Tag: Dalyn Dawkins

Lions activate Everson Griffen from reserve/COVID-19, Danny Shelton returns to practice

The Detroit Lions have activated EDGE Everson Griffen from reserve/COVID-19 and Nose Tackle Danny Shelton returns to practice but remains on injured reserve for the time being.

The Detroit Lions are getting some help on the defensive line. A day after activating JACK Julian Okwara from injured reserve, they announced that they have also activated EDGE Everson Griffen from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Additionally, Nose Tackle Danny Shelton, who is still on injured reserve, has returned to practice and is eligible to be activated to the 53-man roster at any time.

Griffen announced on social media that he tested positive for COVID-19, and 11 days after the team placed him on the reserve list, he has been medically cleared and is eligible to return to practice.

No additional roster move was required at this time because Griffen has a roster exemption, but in order for him to play on Saturday, a corresponding move from the 53-man roster would be required.

Shelton was placed on injured reserve three weeks ago, has completed the required time on short-term IR, and is now eligible to return to the team. As Shelton is also technically still on IR, he also does not take up a spot on the 53-man roster, and when he is ready to play, a corresponding roster move would be required.

One final housekeeping note: running back Dalyn Dawkins has been added to the practice squad for his fourth stint with the team.

Lions sign QB Jordan Ta’amu, RB Jordan Scarlett to practice squad

The Detroit Lions announced they have signed QB Jordan Ta’amu and RB Jordan Scarlett to the practice squad, releasing P Aaryn Siposs.

The Detroit Lions announced they have signed quarterback Jordan Ta’amu and running back Jordan Scarlett to the practice squad, releasing punter Aaryn Siposs and running back Dalyn Dawkins — as we reported earlier today — in corresponding moves.

With Stafford ailing this week, Ta’amu gives the Lions depth at the position, but he carries long-term value as well and could be a candidate for a futures deal at the end of the season.

Ta’amu originally signed with the Houston Texans after the 2019 draft, but after not making it out of training camp, elected to join the XFL to lead the St. Louis Battlehawks. As their starting quarterback. Ta’amu played in five games, threw for 1,050 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. Additionally, he rushed for 217 yards (5.3 yards average) and a touchdown.

After the XFL ended, he joined the Kansas City Chiefs but was once again waived after training camp and this time joined their practice squad. He was released by the Chiefs in late October and received a tryout with the Lions but did not sign. After a second tryout with the Lions this week, he earned a spot on their practice squad.

With a strong arm and the anticipation to hit tough windows, Ta’amu can hit receivers on all three levels while in the pocket or on the move. His decision making is a work in progress, which is why time on an NFL practice squad could do wonders for his development.

Here’s a sampling of my draft profile of Ta’amu from our 2019 quarterback draft combine preview:

Mississippi’s system did Ta’amu no favors in preparing him for the next level but the arm talent, accuracy and mobility illustrate a Jacoby Brissett-type upside. Ta’amu’s ability to consistently hit vertical passes will make him intriguing for a team like the Lions as long as they are willing to wait for his mental processing skills to develop.

Scarlett was a fifth-round pick (154 overall) in the 2019 draft by the Carolina Panthers and played in nine games during his rookie season but only rushed the ball four times for nine yards. He finished his rookie year by being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury and then was released after 2020 training camp.

While Dawkins was more of a scatback, Scarlett leans more towards the power game. He has solid contact balance and is a rotational back at best but talented enough to get a closer look at.

Siposs deserves another shot at punting in the NFL, but with the season Jack Fox has put together, the Lions have identified their punter of the future.

Lions protect same 4 players, release RB Dalyn Dawkins from practice squad

The Detroit Lions made a series of practice squad moves on Tuesday, protecting the same four players as last week and releasing running back Dalyn Dawkins.

The Detroit Lions made a series of practice squad moves on Tuesday, protecting the same four players as last week — OT Dan Skipper, EDGE Kareem Martin, DT Albert Huggins, and S Bobby Price — and releasing running back Dalyn Dawkins.

Last week, after protection, Skipper, Martin, and Price were all elevated to the game-day roster and all four protected players have been elevated at least once this season.

Skipper has been elevated twice — Week’s 10 and 14 — and has exhausted his elevation eligibility. If the Lions want him to play again this season, they will need to sign him to the active roster. That could be a possibility this week, with Tyrell Crosby’s health uncertain, and Hal Vaitai still on injured reserve — though he is eligible to be removed this week, if healthy.

