Tag: Kyle Peko

Lions defensive line depth could be the strength of the defense

Lions defensive line depth could be the strength of the defense, notes Lions Wire’s Russell Brown

As we all await for the Detroit Lions season to get started, it’s fun to look at their schedule, depth chart and speculate the potential of the season. When looking at the Lions defense, it’s hard to look past their defensive line. The depth from this unit runs deep and the 53-man roster could easily see 10-to-12 players from the defensive line on it.

The projected starters are currently:

  • Aidan Hutchinson
  • D.J. Reader
  • Alim McNeill
  • Marcus Davenport

But as we’ve seen under Aaron Glenn’s defense, the Lions use players up front on a situational basis. The key depth players could be the following:

  • John Cominsky
  • Josh Paschal
  • Levi Onwuzurike

It’s expected that a player such as Brodric Martin could really take a big step forward this season. He appears to be in much better football shape than he was a season ago and if Reader or McNeill struggle with any type of injury, he could be the next man up.

Adding to that, the Lions added Mekhi Wingo from LSU in the 2024 NFL Draft. Recently, I discussed him as a potential underrated player to the Lions defense so we’ll need to see what he does in a situational role for the team.

That alone gives the Lions nine defensive lineman that should see the field on a consistent basis. The wildcards of the group are James Houston, Kyle Peko and Mathieu Betts.

Starting with Betts, he’s coming off an 18-sack season in the CFL and not only did it earn him a contract with the Lions but it also helped him win the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award. While he is 29-years old, I’d have to think he should find a spot on the roster but nothing is guaranteed. He was brought onto the roster to compete and my guess is that he’s here to compete with James Houston.

Things are interesting with Houston. He broke his ankle in week 2 last season and was placed on injured reserve. Despite being activated off the IR in January of 2024, the Lions never played him. Houston did have 8 sacks as a rookie and he does provide plenty of juice off the edge. However, comments from Dan Campbell last season makes me wonder if he’s a player on the bubble this summer.

Lastly, the expectations shouldn’t be overly high for Kyle Peko. He’s got familiarity with Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams but he’s primarily been a rotational player in his career. With the Lions already having depth on the interior, he could be the odd man out this summer.

Regardless, the Lions have a deep roster of defensive lineman. With any down and distance, we could see any combination on the field. Those combinations should play to the strengths of the defense and it could be the difference maker to help this unit stay more consistent for the 2024 season.

Kyle Peko: What the Lions are getting in their new DT

Breaking down what new Lions DT Kyle Peko brings to Detroit as a free agent signing

There is another big body on the Detroit Lions defensive line after Tuesday’s addition of DT Kyle Peko. Detroit added the 30-year-old Peko as a free agent on a reported one-year contract.

The Lions will be Peko’s fifth NFL team since he joined the league as an undrafted rookie out of Oregon State following the 2016 NFL draft. The 6-foot-1, 305-pounder is a cousin of longtime NFL DT and former Michigan State standout Domata Peko.

To say Peko has bounced around is an understatement. When Detroit signed him on Tuesday, it was Peko’s 85th appearance on the NFL’s transaction log since his initial signing, with more than half being practice squad elevations or released. That includes 11 in 2023 alone, beginning with his signing and subsequent waiver by the Las Vegas Raiders, where he had also played in 2022. The Tennessee Titans brought Peko back to where he played eight games in the 2021 campaign.

Last season was far and away the most productive of Peko’s NFL career. After serving as a practice squad promotion in the first two weeks, Peko not only signed onto the 53-man roster but was thrust into the Titans starting lineup. He played more than twice the amount of defensive snaps in 2023 (352) than he had in any prior season.

Peko notched 22 total tackles while playing primarily as a 3T or 2i-tech in Tennessee’s base odd-man front. He did that while serving under DL coach Terrell Williams, who now holds that position with the Lions.

There isn’t a lot of pass rush or twitch in Peko’s game. He’s quick off the snap and shows some jolting initial power, and he uses that nicely to get himself into the gap in run defense at times. When unencumbered, Peko can close on the ball nicely too.

The issues come when Peko doesn’t win that initial hand combat or get the advantage off his first step on the inside. While he gives good effort and doesn’t quit, