leave Huntley and Ty Johnson to fight it out for one of those spots, while Bo Scarborough and Wes Hills duke it out for the backup power running back role.

If the Lions waive either Huntley or Johnson, I can’t say with full certainty that either will clear waivers, but generally, most players that are let go at the deadline for roster cutdowns don’t get picked up from the waiver wire. If they make it through, expect them back on the practice squad.

”I’m wondering how you think the Lions backfield will operate this season?  Do you see Swift coming in and taking over as the lead back?” -@TheFootballPot

I see the 2020 season opening up with Kerryon Johnson and D’Andre Swift sharing snaps evenly, and hopefully pairing well as a tandem. The Lions have favored the committee approach to their backfield, so these two players will both get their fair share of snaps.

As I stated in my previous answer, it is safe to say that the Lions will operate with four running backs on their roster. We know that Johnson and Swift have pretty defined roles as of now, but I can see Swift overtaking Johnson on the depth chart mid-season.

While Johnson has played fairly well for the Lions in his first two seasons, injuries have kept him sidelined for a good fraction of his career. Swift, who has stayed relatively healthy throughout college, could prove to be the more reliable option.

Johnson was also drafted to fit the scheme of former offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, while Swift was drafted with Darrell Bevell’s gameplan in mind. This could lead to Swift taking that lead spot away from Johnson quickly.

The remaining competitions, as stated earlier, will be Ty Johnson versus Jason Huntley for the speedy receiving option and Bo Scarborough versus Wes Hills for the power and goal-line option.

“What potential DL FA’s could the Lions potentially target to bolster the line, if any are better than what’s on the roster?” -@IGRifffinsports

The Lions’ interior defensive line seems set with Danny Shelton at nose tackle and Da’Shawn Hand playing the three-technique role. Behind them is Nick Williams, who will serve as a rotational lineman.

Behind them, it’s an open competition for the final spots. The Lions did just draft two interior linemen, John Penisini and Jashon Cornell, and have several other young players in Olive Sagapolu, Kevin Strong, John Atkins, and Frank Herron to consider.

If they decide to find an experienced free agent, the best player available at the position is Mike Daniels, who played for the Lions last season. Daniels would be an instant upgrade over any of the aforementioned players in the hunt for a roster spot, and he knows the defensive system already. Especially now, when many teams will go into the season with less time for team activities, an experienced player who knows the scheme is a luxury.

Other than Daniels, the defensive tackle market is pretty bare. Still on the market are Marcel Darius, Damion Square, Domata Peko, and Corey Liuget.

“It’s the first defensive snap of the season. Is Okudah lining up across from Allen Robinson?” -@DunnGuitar

You don’t draft a player with the third overall pick unless you plan to use them immediately.

That being said, the Lions have not seen what Jeffrey Okudah can do at a professional level. So when it comes time to cover a dominant receiver like Allen Robinson, Detroit’s coaching staff might want to use a more experienced and proven player like Desmond Trufant.

Obviously, things can change over the course of a season, but Okudah is a rookie in a position where players often struggle in their first year. He’ll be a definite starter, but won’t be shadowing any team’s top receiver in his first few games.

”Jonah Jackson has a lot of praise but at the surface his draft measurable strong are similar to last year’s UDFA Benzschawel. What’s the difference between the two and why is Jonah viewed as a possible starter over Beau?” -@TheRealShobear

The biggest difference between the two players is that the Detroit Lions organization valued one as a third-round pick just a season after signing the other as an undrafted free agent.

Benzschawel has the size advantage over Jackson and had better Combine numbers in several events, but on tape, Jackson appears to be the superior player.

The Lions liked Benzschawel to keep him around on the active roster for the entirety of the 2019 season, but his snap counts during the season prove that the team is not ready for him to hold a starting role. He only was active for two games throughout a season riddled with interior offensive line injuries, and only played two snaps on special teams.

Jackson seems to be the clear starter at right guard, and Joe Dahl holds the left guard role for now. Benzschawel could fight for that spot, but he’d be in competition with fourth-round pick Logan Stenberg, as well as veteran former starters Kenny Wiggins, Russell Bodine, Joshua Garnett, and Oday Aboushi. I’d put my money on any of those players earning the starting role over Benzschawel.

How Jonah Jackson shakes up the Lions’ offensive line depth chart

Examining how selecting Jonah Jackson in the third round will shake up the Detroit Lions’ offensive line depth chart.

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The Detroit Lions have a vacancy at their starting right guard position, and they currently have their fair share of linemen vying to take that role.

With the selection of Ohio State’ Jonah Jackson, that competition has gotten even more intense.

Jackson has lined up at left guard, center, and right guard throughout his college career, making him one of the more versatile linemen on the Lions roster. While the Lions have a hole open at right guard, they have been known to shake up the starting five, as they did with both Graham Glasgow and Frank Ragnow.

The drafting of Jackson may have offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell take a look at the entire interior offensive line and try to find the optimal position for each player.

As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of guys in the fight for a starting role. Joe Dahl was the starting left guard last season but will have to win that job again this year. Veterans Oday Aboushi and Kenny Wiggins, who both have multiple years of starting experience, will return to the Lions in hopes of making the first-team lineup. Former San Francisco first-round pick Joshua Garnett joins the team hoping for a fresh start and a chance to revive his career. Also in the fight is Russell Bodine, Beau Benzschawel, Caleb Benenoch, and Casey Tucker.

Ragnow’s job is safe, and he will likely return to play center, but he could go back to guard, a position he played during his rookie season. The Lions traded up to take Jackson, meaning that they want him to come in and contribute right away. While it’s unclear which guard spot he’ll take, his role seems well defined.

That leaves the remaining eight interior linemen to compete for the remaining spot on the line. Detroit usually keeps five interior linemen on their roster, so most of this group will be off the team come August.

Jonah Jackson’s arrival will force the Lions to rethink their offensive line situation. Regardless of where he lines up, one thing that is very clear is that he will be starting in Week 1.

What the Lions’ offseason moves mean for their 2019 rookie class

Examining the Detroit Lions’ offseason moves and projecting what they mean for their 2019 rookie draft class. Who gets promoted and who is pushed on the roster bubble?

The Detroit Lions have been busy this offseason. Key players on both offense and defense have left the team and gone elsewhere. New players have been brought in. Two trades were made.

Each move that Detroit made this season has impacted a player from the  2019 rookie class in some way, shape, or form.

Tight end

While the signings of tight ends Matt Sokol and Paul Butler don’t pose any threat to 2019 first-round pick T.J Hockenson, the two young players may challenge Isaac Nauta for the last spot on the depth chart.

Sokol, a former Michigan State Spartan, spent his rookie season in 2019 on the practice squads of the Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars. He is a strong run-blocker who has the ability to play in a fullback role, meaning he’s in direct competition with Nauta.

Butler has slightly more experience, spending the last two seasons on the Raiders’ practice squad. His skill set is better suited for a pure-receiving role, but he could still challenge Nauta for that third tight end role.

Linebacker

This offseason, the Lions appear to have put an extra effort into their linebacker position. The team brought in four linebackers via free agency and futures deals, including Jamie Collins, Reggie Ragland, Elijah Lee, and Christian Sam (who was on the Lions’ practice squad).

Collins will start and likely alongside 2019 second-round pick Jahlani Tavai. As for the others, they pose a major threat to Anthony Pittman. Pittman spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad and earned a call-up in the final game of the season. While he’s likely to return to the practice squad for the upcoming season, these new signings lowered his chances of making the active roster.

Safety

Prior to free agency, Will Harris was slotted to be a starting safety for the Lions’ defense. Things changed quickly for him after the team traded for Duron Harmon. Harmon, a former starter in New England, is an instant upgrade at the position and will move Harris back to the third-safety role he played last season.