Price has also been elevated twice this season — Week’s 13 and 14 — but unlike Skipper, he still has one eligibility elevation remaining. Last week, Price was elevated as a COVID-19 replacement for Everson Griffen, which does not count towards the standard elevation count. Price is a candidate for elevation this week, as C.J. Moore is still dealing with an ankle injury and his status is up in the air. Price has seen 35 special teams snaps over the last two weeks, including getting some run as a starting gunner.

With Griffen out, Martin saw 11 snaps on the edge last week. And with Griffen — who announced via Instagram that he had contracted the COVID-19 virus — likely to miss this week’s game, Martin could be elevated once again. Working against him is the fact that EDGE Julian Okwara (still on IR) has been practicing for two weeks and is a candidate to return to action soon, and EDGE Trey Flowers (also still on IR) has been moving towards a potential return as well.

The Lions are getting healthier at defensive tackle — though Da’Shawn Hand still looked limited last week — but with John Penisini the only rostered nose tackle, protecting Huggins looks like an insurance move.

After three different stints on the practice squad, the Lions quietly moved on from Dawkins last night. This gives the Lions an open spot on the practice squad — which could go to RB Kerrith Whyte, who has been on the practice squad IR since the fourth week of the season.

Another potential option is quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, who had a try out with the Lions yesterday — his second try out with Detroit this season:

Lions re-sign RB Dalyn Dawkins to practice squad, release DT Kevin Strong

The Detroit Lions announced that they have re-signed running back Dalyn Dawkins to the practice squad and released defensive lineman Kevin Strong in a corresponding move.

The Detroit Lions announced that they have re-signed running back Dalyn Dawkins to the practice squad and released defensive lineman Kevin Strong in a corresponding move.

This Dawkins third stint with the Lions in less than a month as the Lions churn their practice squad on a weekly basis. With gadget running back Kerrith Whyte still on injured reserve, the Lions have leaned on Dawkins to fill a role they value on the practice squad.

Strong signed with the Lions after the 2019 draft and managed to earn a spot on the 53-man roster out of camp. He was a weekly contributor until he was placed on injured reserve midseason.

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This year in training camp, Strong still maintained his defensive tackle depth role, but due to roster construction, he landed on the practice squad instead of the active roster. When Nick Williams was injured in Week 2, it was Strong who the Lions called up to replace on the active roster — and he topped Pro Football Focus’ grades that week for the Lions.

Yesterday, the Lions elected to protect four players on the practice squad, one of them being Frank Herron. And now after today’s move, it’s clear he had passed Strong on the depth chart. Curiously, the Lions also opted to retain defensive tackle Albert Huggins, whom they have added and released from the practice squad several times this season.

On a positive note, because the Lions have a habit of bringing practice squad players back to the roster, so we may not have seen the last of Strong in Detroit.

Detroit Lions sign TE Khari Lee to the practice squad, release RB Dalyn Dawkins

The Detroit Lions announced they have signed tight end Khari Lee to the practice squad and released running back Dalyn Dawkins in a corresponding move.

The Detroit Lions announced they have signed tight end Khari Lee to the practice squad and released running back Dalyn Dawkins in a corresponding move. This is Lee’s second stint with the Lions organization.

Undrafted in 2015, Lee began his NFL career with the Texans but was traded to the Bears and spent his entire rookie season in Chicago. In 2016, Lee was released at cut downs and the Lions used a waiver claim to acquire him. He lasted two months on the active roster before being released and then was added to the Lions practice squad. He would be released by the Lions at cutdowns in 2017.

Lee would then join the Bills or 2017 and half of 2018, but wouldn’t see the football field again until 2019 when he joined the XFL’s DC Defenders. In 2020, Lee signed with the Falcons but was released at cutdowns with an injury settlement.

Lee has historically been viewed as a blocking tight end but he found success in the passing game with the DC Defenders. Over his five games in the XFL — before the league shut down — Lee caught all eight of his targets for 91 yards and two touchdowns, and was PFF’s highest-graded tight end in the league.

It’s worth noting that Lee’s offensive coordinator in the XFL was Tanner Engstrand, who was recently hired by the Lions as an offensive assistant coach.

Detroit Lions release LB Elijah Lee, swap out practice squad players

The Detroit Lions announced they have released linebacker Elijah Lee and swapped out practice squad players, re-adding RB Dalyn Dawkins and moving on from DT Albert Huggins.

The Detroit Lions announced three roster moves this afternoon, releasing linebacker Elijah Lee from the active roster, as well as swapping out practice squad players, re-adding running back Dalyn Dawkins, and moving on from defensive tackle Albert Huggins.

Lee had yet to play a snap on defense for the Lions, but he did account for 73 special teams snaps over four games, accounting for two tackles on the year.

