Tag: Brock Wright

Lions sign LB Curtis Bolton, TE Jared Pinkney in flurry of roster moves

Curtis Bolton, Jared Pinkney and Jashon Cornell are now all on the 53-man roster after a plethora of moves on Tuesday

It was a very busy day on the NFL’s transaction wire on Tuesday around the league. The Detroit Lions contributed their fair share of roster moves to the log.

To sum it up briefly, the Lions:

Signed LB Curtis Bolton and TE Jared Pinkney to the active 53-man roster

Activated DE Jashon Cornell from the reserve/non-football injury list

Signed WR Juwan Green and TE Ross Travis to the practice squad

Placed LB Josh Woods on injured reserve

Placed TE Brock Wright on the reserve/COVID-19 list

Released CB Chris Williamson from the practice squad

Bolton comes up from the Lions’ own practice squad. He’s played over 30 snaps on special teams as a practice squad elevation the last two weeks. The inside backer will take the place of Woods, who started in Week 14 before getting hurt in the Week 15 matchup against Arizona. His season is over due to his neck injury.

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Pinkney was signed off the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad to the active 53-man roster. He did spend three weeks in September on the Lions practice squad before emigrating to the Rams.

With Wright going on the reserve/COVID-19 list and the earlier move sending Shane Zylstra to the injured reserve, Pinkney is the only tight end on the active roster and projects to start against the Seahawks in Week 16. He is in his second NFL season as an undrafted free agent from Vanderbilt.

Perhaps the most eye-catching move is Cornell. A 2020 7th-round pick from Ohio State, Cornell has been on the field for just four snaps in two seasons. He’s battled injuries, a three-game NFL suspension and recently the lengthy stint on the NFI list. Cornell flashed quite a bit of pass-rush potential in the summer of 2021 when he was healthy.

Lions, Dan Campbell honor Oxford HS after victory over the Vikings

The Detroit Lions and coach Dan Campbell honor the Oxford HS victims after Sunday’s victory over the Vikings

The Detroit Lions players quickly rewarded head coach Dan Campbell with the game ball after his first coaching win on Sunday. But Campbell had a better idea for the ball. He dedicated the win and the game ball to the Detroit suburb of Oxford, which suffered a terrible mass shooting at the high school this week.

Campbell made sure to honor the victims and the Oxford community at the beginning of his postgame press conference.

“I want us to not forget these names,” Campbell said, as he read the names of the students and teacher who were shot on Monday. That list began with the four students who were killed: Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, Justin Shilling, and Tate Myre.

“For all those—they’ll never be forgotten, they’re in our hearts and our prayers, and all the families—not to mention all those that were affected by all of this,” Campbell said. “The classmates, the brothers and sisters, the cousins, the teachers—everybody.”

The Lions wore special decals on their helmets honoring Oxford. The head coach of the football team at the high school, Zach Line, played under Campbell as a fullback in New Orleans.

Quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, the two who connected on the game-winning touchdown pass as time expired in Detroit’s win over Minnesota, also began their postgame press conferences by dedicating the win to Oxford.

“I’ll try not to get emotional but—you know, sometimes special things happen in special circumstances,” Goff said. “I think you saw yesterday what Michigan did against Iowa and then us today getting our first win in what is it, 12, 13 weeks. You never hope for a tragedy like this, but you hope to be a light for those people and a positive thing that they can have fun watching today. I hope that they were all watching today and were able to enjoy that win, and we can take their minds off it for whatever it may be, three hours. I think anytime we can do that, it’s a lot bigger than our sport, it’s a lot bigger than us. I think that today is one of those special circumstances that we were able to rise to the occasion and make something special happen.”

St. Brown echoed the sentiment,

“Before I start, I just want to give a shoutout to the Oxford Community. You know it’s been a tough, tough week for everyone. But to go out there and get our first win, at home, I think was just a blessing in disguise. I mean, I think it was the best way to end this week I feel like.”

Tight end Brock Wright also paid respect to Oxford in his postgame presser. Wright, an undrafted rookie from Notre Dame, scored his first career touchdown in the first half of the 29-27 win.

“It’s so special for us to be able to do this. Obviously, we heard about the tragic events the other day and knew that we’d be able to do a little bit of something, try and bring a little bit of joy to the families today. And so being a part of that means a lot to me and means a lot to the rest of the team as well. So, just happy we could get a win for them and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families at this time, of course.”

Well done, Lions.

Watch: Former Notre Dame tight end scores first NFL touchdown

Awesome for Brock!

Brock Wright went undrafted this past spring but was ultimately signed by the Detroit Lions.  After bouncing between the practice squad and active roster earlier this year, Wright was ultimately signed to the Lions active roster full-time.

Now Wright has his first career NFL touchdown as Lions quarterback Jared Goff connected with the Lions rookie to extend the lead against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.  Check out the play below:

The Lions are in hunt for their first of 2021 as they lead the Vikings 14-6 at the time of this posting.

Wright’s touchdown on Sunday matches his career total at Notre Dame as his only score for the Irish came in their 2018 drubbing of Wake Forest.

Related: 40 former Notre Dame players named to NFL rosters to start 2021

]Every Notre Dame tight end drafted under Brian Kelly

Lions vs. Bears: Rookie expectations for the Thanksgiving game

What to expect from Penei Sewell, Derrick Barnes and the rest of the Lions rookie class on Thanksgiving

After a great performance by several members of the Detroit Lions’ 2021 rookie class against Cleveland, expectations for them are higher than ever for this upcoming Thanksgiving game.

Against Cleveland, some of these rookies got the start, while others were thrown into the action due to injuries. Now set to face Chicago on Thursday, many from this class could have larger roles against the Bears.

On the offensive line, first-round pick Penei Sewell held his own against Jadeveon Clowney and didn’t allow a sack for a fifth-straight game. He will start against Chicago and hope to repeat his success against their defensive line. Luckily for Sewell, Chicago’s star defensive lineman Akiem Hicks will sit out of this matchup.

Undrafted rookies Tommy Kraemer and Ryan McCollum both were thrust into their first offensive snaps due to injuries to starters Evan Brown and Halapoulivaati Vaitai. Both of them performed fairly well, especially given the circumstances. This Thanksgiving, McCollum will be the sole backup center for Brown while Kraemer is expected to start at right guard while Vaitai recovers from a concussion.

Running back Jermar Jefferson, who missed last week’s game, is questionable to appear in this week’s Thanksgiving showdown. The rookie had shown serious potential on limited snaps this season. If Jefferson is able to play on Thursday, he will serve as a backup behind D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams.

Against Cleveland, only one Lions receiver showed up in the box score — Amon-Ra St. Brown. Due to poor play from second-string quarterback Tim Boyle, St. Brown and the rest of the receiving corps weren’t given much opportunity. This week, Jared Goff should return to the helm of the offense. If he does, expect St. Brown to get his fair share of catches.

Undrafted rookie tight end Brock Wright got involved early against the Browns, catching a 12-yard pass from Boyle on the first play of the game. Though he didn’t record a stat for the rest of the game, he did help the Lions’ run game go for 168 yards and a touchdown as a blocker. He’s still the only tight end on the roster other than T.J. Hockenson, so he will see plenty of reps on Thursday.

On the defensive line, Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill both earned a good amount of snaps against Cleveland. The two have the chance to do some real damage against the Bears. Chicago has allowed the most sacks in the NFL this season and are going to be without mobile quarterback Justin Fields. Against a much less mobile Andy Dalton, they should be able to put on a significant amount of pressure up front and collapse the pocket, opening up the door for Detroit’s defense to get to the quarterback.

Linebacker Derrick Barnes is still serving as a rotational inside linebacker for Detroit. He showed some real struggles in coverage against the Browns and also had a hard time against running back Nick Chubb. Now he will have to face Chicago’s duo of Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery. With a short week to prepare, don’t expect much from this rookie.