With the addition of special teamer and backup safety Jayron Kearse, C.J. Moore will have some fierce competition in training camp. Moore made the roster as an undrafted rookie and quickly became one of Detroit’s core players on special teams.

JACK linebacker

One 2019 draft pick who doesn’t have to worry about competition is Austin Bryant. If anything, the team’s offseason moves may have helped Bryant earn a starting role. The former fourth-round pick out of Clemson has the ability to play both JACK linebacker and defensive end, and the Lions haven’t done much to bolster either position this offseason. Instead, they released starting JACK linebacker Devon Kennard, meaning Bryant’s path to the first-team defense is wide open.

Cornerback

Amani Oruwariye is currently in the fight to be the starter alongside newly-signed Desmond Trufant. His primary competition is another recent free-agent signing: Darryl Roberts. Roberts, who will turn 30 years old during the season, started the past two seasons for the Jets. The Lions also have a chance to grab Jeff Okudah in the upcoming draft, which might mean that both Oruwariye and Roberts will be backups in 2020.

Running back

Ty Johnson hasn’t had much to worry about this offseason. The Lions brought back Wes Hills and Tra Carson on a futures deals in January and lost J.D. McKissic in free agency but haven’t done anything else at the position. The team is now housing five players at a position where they usually keep four, but it’s safe to say that Johnson has nothing to worry about.

Wide receiver

The deepest position group the Detroit Lions have is the wide receivers. The additions of Geronimo Allison, Geremy Davis, and Victor Bolden will directly impact three 2019 rookies. Travis Fulgham, Tom Kennedy, and Jonathan Duhart are all in the fight for the last one or two spots on the depth chart. Both Fulgham and Kennedy spent some time on both the practice squad and active roster in 2019. Duhart, a college teammate of Fulgham, remained on the practice squad and was brought back on a futures deal.

Fulgham and Duhart are both big-bodied receivers who fit best as outside receivers. This will put them in direct competition with Allison, Davis, and the other outside receivers on the roster. Kennedy is a pure slot receiver who can contribute on special teams as a punt returner. Unfortunately for him, so is Bolden. The two are the only current options as backups to Danny Amendola.

Offensive line

On the offensive line, Beau Benzschawel will have quite the fight ahead of him. With an opening at the right guard position, the Lions brought in a slew of interior lineman to compete. They re-signed Oday Aboushi and inked Russel Bodine, Joshua Garnett, and Casey Tucker in free agency. All three of these players have at least one season of starting experience, while Benzschawel has yet to play a snap on offense. The Lions are likely to find their starter in the draft, but these offseason moves have made it a very difficult path for the 2019 undrafted rookie earning a starting role.

Defensive line

Undrafted in 2019, Kevin Strong made a big enough impression in training camp to make the active roster. Serving as both a 3T and big-bodied edge rusher on the defensive line, Strong played well up until his season-ending injury in Week 9. The Lions brought in three more defensive tackles this offseason, Danny Shelton, Nick Williams, and Olive Sagapolu. Shelton will start at nose tackle, and Williams will likely start at 3/5T. This leaves Atkins and Sagapolu to compete with Strong as the primary backup on the defensive line.

Quarterback

David Blough was Detroit’s third-string passer in 2019 and will hold that role again in 2020. He was primed to be the backup until the Lions brought in veteran Chase Daniel.

The Detroit Lions have done a lot throughout the offseason and have added depth to each position. While this has directly impacted most of their 2019 rookie class in a negative way, it has clearly helped the team as a whole. With the draft coming up this month, expect their roles to change even more.

Rookie expectations: David Blough, Amani Oruwariye preparing to start

The Detroit Lions are about to face off against the Chicago Bears for their annual Thanksgiving Day game. Unfortunately for them, a short week means that injured players have less time to heal and prepare, leaving the rookies to fill their roles.

The Detroit Lions are about to face off against the Chicago Bears for their annual Thanksgiving Day game. Unfortunately for them, a short week means that injured players have less time to heal and prepare, leaving the rookies to fill their roles.

