Tag: Dan Skipper

Detroit Lions add OT Dan Skipper and TE Matt Sokol to practice squad, waive P Arryn Siposs

The Detroit Lions announced they have signed offensive tackle Dan Skipper and tight end Matt Sokol to the practice squad, waiving punter Arryn Siposs in a corresponding move.

Recently, the Detroit Lions have been churning over their practice squad. Since just Saturday, the Lions have promoted quarterback David Blough to the active roster, signed defensive tackle Albert Huggins, released wide receiver/quarterback Joe Webb and entered today with an available spot.

This afternoon, the Lions announced they have added offensive tackle Dan Skipper and tight end Matt Sokol to the practice squad, while waiving punter Arryn Siposs in a corresponding move, getting their practice squad roster back to the allotted 16 players.

This is Skipper’s third stint with the Lions, the first came in 2017 when he was signed to the practice squad and eventually promoted to the active roster. The second came last season in November when they claimed him off waivers and he bounced between the active roster and practice squad. This offseason he signed a futures deal and was with the team through training camp when he was released on cut day.

The Lions have been healthy at tackle all season until last week when Hal Vaitai and Tyrell Crosby both exited the game with dehydration issues, leaving Matt Nelson — who filled in admirably at right tackle — as the lone remaining tackle available. Skipper figures to be practice squad insurance at this stage.

Sokol also signed a futures deal with the Lions in January, was with the team throughout training camp, and was released on cut day. With Hunter Bryant landing on injured reserve last week, Sokol gives the Lions four tight ends for practices, with T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James on the active roster, and Isaac Nauta joining Sokol on the practice squad.

Jack Fox is playing at an elite level, and the Lions apparently felt comfortable moving forward with only one punter on the roster, thus moving on from Siposs.

How adding Halapoulivaati Vaitai impacts the Lions roster

Examining how agreeing to terms with offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai impacts the Detroit Lions roster.

The Detroit Lions opened the 2020 tampering period of free agency by agreeing to terms with offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai and the early expectations are that he will take over the vacated starting role at right tackle.

Playing behind Eagles tackles Jason Peters and Lane Johnson, it’s not surprising that Vaitai’s starting experience was limited to only 20 games. But over his career he saw starts at both right and left tackle, even seeing some snaps at right guard.

Despite his limited starting experience, Vaitai (6-6, 320 pounds) is an underrated athlete — he meets all the Lions preferred benchmarks identified in my QIB system — and is an ideal scheme fit in the Lions offense, as mauling run blocker.

So how does Vaitai impact the rest of the Lions roster?

With the money the Lions are investing in Vaitai — reportedly averaging $10 million a year for five years — it’s fair to assume he is penciled in at right tackle. With left tackle Taylor Decker playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, the starters are in place.

Tyrell Crosby will likely be given a shot to win the right tackle job in training camp, and the Lions love his versatility to reliably back up both tackle spots. He is at worst, their third offensive tackle and primary backup.

Currently, the Lions’ fourth offensive tackle is Dan Skipper, while defensive end convert Matt Nelson is still learning the position and doesn’t appear to be in the mix at this time.

Will the Lions add any more offensive tackles?

Probably not in free agency, but with Decker in the final year of his contract, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Lions add a developmental tackle in the draft — a prospect that could compete for a potential OT4 role with Skipper this season and a potential starting role in 2021.

While tackles may be limited to the draft, the Lions still have a starting right guard position open and that role could be filled in free agency or the draft.

Lions promote TE Isaac Nauta to active roster

The Detroit Lions announced that they have promoted tight end Isaac Nauta to the active roster, filling the vacated spot after releasing offensive tackle Dan Skipper.

The Detroit Lions announced that they have promoted tight end Isaac Nauta to the active roster, filling the vacated spot after releasing offensive tackle Dan Skipper on Thursday.

The Lions are dealing with a plethora of injuries — six players have already been ruled out for Sunday — so they waited to make this decision until they had a better understanding of their roster needs for this weekend’s game.