In the secondary, there is potential for two undrafted rookies to start. Rookie AJ Parker is sitting out due to an injury, meaning fellow first-year cornerback Jerry Jacobs could be shifted in to the slot. If this happens, Mark Gilbert could be the guy on the outside for Detroit. If Will Harris is moved into the slot instead, Jacobs will start on the outside and Gilbert will be the next man up.

Rookie kicker Riley Patterson could see the field for the first time on Thursday. He was inactive last week as Detroit opted to elevate Aldrick Rosas and use him as their placekicker instead. Rosas likely has the upper hand, but don’t count out Patterson.

Rookie Report: Penei Sewell exceeds expectations at right tackle

Our Max Gerber breaks down the hefty rookie contributions for the Lions in Week 10

While the 16-16 tie in Pittsburgh wasn’t very thrilling, the rookies of the Detroit Lions did find ways to impress.

Not only did four rookies crack the starting lineup, but players from the 2021 class played a collective 388 snaps throughout the game.

Here’s how each of those 10 rookies performed:

First-round pick Penei Sewell’s first game at right tackle went off without a hitch. Many believed that the rookie would struggle due to inexperience at the right side of the line, but the former Oregon Duck silenced all doubts. Against a top-10 pass rush, Sewell allowed no sacks on Jared Goff and did not commit a single penalty. It’s no coincidence either that the Lions run game was the most successful that it has been all season.

Rookie defensive linemen Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill both played rotational roles on defense but made the most of their opportunities. The two combined for six tackles and McNeill has able to get his hand up to deflect one of Mason Rudolph’s passes.

With Goff’s performance at quarterback nowhere close to ideal, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown made the most out of a bad situation. The rookie lead the team in receiving yards with 61 and tied with Khalid Raymond for the most receptions, catching four out of his six targets.

Still unable to crack the starting lineup, linebacker Derrick Barnes showed he may need more time to develop before earning a bigger role on defense. Barnes took just 15 defensive snaps and came away with three tackles and a pass defense, but also failed to create any pressure on his two blitzes and whiffed badly on one tackle attempt.

Running back Jermar Jefferson was prepared to have quite the day before an ankle injury brought everything to a grinding halt. The rookie out of Oregon State had just three snaps on offense, of which he carried the ball three times for 41 yards. The injury, which caused him to get carted off the field, came right after he found the endzone on a 28-yard run. With the efficiency that he has shown on offense so far this year, let’s hope he can recover from his injury and return to the backfield quickly.

Undrafted rookie Brock Wright found himself with a much bigger role on offense after the release of Darren Fells last week. While he wasn’t much of a contributor to the box score, Wright’s run blocking helped pave the way for several big runs against Pittsburgh.

In the defensive secondary, three undrafted rookies saw their fair share of action. AJ Parker spent a strong majority of the game as the Lions’ starting nickel cornerback but had a rough time against Pittsburgh’s receiving corps. Parker allowed five of seven passes against him to be completed for 38 yards an a touchdown. To make matters worse, he missed two tackles.

Jerry Jacobs has been serviceable as a starting outside cornerback and played fairly well until an injury sidelined him late in the game. Jacobs was able to breakup two passes and only allow one reception for a gain of 20 yards.

Filling in for Jacobs late in the game was Mark Gilbert, who initially signed with Pittsburgh after going undrafted in April. Gilbert arguably had one of the best defensive plays of the game in which he initially missed a tackle on Diontae Johnson, but rallied back and punched the ball out of his hands to give Detroit possession once again. He also had a pass breakup on a third-down that forced Pittsburgh to punt.

Offensive lineman Ryan McCollum got into the game for four special teams snaps.

 

Lions vs. Steelers: Best and worst PFF grades from Week 10

Here are this week’s PFF best and worst performances for the Detroit Lions week 10 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers

It wasn’t exactly the performance the Detroit Lions were hoping for coming out their bye. Still, after one of the most unappealing, uncompetitive games you will ever watch, the Lions mustered out a 16-16 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If there was ever a game where neither team deserved to claim victory, it was most certainly this one where each team was doing everything in their power to lose this week. The Lions offense became predictable real quick, and once the Steelers were able to solve that issue, it was all over for them. On the flip side of the defense, they did put in a solid effort, but when you are facing Mason Rudolph on the other side, it can be difficult to judge how well the players are performing.

The performances speak for themselves, and with the latest PFF grades from this matchup, it almost lines up with how you would anticipate from this week.

Lions sign former Notre Dame tight end

Is this the Wright move to finally get the Lions in the win column?

Former Notre Dame tight end Brock Wright has signed with the Detroit Lions.

If that sounds confusing to you because you thought Wright was already a member of the Detroit Lions, you’re not alone.

Related: Every Notre Dame tight end drafted under Brian Kelly

Wright had been elevated from the Lions practice squad to the active roster for their last two games.  A team is only allowed to do that with a player twice per season so when the Lions waived tight end Darren Wells, signing Wright off of their practice squad only made sense.

Wright officially signs with a Lions squad that is still looking for their first win of 2021 and will hit the road for Pittsburgh on Sunday to take on the 5-3 Steelers.

Related: 40 former Notre Dame players named to NFL rosters to start 2021

Lions waive Tom Kennedy in series of post-bye roster moves

The Detroit Lions waived WR Tom Kennedy in a series of post-bye roster moves

The players returned to Allen Park for the first Detroit Lions practice since the team departed for the bye week. The commencement of post-bye football saw the Lions make some moves at the bottom of the roster.

Detroit announced it waived tight end Darren Fells and wide receiver Tom Kennedy from the active 53-man roster. Fells had asked for his release and the Lions granted the veteran’s wish.

Waiving Kennedy, who caught his first NFL reception in Detroit’s Week 6 loss to Cincinnati, is a little more surprising. The third-year pro has served as the top reserve slot receiver over the last few games and also offered some ability as a return man.

As anticipated, the Lions signed rookie Brock Wright from the practice squad to take Fells’ spot on the active roster. There is still one roster opening on the active roster. Detroit also created another opening on the practice squad by placing rookie WR Javon McKinley on the injured reserve/practice squad list.

Expect Kennedy to sign with the Lions on the practice squad once he clears waivers on Tuesday.

Lions to waive TE Darren Fells at his request

The Detroit Lions are going to waive veteran TE Darren Fells at his request

The second edition of the Darren Fells era in Detroit is coming to an end. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the Lions are releasing the veteran tight end at his request. Several local sources confirmed the move and Fells’ status on Monday.

Fells has played in seven games, starting five, but has seen little action as a receiver. The 37-year-old has four receptions on five targets, netting 43 total yards. He was inactive in the Week 8 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles as a healthy scratch.

The move will temporarily leave the Lions with just one tight end, T.J. Hockenson, on the active roster. Undrafted rookie Brock Wright has played as a practice squad elevation in the last two weeks and figures to take Fells’ spot on the 53-man roster.

Fells previously played for the Lions in 2017. While he hasn’t been involved in the passing game, the affable Fells has been a good blocker and one of the few veteran leaders on the team. He will be subject to waiver claims as a veteran released after the trade deadline. If nobody claims Fells, the Lions are responsible for the remainder of his $1.075 million contract.

 

 

Lions activate DE Da’Shawn Hand in a series of roster moves

Lions activate DE Da’Shawn Hand in a series of roster moves that also includes elevating two players from the practice squad

The Detroit Lions made some roster moves in advance of Sunday’s Week 8 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. The most significant of those moves is the return of defensive end Da’Shawn Hand to the active roster.

The Lions activated Hand from the injured reserve list, where he has been since the start of the season. Hand was designated for return with his ongoing groin injury earlier this month and he came through practices in good enough shape to earn his way back onto the 53-man roster.

In addition to Hand, safety Jalen Elliott and tight end Brock Wright will also be in uniform on Sunday when the Lions host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. Elliott and Wright were elevated from the practice squad to the active list. It’s the second week in a row for each player.

Detroit also brought back defensive lineman Eric Banks to the practice squad, releasing CB Shakur Brown to make room. Banks was waived from the active roster during the week to help create the space for Hand to return.

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