Tag: Connor Galvin

Lions sign veteran offensive lineman among roster moves

Lions sign veteran offensive lineman Jamarco Jones among roster moves that includes sending two injured players to I.R.

After two players suffered season-ending injuries in the preseason opener in New York, the Detroit Lions added two new players to the training camp roster ahead of Sunday’s practice session.

The Lions signed veteran offensive lineman Jamarco Jones and linebacker Abraham Beauplan to the 90-man roster. They will take the place of injured offensive tackle Connor Galvin and EDGE Nate Lynn, each of whom is now out for the season after the Lions loss to the Giants. Galvin suffered a knee injury while Lynn is lost to a shoulder problem.

Jones, 28, was a fifth-round pick by the Seahawks in the 2018 NFL Draft after a strong career at Ohio State. He’s primarily a right tackle but also has some NFL experience at left guard. Jones hasn’t played since suffering a torn pectoral muscle in the 2022 training camp with the Titans. He’s finished four of his five NFL seasons on the injured reserve, including Jones missing all of his rookie seasons with a severe high-ankle sprain.

Beauplan also has a lengthy injury history of his own. Signed as an undrafted rookie out of Marshall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, he was placed on I.R. after the preseason and then waived. He spent the offseason with Minnesota but was waived in late July. He’s a 240-pound off-ball linebacker who was known for his prolific run defense at Marshall.

Lions lose promising lineman to a season-ending knee injury

Lions lose promising offensive lineman Connor Galvin to a season-ending knee injury in the preseason loss to the Giants

It didn’t look good when watching the Lions preseason game in New York, and the news for offensive lineman Connor Galvin isn’t good either. Galvin will miss the 2024 NFL season with a torn ACL, according to several reports, including one from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Galvin suffered the injury during Thursday night’s game when he got rolled up on and his left leg got pinned when hit from the back and side. It’s the same injury that befell defensive lineman John Cominsky during a training camp practice, and much the same injury mechanism, too.

Cominsky could conceivably return for the postseason, but Fowler’s report indicates the Lions will not effort to get Galvin back in 2024.

An undrafted free agent from Baylor in the 2023 NFL Draft, Galvin spent his rookie season on Detroit’s practice squad. He had grown his game in his second training camp, competing for the top reserve tackle role with Colby Sorsdal.

Video: Breaking down the Lions offensive line depth chart ahead of training camp

Video: Breaking down the Lions offensive line depth chart and potential ahead of training camp

The latest in the series of Detroit Lions positional breakdowns is now available to watch and stream. Recorded via the Detroit Lions Podcast, this edition goes over the offensive line room as it stands heading into training camp.

From the excellent starting five, which many feel is the best in the league, through the veteran depth and the rookies, this one covers coach Hank Fraley’s unit. What is in line for rookies Christian Mahogany and Giovanni Manu? Can a newcomer like Netane Muti seize a reserve spot over a holdover like Kayode Awosika? What’s the backup plan behind All-Pro center Frank Ragnow?

All that and more in this video, which I recorded during the week.

An audio-only version of the show is available from your favorite podcast provider.

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Tom Kennedy among 11 players signed to reserve/future deals by the Lions

The Detroit Lions signed 11 players to reserve/future contracts, including WR Tom Kennedy and OT Connor Galvin

One of the first orders of business for all teams in the offseason is to sign players to reserve/future contracts. With the Lions season not ending until after the NFC Championship game, it took longer than other years.

The Lions added 11 players to reserve/future deals on Tuesday. A reserve/future contract is a commitment by the team to bring the players back with a chance to compete for spots in the coming season. Typically, they are players coming off the practice squad or unsigned street free agents who had some connection to the team.

The biggest name is wide receiver Tom Kennedy, who has been on and off the Lions roster since the 2019 season.

The full list:

  • LB Mitchell Agude
  • WR Maurice Alexander
  • OL Matt Farniok
  • RB Jake Funk
  • OT Connor Galvin
  • CB Craig James
  • S Brandon Joseph
  • WR Tom Kennedy
  • OL Michael Niese
  • DT Chris Smith

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Lions make roster moves to reinforce the blocking for Week 4

Lions make roster moves ahead of Week 4, including Matt Nelson to I.R. and some practice squad elevations

The Detroit Lions made a series of roster moves ahead of Thursday’s matchup in Green Bay with the Packers. Injuries to the offensive line forced the changes.

As head coach Dan Campbell indicated would happen earlier in the week, reserve offensive tackle Matt Nelson was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. He will be out a minimum of four weeks.

Replacing Nelson on the active 53-man roster is tight end Darrell Daniels. A blocking specialist, Daniels has been on the Lions practice squad. This move was previously reported by Daniels’ agent.

Finally, the Lions elevated two undrafted rookies from the practice squad to the active roster. Offensive tackle Connor Galvin and safety Brandon Joseph earned the promotions with injury issues on the roster.

 

 

 

Detroit Lions practice squad tracker

The Lions are signing players to the practice squad to start the season. Here’s who has signed in Detroit.

With the 53-man active roster established, the Detroit Lions are now forming the 16-player practice squad for the start of the 2023 season.

All players who are not signed to another team are eligible for the practice squad, though there are limits on how many vested veterans can be on any practice squad.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell extolled the virtue and importance of the practice squad in his final press conference before the roster cutdowns.

“I understand it is, it’s a 53-man roster, but it’s really not. It’s a 60-man team. It’s a 69-man team is what it is, and that’s kind of how we view it. These guys are all on the same team. We all help each other out and every one of those guys, there’s a good chance they’re going to play for us,” Campbell said of the practice squad.

Knowing that context, here is who has signed with the Lions 16-man practice squad.

Chase Lucas, Michael Badgley among early Lions practice squad signings

The Lions practice squad is taking shape, starting with CB Chase Lucas and the return of K Michael Badgley

News and reports of the players signing to the Detroit Lions practice squad are starting to come in after the NFL’s waiver wire processing announcement. Two of the early names for the Lions practice squad are interesting ones.

Cornerback Chase Lucas is back after being waived. Lucas was a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and showed considerable improvement and more positional versatility in his second training camp. He lost out in a numbers game in the Lions’ suddenly deep secondary.

The other name is a curious choice. Kicker Michael Badgley returns to Detroit on the practice squad. Cut by the Lions in late July, Badgley was subsequently signed — and then released — by Washington and Tennessee. He’s back where he was the Lions’ primary kicker in 2022, now behind Riley Patterson.

The Lions also signed undrafted rookie OT Connor Galvin back to the practice squad.

Chase Lucas, Dylan Drummond among latest Lions roster cutdowns

The Detroit Lions continue to make roster cuts ahead of the deadline, waiving Chase Lucas and Dylan Drummond in the latest round

With the roster cutdown deadline approaching on Tuesday, Lions GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell continue to make moves to get the active roster down to 53 players. The latest round of reported cuts on Monday includes a couple of players who many projected to make the final 53.

Among the notables reportedly waived on Monday are CB Chase Lucas and WR Dylan Drummond.

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Lucas played well in the preseason, but it wasn’t enough to save the second-year cornerback. Detroit’s seventh-round pick in 2022 out of Arizona State is expected to return on the practice squad.

The same is true of Drummond, an undrafted rookie from Eastern Michigan who was one of the team’s top receivers in the preseason with nine receptions. His route running and ability to make catches away from his body stood out for Drummond.

Detroit is also axing three offensive linemen, per Dave Birkett of the Free Press. Undrafted rookie tackles Connor Galvin and Ryan Swoboda are both being waived, as is guard Kayode Awosika. As Birkett notes, those moves will leave the Lions with just eight offensive linemen on the initial 53-man roster after also releasing vets Bobby Hart and Germain Ifedi earlier.

Detroit is also waiving undrafted rookie QB Adrian Martinez, who got scant playing time in the last couple of weeks of camp and preseason.

Those moves would leave the Lions with 69 players left, meaning 13 more need to be cleared by 4 p.m. on Wednesday. One of those will be injured QB Nate Sudfeld, though how exactly he’s handled remains up in the air.

Predicting the 22 remaining Detroit Lions roster cutdowns

The Detroit Lions have 75 players on the active roster as of noon Monday and have to be down to 53 by 4 p.m. Tuesday

It’s almost time for the Detroit Lions initial 53-man roster to be set for the 2023 regular season. The team has already trimmed several players from the 90-man preseason limit, but there are more cutdowns to be made.

As of 12 p.m. ET on Monday, the Lions have 75 players still on the active roster. That leaves 22 more players to be removed from the active roster before 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Note that CB Emmanuel Moseley and QB Hendon Hooker are not currently on the active roster, so they don’t factor in. WR Jameson Williams begins serving his suspension after the cutdowns, so he’s not involved either. 

12 players projected to make the Lions practice squad

These 12 players from the Lions’ final preseason game roster should make the team’s 16-man practice squad

One of the first orders of business for the Detroit Lions following the conclusion of the roster cutdowns and initial waiver claim period is to form the 16-man practice squad. Teams can start signing players to the practice squad after Wednesday, August 30th at 12 p.m. ET.

Most teams prefer to stock the practice squad with players who were on the roster for the final preseason game. The Lions did that last year and are expected to do so once again.

Here are 12 Lions expected to be cut by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline who should make the practice squad.