Punter Sam Martin has been dealing with an abdomen injury for the last several weeks, and while he has yet to miss a game, he has been limited in practice — so much so, that the Lions signed punter Matt Wile to the practice squad to give Martin rest.

If Martin was unable to play, the Lions likely would’ve needed to use the final remaining roster spot on Wile. Fortunately, the rest did Martin some good and he is not listed with an injury designation and is expected to play on Sunday.

With Martin good to go, the Lions decided to address another weak spot on their roster: fullback. Starter Nick Bawden was placed on injured reserve this week, and Nauta has been promoted to fill his roles.

Nauta has experience playing H-back in college, as well as with the Lions this offseason and could find himself lining up in the Lions backfield this Sunday. The bigger role Nauta is likely to fill though is on special teams where Bawden was averaging around 18 snaps a game.

The Lions seventh-round draft pick is a stout run blocker and a reliable option in the passing game, but lack of regular experience at fullback and long speed could limit his role.

Nauta has a lot of potential and the Lions have high hopes for him as a prospect — he could easily find himself on the Lions regular-season roster for the remainder of the season.

 

Lions announce release of OT Dan Skipper, what does that mean for the roster?

The Detroit Lions have announced that they have released reserve offensive tackle Dan Skipper. So what does that mean for the team moving forward?

The Detroit Lions have announced that they have released reserve offensive tackle Dan Skipper. No corresponding roster move was announced at this time.

So what does that mean for the team moving forward?

With starting right tackle Rick Wagner able to put together a full practice on Thursday, signs point towards him nearing his return from the NFL’s concussion protocol — he only requires medical clearance from an independent doctor — and the need for an additional offensive tackle was no longer necessary.

What the Lions do need is a fullback, after placing starting fullback Nick Bawden on injured reserve on Wednesday.

It’s possible the Lions will fill their remaining spot on the roster by adding a free agent — they recently worked out four fullbacks on Tuesday, per Adam Caplan — or they could make a waiver claim, but there’s also a real possibility the Lions promote a player from their practice squad.

The name I suggested yesterday was tight end Isaac Nauta who has experience working out of the backfield as an H-back at Georgia and during training camp with the Lions this past offseason.

Expect the Lions to announce their corresponding move tonight or tomorrow morning before their final practice of the week.

Lions Week 11 inactives list: Romeo Okwara OUT, Tracy Walker IN

Detroit Lions Week 11 inactives list includes EDGE rusher Romeo Okwara but does not include Tracy Walker indicating he will play today.

The Detroit Lions (3-5-1) have declared their inactives list ahead of a Week 11 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys (5-4) at Ford Field.

Let’s take a look at who is out and who is in.

Ruled Inactive by the Lions

QB Matthew Stafford (back, hip) — Ruled out Friday
RT Rick Wagner (concussion) — Ruled out Friday
DL Da’Shawn Hand (ankle) — Ruled out Friday
DE Romeo Okwara (groin)
OG Beau Benzschawel
OT Dan Skipper
CB Michael Jackson

Stafford, Wagner, and Hand were ruled out on Friday and will be replaced in the starting lineup by Jeff Driskel, Tyrell Crosby, and Mike Daniels/A’Shawn Robinson respectively.

Okwara is still hobbled with a groin injury which means the Lions will likely turn to more linebacker sets, with Christian Jones spending time on the EDGE.

The Lions offensive line is down Wagner but with Kenny Wiggins able to step in at tackle in case of injury, Skipper won’t be needed in this game. Once again healthy on the interior, Benzschawel will also sit, per usual.

Jackson is still acclimating to the Lions scheme and will be inactive for another week.

Cowboys inactives

The Cowboys will be without their starting left the guard in Connor Williams and starting safety — and local Michigan native — Jeff Heath.

WR Cedrick Wilson
WR Devin Smith
S Jeff Heath
LG Connor Williams
DE Joe Jackson
LB Luke Gifford
DT Trysten Hill

Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast, episode 128: Cowboys Week 11 preview

Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast, episode 128: Cowboys Week 11 preview, is now available to download and listen.