Here’s what to expect from the rookies before Thursday’s game:

Quarterback David Blough

Matthew Stafford has been ruled out.

Jeff Driskel, limited with a hamstring injury, is not expected to play.

Now, the Lions have to rely on undrafted rookie David Blough to lead the offense this Thanksgiving.

The rookie out of Purdue, who the Lions acquired via trade from the Cleveland Browns, has yet to play a snap in a regular-season game. With Cleveland in the 2019 preseason, he completed 58 percent of his passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns, along with two interceptions.

The level of competition will be much higher than they were in the preseason. The Bears have one of the best defenses in the league at the moment, so the rookie will have a lot to prove.

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Running back Ty Johnson

Johnson’s rookie campaign has slowed down immensely due to Bo Scarborough’s recent successes on offense. Once thought to be the team’s starter, Johnson has taken just 31 snaps on offense since the Lions signed Scarborough two weeks ago, rushing six times for 17 yards and making three receptions for a mere 10 yards.

Facing off against a solid Bears’ run defense that is allowing just 3.7 yards-per-carry this season, Johnson isn’t expected to contribute much on offense this week.

Tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Isaac Nauta

Despite taking the most tight end snaps last week, Hockenson managed to keep his name clear from the box score. He was targeted twice but failed to make a reception on either pass. Expect the team’s first-round pick to start once again, but don’t expect him to make a difference on offense — especially if his shoulder injury continues to be burdensome.

Nauta, who played in his first regular season game last week, took a bulk of his snaps from the fullback position. While only used for a handful of offensive snaps, the rookie tight end showed promise as a run blocker. His ability as a lead blocker could make an impact in Detroit’s run game. Expect the rookie’s role to be limited to fullback and special teams against Chicago.

Offensive lineman Beau Benzschawel

The undrafted rookie was active for the first time in his career on Sunday but never saw the field.  With both Frank Ragnow and Kenny Wiggins being full participants in practice, expect Benzschawel to make his way back to the inactives list.

EDGE Austin Bryant

Bryant’s NFL debut last week showed some promise in his limited action. The rookie was credited with one quarterback pressure, where he was able to make a hit on Washington’s Dwayne Haskins.

With both Trey Flowers and Da’Shawn Hand limited in practice, Bryant may have another opportunity to see the field this week.

Linebacker Jahlani Tavai

The last time the Lions faced the Bears, Tavai walked out of that game with three tackles and a sack. Despite his usage on-field going down drastically in recent weeks, the rookie could still have the chance to make some big plays. He’ll be used in a much more limited role, coming in as an extra linebacker in some situations. Expect the rookie to see the same success he had last time.

Cornerbacks Amani Oruwariye and Michael Jackson

One of the most pleasant surprises of the Lions’ 2019 seasons was the sudden emergence of Amani Oruwariye. After spending most of the season on the bench, the fifth-round pick found himself in the starting lineup against Washington, subbing in for an injured Rashaan Melvin.

In his first full game as a Lion, Oruwariye blanketed receivers, allowing just half of the passes that came his way, with an average passer rating of 18.7 against him.

With Melvin still listed on the injury report, expect this rookie to come in and contribute heavily on defense once again.

Fellow rookie cornerback Michael Jackson received his first snaps as a pro on special teams. If he is active again this week, his role isn’t expected to change.

Safeties Will Harris and C.J. Moore

For the third time this season, rookie Will Harris saw the field for every defensive snap in the game.

While he started the season strong, his skills in coverage have started to look like an issue. He has missed almost a fifth of the tackles he’s attempted this season and has allowed an average of nearly 12 yards-per-completion.

With Tracy Walker limited again with his lingering knee injury, Harris may be starting again this week. Hopefully, his struggles don’t show up in this matchup.

Undrafted rookie C.J. Moore has remained relatively quiet this season on defense but he’s shown some promise on special teams. With injuries at the safety position, expect Moore to be active again this week with a limited role on defense.

Rookie report: newcomers outperform expectations despite loss to Washington

The Detroit Lions had 11 rookies active in Week 12 and the newcomers outperform expectations, including Amani Oruwariye, who had his first career interception.

In the Detroit Lions’ 19-16 loss to the Washington Redskins, several rookies were able to see the field for the first time in their careers.

Due to a slew of injuries to key players, Detroit had 11 rookies active for this game, most of any game this season.

How did the rookies perform?

The most surprising performance of the day came from the team’s fifth-round pick: cornerback Amani Oruwariye.

His career had quite the rough beginning, starting with him dropping much farther in the draft than expected, and then not being able to unearth himself from the bottom of the cornerback depth chart.

The rookie out of Penn State, who had just nine defensive snaps prior to the game, ended up taking over the second outside corner role in place of the injured Rashaan Melvin. In his first career start, he had five tackles, two passes defended, and an interception.

Oruwariye outperformed any expectations of him heading into the game and could see extended playing time throughout the last few games of the season.

Seventh-round pick Isaac Nauta also showed some promise in his first NFL game. The rookie tight end served as the team’s primary fullback and delivered some key blocks in the run game. Though he didn’t show up in the passing game, he did prove that he could be valuable for the offense moving forward.

Safety Will Harris once again played every defensive snap against Washington and had a very up-and-down game. He made four tackles and made one pass deflection, but also showed the same struggles in coverage that he has all season. Hopefully, Tracy Walker returns soon, but Harris has provided some sustainable depth in his absence.

Pass rusher Austin Bryant played his first NFL snaps since being activated from injured reserve and showed some promise in his limited role. His name stayed clear of the box score for the most part, but he did record one quarterback hit in his 16 snaps.

T.J. Hockenson, Jahlani Tavai, Ty Johnson, and C.J. Moore all had relatively quiet games despite getting their fair shares of snaps.

Michael Jackson Sr. and Beau Benzschawel both were active for the first time in their careers, but neither contributed much. Jackson had two snaps on special teams and Benzschawel did not see the field.

With the way Detroit’s season is going, these rookies have more of a chance to see the field and show that they have what it takes to play in the NFL. With a hefty injury report heading into the Thanksgiving game against Chicago, expect these rookies to once again go above and beyond expectations.

Lions week 12 snap counts: Oruwariye steps up in Melvin’s absence

The Detroit Lions had 11 rookies active on game day, and for the most part, they all played significant or scheme-specific roles on Sunday.

When examining the Detroit Lions (3-7-1) snap counts from Week 12, a few key things stood out. Of the 46 players active for the Lions in Washington, 11 of them were rookies, including Isaac Nauta, Austin Bryant, Beau Benzschawel, and Michael Jackson, all making their NFL debuts.

That and more takeaways from this week’s snap counts below:

Jeff Driskel continues snap streak

Jeff Driskel — 75, 100-percent

Despite Driskel’s playing style leading to him getting hit with frequency, he still manages to stay on the field for every snap.

Lions use 7 of 8 active offensive linemen

LT Taylor Decker — 75, 100-percent
LG Joe Dahl — 74, 99-percent
C Graham Glasgow — 75, 100-percent
RG Kenny Wiggins — 68, 91-percent
RT Tyrell Crosby — 75, 100-percent
OG Oday Aboushi — 8, 11-percent
OT Tyrell Crosby — 5, 7-percent
OL Beau Benzschawel — 0, 0-percent

The Lions have nine offensive linemen on their active roster. With Frank Ragnow out due to a concussion, that left them with eight healthy — all of which were active on Sunday. Typically the Lions only deploy seven offensive linemen on game days and that held true again yesterday, with Benzschawel still waiting to see his first NFL snaps.

Scarbrough leads the backfield again

Bo Scarbrough — 38, 51-percent
Ty Johnson — 27, 36-percent
J.D. McKissic — 11, 15-percent

Scarbrough was once again one of the bright spots in the Lions offense and the Lions leaned on him for the second week in a row. Behind him, Johnson and McKissic flipped roles from last week, with the game plan calling for more of a ground presence.