After playing key roles on special teams over the first three weeks of the season, Lee found himself a healthy scratch in Week 4. The return to health of other special teams players, like C.J. Moore, made him a bit of a luxury. After the Lions bye in Week 5, Lee was once again a healthy scratch in Week 6, but was able to get back into the action in Week 7 after Miles Killebrew missed the game with a personal issue.

By moving on from Lee and not announcing a replacement roster move, it’s a strong indicator that the Lions are planning on making an in-house adjustment. There are three logical moves that the Lions may be preparing for: Justin Coleman could be ready to return from injured reserve, Austin Bryant could be ready to return from PUP, or the Lions are opening the spot for Everson Griffen — whom they just traded for.

Griffen is still working through the COVID-19 on-boarding process and can’t join the team until at least Monday, so this move seems premature for that. Meaning, it’s more likely the open spot will be filled by an injured player. Based on reports from practices, Coleman appears to be further along.

On the practice squad, Dawkins returns to give the Lions more depth and a unique scat back to the running backs room, while Huggins apparanty didn’t prove enough in his second stint with the Lions.

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.

Bears working out a group of running backs, including Lamar Miller

With RB Tarik Cohen placed on injured reserve, the Bears explored some veteran options on the free-agent market.

The Chicago Bears lost an important offensive weapon when Tarik Cohen suffered a torn ACL during last Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, effectively ending his fourth season.

While Bears head coach Matt Nagy has expressed his faith in the current crop of running backs on the roster to step in, it certainly doesn’t hurt to turn to the free-agent market for some veteran options.

The Bears worked out a group of running backs on Wednesday, including veteran Lamar Miller, who spent the last four seasons with the Houston Texans, according to the transactions wire.

Chicago also worked out Jonathan Williams, Dalyn Dawkins and Tavien Feaster.

Miller is certainly the best option on the market, but he’s coming off a torn ACL suffered last preseason. Miller spent the three seasons before that as the lead ball for the Texans, where he tallied 2,934 rushing yards with 13 touchdowns. He’s also a weapon in the passing game, something the Bears are losing with Cohen. Miller had 92 receptions for 678 yards and five touchdowns during his time in Houston.

The Bears would do well to bring in a veteran running back behind starter David Montgomery. The rest of the current running backs room includes Cordarrelle Patterson, Ryan Nall and undrafted rookie Artavis Pierce.

Titans sign multiple players to futures contracts

Here’s a look at the list released yesterday.

The Tennessee Titans have no shortage of decisions to think about now that the offseason has started.

The team did make some moves on Monday, signing a number of players to futures contracts.

Those players included quarterback Logan Woodside, defensive end Amani Bledsoe, running back Dalyn Dawkins, linebacker Nigel Harris, tight end Parker Hesse, center Daniel Munyer, defensive back Kareem Orr, offensive lineman David Quessenberry, wide receiver Trevion Thompson and running back Shaun Wilson.

Here’s a look at the list released yesterday.

Each of those players saw time on Tennessee’s practice squad during the season.

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Running back Dalyn Dawkins is one of the most likely of those to land a roster spot in the 2020 season, especially if the team parts ways with rusher Dion Lewis.

Dawkins was in action for two regular season games, recording 26 rushing yards on 11 carries.

Woodside and the quarterback position overall could be an interesting one to watch as well, given how unclear things still are with the future of Ryan Tannehill.

Titans downgrade Derrick Henry to questionable vs. Saints

The Tennessee Titans downgraded Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry as questionable to play in Week 16’s game with the New Orleans Saints.

The New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans are preparing for a game that could be a matchup of strength-on-strength, with one of the league’s most consistent run defenses set to square up against a runner as physically-imposing as any in the NFL. New Orleans has gone 39 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher, while Titans running back Derrick Henry has averaged 94.9 yards on the ground this year.

But there’s a chance we don’t see that heavyweight fight. Per a report from ESPN’s Field Yates, on Saturday the Titans downgraded Henry to questionable for Sunday’s game, and promoted running back Dalyn Dawkins from their practice squad in case he isn’t able to suit up while managing a hamstring injury. Henry slowed down in recent weeks with that issue and missed some time during Titans practice while receiving treatment.

The Titans ruled out two players for Week 16 against the Saints already, including cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and slot receiver Adam Humphries. If Henry joins them on the sidelines, Tennessee will have to platoon Dawkins with backup running back Dion Lewis. And that’s concerning — Henry has accounted for 271 of the Titans’ 380 rushing attempts (71.3%) as a team this season. Lewis has taken just 38 handoffs to pick up 134 yards, a rate of 3.5 yards per carry.

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