Tag: Demetrius Taylor

NFL reinstates 4 former Lions suspended in 2023 for gambling violations

The four were all released by the Lions after their violations of the league’s gambling rules came to light

Around this time a year ago, the news broke that Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams was going to be suspended for six games for violating the NFL’s rules on gambling. Williams wound up being reinstated after sitting out the first four games of the 2023 NFL season.

Yet Williams wasn’t the only Lions player who ran afoul of the NFL’s rules on gambling. Four other players — wide receiver Quintez Cephus, safety C.J. Moore, defensive tackle Demetrius Taylor and linebacker Rashod Berry —were suspended for a full season. Detroit quickly dumped them all from the roster.

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All four of the suspended ex-Lions were formally reinstated by the NFL this week. They are now free agents eligible to sign with any team and play in 2024. Don’t expect any interest from the Lions in any of the players, but Moore was one of the league’s better special teams aces before his suspension and could generate some interest.

 

The Demetrius Taylor suspension should end the Lions gambling saga

The Demetrius Taylor suspension should end the Lions gambling-related suspensions from the 2022 season

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The NFL suspended four more players for violating the league’s policy on gambling, including former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Demetrius Taylor. It’s a suspension that should end the Lions’ ongoing gambling saga.

Should.

Taylor becomes the fifth player who was suspended for violating the rules while a member of the Lions in 2022. All but one, wideout Jameson Williams, are now ex-Lions; Detroit released Taylor in May shortly after the 2023 NFL draft.

When Taylor was initially released, it raised some eyebrows. While he spent most of the season on either the practice squad or the weekly inactives list, Taylor did show some ability in the preseason. He made the roster as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State and flashed anchoring ability and some pass rush potential.

It’s not yet known if the Lions knew that Taylor was in peril of suspension, but it certainly makes the move to release him less controversial. And while we don’t know for sure that all the scandalous suspensions are done for the Lions, this should represent the end of the gambling tentacles involving the franchise that date back to last season.

Jameson Williams is the only residual sign of all the suspensions and terminations from both the playing roster and the team’s staff. C.J. Moore, Quintez Cephus and Stanley Berryhill are all long gone and won’t be back. Taylor won’t either. Williams’ talent and lesser suspension afford him a shot at redemption.

The NFL’s uneasily necessary relationship with online betting partners isn’t going away. The Lions are the unfortunate example of what happens when the players do precisely what so many corporate sponsors beg fans to do — bet on sports.

This wave of punishment for violations last season appears to have finally capped out, at least for Detroit. Here’s hoping it’s the last gambling-related wave to ever lap at the Lions’ shores again.

Ex-Lions DT Demetrius Taylor suspended for gambling violations

Ex-Lions DT Demetrius Taylor among 3 more NFL players suspended for gambling violations

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The NFL continues to crack down on players who run afoul of the league’s policies on gambling and online betting. One of the latest players to get suspended for violations is former Lions defensive tackle Demetrius Taylor.

Taylor was an undrafted rookie who made the Detroit roster in 2022 after an impressive offseason and training camp. He played sparingly, appearing in just one regular season game, and spent time on the team’s practice squad as well. The Lions released Taylor in May, shortly after the 2023 NFL draft.

He is the latest player with Lions ties to get suspended. Wide receiver Jameson Williams was hit with a six-game suspension in April. Three other Lions, all no longer with the team, were also suspended at that time. Like Quintez Cephus and CJ Moore, Taylor was suspended indefinitely for betting on football.

Two players from the Indianapolis Colts were also suspended on Thursday.

Lions waive 3 players ahead of rookie minicamp

The Detroit Lions waive 3 players ahead of rookie minicamp including suspended WR Stanley Berryhill

The Detroit Lions announced the team waived three players on Tuesday in advance of the team’s rookie minicamp this coming weekend.

Detroit parted ways with WR Stanley Berryhill, CB Mac McCain and DT Demetrius Taylor. Berryhill was recently in the news for his NFL suspension as part of the gambling violations that hit Detroit. Taylor was one of last season’s top undrafted rookies, making the team out of training camp. McCain signed with the Lions over the winter after not being retained by the Philadelphia Eagles.

The moves give the Lions more room to add fresher players to the mix during the upcoming rookie minicamp.

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Lions waive rookie DT Demetrius Taylor

Taylor made the team as an undrafted rookie from Appalachian State

The Detroit Lions sawed off some of the defensive line depth on Thursday. The team waived rookie defensive tackle Demetrius Taylor.

Taylor is an undrafted rookie from Appalachian State who made the team based on an impressive training camp. But he’s been inactive for all but one game, playing 13 snaps in the Week 5 loss to New England.

