Tag: Detroit Lions roster moves

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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Lions waive DT Eric Banks from active roster

Banks never played a snap for the Lions after being claimed off waivers following Week 3

The Detroit Lions continue to clean out the bottom of the 53-man active roster. On Thursday, the Lions waived defensive lineman Eric Banks.

Banks never suited up for the Lions after being claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Chargers after Week 3. He had played limited snaps for the Chargers but couldn’t get into the deep DL rotation in Detroit.

The team has yet to make any corollary moves. There are now two open spots on the roster. The Lions placed reserve offensive lineman Logan Stenberg on IR on Monday and also released CB Daryl Worley. Detroit did sign rookie OL Tommy Kraemer to the active roster to replace Stenberg but still hasn’t replaced Worley, or now Banks.

No official tryouts or visits were listed for the Lions on the NFL’s transaction wire on Thursday, which would indicate the team is likely to promote from within. Veteran CB Nickell Robey-Coleman and safety Jalen Elliott are the most likely candidates to get signed to the active roster for the Week 8 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, where Robey-Coleman played in 2020.

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Lions sign OL Tommy Kraemer from practice squad among roster moves

Lions sign OL Tommy Kraemer from practice squad among roster moves

The Detroit Lions filled one of their two open spots on the 53-man active roster on Wednesday. The team signed offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer from the Lions practice squad, taking the place of Logan Stenberg on the interior line.

Kraemer is an undrafted rookie from Notre Dame. He can play guard or center and had a promising preseason performance as well as a solid training camp. It brings eight lineman to the active roster,

The team also brought back two veterans to the practice squad. Offensive lineman Darrin Paulo and cornerback Daryl Worley, who was just released a day ago, are back with the Lions practice squad.

Lions waive CB Daryl Worley after rough outing vs. Rams

Worley did not play well enough in reserve duty on Sunday to keep his roster spot

The Detroit Lions opened up another spot on the 53-man active roster by waiving veteran cornerback Daryl Worley. The CB struggled in relief duty for injured slot corner AJ Parker in the Lions’ Week 7 loss to the Rams.

As a vested veteran, Worley is not subject to waiver claims by other teams.

Worley was beaten several times in coverage despite playing just 17 snaps against the Rams. He was beaten for Los Angeles’ final touchdown on a simple drag route across the formation. In two games with the Lions, Worley recorded two tackles in 37 total snaps.

The move comes without a corresponding roster addition at this time.

Lions place OL Logan Stenberg on injured reserve

Stenberg played 3 snaps on special teams in the Week 7 loss to the Rams

In a bit of a surprising move, the Detroit Lions have placed reserve offensive lineman Logan Stenberg on the team’s injured reserve list. The move was made Monday after the Lions returned to Detroit from the Week 7 trip to play the Los Angeles Rams.

Stenberg’s injury was not disclosed. He was active for Sunday’s game and has not appeared on any of the team’s injury reports required for practices. Stenberg did suffer a leg injury in the team’s preseason matchup with the Colts but he has been a regular participant in practices and active for games.

The second-year guard played three reps on special teams in Sunday’s loss to the Rams. He’s played four offensive snaps this year, all as an extra lineman in jumbo packages and none since Week 3.

Stenberg’s departure for at least three weeks leaves the Lions with just seven offensive linemen on the active 53-man roster. Expect that to change quickly; NFL teams are allowed to expand the game-day roster from 46 to 48 but only if there are eight offensive linemen active. The Lions currently have veteran Parker Ehinger on the practice squad, as well as undrafted rookie Tommie Kraemer, who had some positive reps in the preseason and can play center or guard. Ehinger is more of a tackle who can also play guard.

Lions sign WR Geronimo Allison to the active roster

The Lions have signed WR Geronimo Allison to the active roster from the practice squad

Even though he didn’t factor into the passing game in his first time in a Lions uniform, Detroit saw enough in veteran wide receiver Geronimo Allison to officially sign him to the active roster. The Lions signed Allison off the team’s practice squad roster on Wednesday in advance of the Week 7 trip to Los Angeles to face the Rams.

Allison was elevated from the practice squad in the Week 6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He played 13 snaps on offense but did not see a target. It was his first action since signing with the Lions as a free agent prior to the 2020 season. Allison opted out of the 2020 campaign and has bounced between the practice squad and a gameday inactive on the active roster for the first six weeks of 2021.

The Lions had an open spot on the roster after placing CB Corey Ballentine on IR late last week.

 

Lions place Corey Ballentine on IR, sign Shakur Brown to practice squad

The Detroit Lions place CB Corey Ballentine on IR, sign former Michigan State CB Shakur Brown to the practice squad

The injured reserve list continues to grow for the Detroit Lions. On Friday, the team placed cornerback and kick returner Corey Ballentine on the IR with a hamstring injury.

Ballentine has not practiced this week, and the decision was made to put the young DB on the IR. In three games in Detroit, Ballentine has played exclusively on special teams. The Lions acquired him earlier this season off waivers from the New York Jets.

In practice squad roster moves, the Lions added former Michigan State cornerback Shakur Brown to the unit. To make room for Brown, who was most recently on the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad, the Lions released OL Darrin Paulo from the practice squad.

Mark Gilbert: What the Lions are getting in their new CB

Scouting report and breakdown of new Detroit Lions cornerback Mark Gilbert

The Detroit Lions have added another cornerback to the active 53-man roster. On Tuesday, the Lions signed CB Mark Gilbert off the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad.

Gilbert is an undrafted rookie who played collegiately at Duke. He is a long, slender outside corner at 6-0 and 188 pounds. He is probably best known for being the cousin of longtime NFL Pro Bowl CB Darrelle Revis.

In Pittsburgh, he played extensively in the preseason. He logged a Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 61.8 in 57 coverage snaps, allowing four completions on six targets. He got his hands on two passes, both in the Hall of Fame game against Dallas.

When he was on the field in college, Gilbert showed outstanding ball skills. He bagged six interceptions and was second in the ACC with 15 additional PDs in 2017. His ability to highpoint the ball and win contested catches stood out. Then came a devastating hip injury.

Gilbert played just two games in 2018 and missed all of 2019 after surgery. He rebounded back in 2020 but still played in just two games before opting out, logging one INT (against Boston College) and seven total tackles. He’s played in just four college football games and four NFL preseason games (Pittsburgh had the extra Hall of Fame game) since his breakout 2017 campaign.

Gilbert wore No. 17 for the Steelers but donned No. 28 while at Duke.

Lions place Frank Ragnow on I.R. in flurry of roster moves

Ragnow will miss at least 3 weeks with his toe injury

The Detroit Lions kept the NFL’s transaction wire busy on Wednesday morning with a series of roster moves. The most significant of the moves is placing Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow on injured reserve with a toe injury suffered in the Week 4 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Ragnow will miss at least the next three weeks. He joins standout left tackle Taylor Decker on I.R., depriving the Lions of their top two offensive linemen.

In other active 53-man roster news, the Lions activated kicker Austin Seibert from the reserve/COVID-19 list and promoted OLB Jessie Lemonier from the practice squad. Lemonier takes the place of Romeo Okwara, who was placed on I.R. with a torn Achilles earlier this week.

Seibert missed the last two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19. Ryan Santoso filled in quite capably as a practice squad promotion for Weeks 3-4.

Detroit also tinkered with the practice squad, and yes it once again involves WR Javon McKinley. His on-again/off-again status is now off, with the Lions releasing the undrafted rookie from Notre Dame for the fourth time in five weeks. Detroit signed veteran OL Parker Ehinger and brought back OLB Rashod Berry to the practice squad.