WR snaps have been consistent

Kenny Golladay — 68, 91-percent
Marvin Jones Jr. — 67, 89-percent
Danny Amendola — 46, 61-percent
Marvin Hall — 10, 13-percent

This snap count distribution has been fairly close to what the Lions have deployed since Driskel took over at quarterback. The only difference being Hall’s snap counts declined a bit after he left the game early with a lower leg injury.

Hockenson see lowest snap counts of the season

T.J. Hockenson — 33, 44-percent
Jesse James — 32, 43-percent
Logan Thomas — 28, 37-percent
Isaac Nauta — 10, 13-percent

Most young quarterbacks rely on tight ends as safety valves, but that has not been the case with Driskel. That may not be the primary reason the tight ends snaps counts dropped this week, — Hockenson was added to the injury report late Saturday — but it was likely a factor.

Nauta, who was just promoted to the active roster on Saturday, saw several snaps out of the backfield filling in for injured fullback Nick Bawden.

Interior DL snaps

A’Shawn Robinson — 43, 72-percent
Damon Harrison — 38, 63-percent
John Atkins — 25, 42-percent
Mike Daniels — 9, 15-percent

These snaps counts are very similar to what we saw from this group last week, which begs the question — why isn’t Daniels seeing the field more?

EDGE players see a big bump in snaps

Romeo Okwara — 56, 93-percent
Devon Kennard — 55, 92-percent
Austin Bryant — 16, 27-percent

Last season, Okwara routinely had multiple games where he received over 90-percent of snaps, but his numbers declined with the addition of Trey Flowers. With Flowers missing this week with a concussion, Okwara was back over 90-percent once again.

Bryant began the game only seeing the field on third downs but saw his snaps increase in obvious passing situations.

Linebackers dip in snaps

Jarrad Davis — 51, 85-percent
Christian Jones — 30, 50-percent
Jahlani Tavai — 29, 48-percent
Miles Killebrew — 16, 27-percent

All three primarily off-the-ball linebackers saw a slight dip in snaps. This is only the fourth game this season where Davis saw less than 90-percent of snaps, Tavai saw his snaps drop after a month in the 60th percentile, while Jones saw his lowest snap counts of the season.

Like Bryant in the last section, Killebrew saw the field on third downs and obvious passing situations as the game wore on.

Oruwariye steps up in Melvin’s absence

Darius Slay — 60, 100-percent
Justin Coleman — 60, 100-percent
Amani Oruwariye — 45, 75-percent

Last week, Oruwariye took over for Mike Ford in the fourth cornerback spot, and this week with Rashaan Melvin unable to play due to injury, Oruwariye was once again promoted into a more prominent role.

Oruwariye flashed the skill level he showed off in training camp and secured his first career interception:

Safety use was clear and defined

Tavon Wilson — 60, 100-percent
Will Harris — 60, 100-percent
C.J. Moore — 7, 12-percent

With no Tracy Walker, the Lions leaned heavily on Wilson and Harris, only turning to Moore when they went into three safety sets.

Special teams

Miles Killebrew — 26
Dee Virgin — 26
Mike Ford — 23
Steve Longa — 21
Jalen Reeves-Maybin — 21
Isaac Nauta — 21
C.J. Moore — 20
Ty Johnson — 17
Logan Thomas — 15
Jesse James — 11
Amani Oruwariye — 11
Will Harris — 10
Christian Jones — 9
J.D. McKissic — 6
Jarrad Davis — 5
Tavon  Wilson — 4
Justin Coleman — 4
Marvin Hall — 3
Danny Amendola — 3
Michael Jackson — 2

With no Jamal Agnew available, the Lions turned to Ty Johnson on kick returns and Marvin Hall on punt returns, but when Hall went down, the team needed veteran Danny Amendola to field the final three punts.

Michael Jackson saw his first-ever NFL snaps yesterday, getting two looks on special teams.