With the Lions getting healthier on the defensive line, Taylor became expendable. He is expected back on the practice squad in Detroit if he clears waivers.

There has been no immediate corresponding move, but the team still does not have a kicker on the active 53-man roster and can only elevate Michael Badgley from the practice squad once more this season.

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Lions rookie report: Underwhelming day in Week 3 for the 2022 draft class

Our @maxgerbs breaks down a quiet day from the Lions rookie class

The Detroit Lions played a hard-nosed game against the Minnesota Vikings but couldn’t pull out a win. Unfortunately, they were also without much of their rookie class. Only three rookies took snaps for Detroit against Minnesota and none of them made much of a splash.

While he didn’t make many big game-changing plays, Malcolm Rodriguez got the start once again at linebacker and was quietly productive for the Lions. The sixth-round rookie led the team in tackles at the end of the first half with six.

Rodriguez looked decent in coverage against Minnesota but struggled along with the rest of the defense against the run. He finished the day with eight tackles. His biggest play of the day was in the third quarter, where he blocked a Vikings offensive lineman into Dalvin Cook, which helped his teammates force a fumble.

Aidan Hutchinson couldn’t replicate his successes from the prior week. While he was applying pressure on Kirk Cousins all afternoon, he failed to record a sack or tackle. He is capable of displaying all of the physical tools that made him worthy of the second-overall draft pick this year, but his production needs to be more consistent for the Lions defense.

Safety Kerby Joseph did not take any snaps on defense but did get the nod at one of the starting gunner spots on Detroit’s punt unit. Joseph recorded three tackles on special teams while taking snaps on punts and kickoffs. His spot on the defensive depth chart was made clear as Juju Hughes took over for the injured Tracy Walker instead of Joseph.

Rookies Chase Lucas, James Mitchell and Demetrius Taylor were all inactive for this game.

Lions inactive players vs. Vikings in Week 3

The Detroit Lions inactive player list vs the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3 doesn’t include any of the players who were questionable

The Detroit Lions have set their active gameday roster for the Week 3 matchup in Minnesota against the Vikings. Detroit head coach Dan Campbell declared several players inactive for the game.

With two players already ruled out with injuries, it made some of the selections easier. DL John Cominsky (wrist) and LG Jonah Jackson (finger) were declared out with their injuries on Friday.

Of the four players who were listed as questionable, all wound up being active. Getting Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow back in the lineup is a nice boon for the battered interior offensive line. Dan Skipper, elevated from the practice squad on Saturday, will make his second straight start at left guard.

The inactives:

DL John Cominsky

OL Drew Forbes

OL Jonah Jackson

CB Chase Lucas

S Ifeatu Melifonwu

TE James Mitchell

DT Demetrius Taylor

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8 quick takeaways from the Lions initial 53-man roster

Here are eight quick reaction snap judgments on Tuesday’s activity and roster decisions, including notes on safeties, injuries, Logan Stenberg, David Blough and more

The initial Detroit Lions 53-man roster has been set. GM Brad Holmes and his crew whittled down the roster from 80 players to 53 at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

It’s important to note that the initial 53-man roster might not last even 24 hours. The Lions hold the No. 2 spot in the NFL’s waiver claim order and could be active in making a couple of changes.

Here are some quick reaction snap judgments on Tuesday’s activity and roster decisions.

6 Lions players on the roster bubble on cutdown day

Here are a few Lions players sitting on the roster bubble as we enter the final hours before the deadline

While they aren’t official until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the Detroit Lions have already informed several players they will not make the initial 53-man roster. Among those no longer with the team: LB Jarrad Davis, TE Devin Funchess and WR Tom Kennedy.

The bubble burst on those three roster aspirants, who all had at least outside chances to make the Lions regular-season roster. There are still quite a few players anxiously perched on that roster bubble as the cutdown deadline rapidly approaches.

Here are a few Lions players sitting on the roster bubble as we enter the final hours before the deadline.

10 Lions roster bubble players to watch vs. Colts

These are 10 Lions players who can really help–or hurt–themselves in the quest to make the final 53-man roster in the second preseason week.

After the first round of cuts, 85 players remain on the Detroit Lions as they enter the second week of preseason. The opportunities to impress are getting shorter with the week in Indianapolis for the Lions’ first road game of the exhibition season. For the players on the roster bubble, it’s rapidly approaching now-or-never time.

Saturday’s preseason game at Lucas Oil Field (1 p.m. ET) is the fiery crucible in which true winners are forged, but the coaching staff is also keenly watching the joint practices at the Colts training facility in Grant Park north of Indianapolis.

These are 10 Lions players who can really help–or hurt–themselves in the quest to make the final 53-man roster in the second preseason week.