This week on the Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast the guys discuss the Matthew Stafford injury, last week’s loss to the Chicago Bears, if the season is lost or salvageable, review the latest news from Allen Park and preview the Lions Week 11 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

The DLB podcast is a weekly conversation with Lions Wire’s own Erik Schlitt and his co-host Joe Kania. This week they discuss:

You can follow the Detroit Lions Breakdown Podcast (@LionsBreakdown) and it’s hosts Schlitt (@Erikschlitt) and Kania (@JoeKania_DLB) on Twitter, with a Facebook page on the way.

The podcast is available to listen at the DetroitLionsBreakdown.com website and is available to download and subscribe to on multiple podcast platforms, including Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, among others.

Lions claim OT Dan Skipper off waivers, place DT Kevin Strong on IR

The Detroit Lions have claimed offensive tackle Dan Skipper off of waivers from the Houston Texans and placed rising defensive tackle Kevin Strong on injured reserve.

The Detroit Lions have claimed offensive tackle Dan Skipper off of waivers from the Houston Texans and placed rising young defensive tackle Kevin Strong on injured reserve.

This is Skipper’s second stint with the Lions, in what has been a long journey through five NFL teams over the last four years.

He originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas in 2017, signing with the Dallas Cowboys and beginning that season on their practice squad. He was released after just a few weeks but was immediately picked up by the Lions and signed to their practice squad.

After a month on the Lions practice squad, he was promoted to the active roster. He only spent one game on the 53-man roster before returning to the practice squad, where he would finish the season. Skipper signed a futures contract with the team in 2018 but was released after training camp cut downs, and would eventually join the Denver Broncos practice squad.

After the 2018 season, the New England Patriots added him to their practice squad for their Super Bowl run. He would stay with the Patriots through the offseason, but once again was released at roster cuts, eventually signing to their practice squad.

The Houston Texans signed Skipper to their 53-man roster off the Patriots practice squad, where he played three games for them this season in Week’s 7, 8 and 9. Yesterday, Skipper was waived by the Texans and the Lions used a waiver claim to add him to their active roster.

Big (6-10, 309-pounds) but light on his feet (see video below), Skipper has the frame to be a mauling right tackle in the NFL.

With Rick Wagner in concussion protocol, the Lions only had two healthy offensive tackles on their active roster — Taylor Decker and Tyrell Crosby — and needed an experienced body to fill out depth. Swing guard Kenny Wiggins has some experience at right tackle, but the Lions have a plan for him on the interior, and practice squad tackle Matt Nelson is not NFL ready as he is still adjusting to the position after playing defensive end last season. Skipper offers the team some flexibility.

Defensive Line gets weaker with loss of Strong

Losing Strong for the season is a bigger blow than it appears on the surface as he has completely outplayed his original season projection as an undrafted free agent — only four short weeks ago, Strong was the Lions best defender in Week 7 per PFF grades.

With Damon Harrison, A’Shawn Robinson, Da’Shawn Hand and Mike Daniels all dealing with injuries, John Atkins is the Lions only remaining defensive lineman without a current ailment.

Texans re-sign DL Joel Heath, waive OL Dan Skipper

The Houston Texans are bringing back defensive lineman Joel Heath. They waived offensive tackle Dan Skipper to sign him.

The Houston Texans have brought back a familiar face. The organization they have re-signed defensive lineman Joel Heath. In a corresponding move, Houston waived offensive lineman Dan Skipper.

Heath, 26, was waived by the Texans on Aug. 31 during final cuts. He previously signed with Houston in 2016 after going undrafted out of Michigan State.

In his three seasons as a Texan, Heath logged 30 games, including 15 starts. A 6-6, 310-pound lineman, he amassed 34 combined tackles, three sacks and three tackles for loss in his first stint in Houston.

Heath struggled with knee injuries over the last two seasons. He worked out with the New England Patriots on Oct. 31.

Skipper, 25, signed with the Texans off the Patriots’ practice squad on Oct. 16. A 6-10, 320-pound lineman, he saw the bulk of his snaps with the Texans — in three games — as a jumbo package tight end. If he clears waivers, he is eligible to sign with the Texans’ practice squad.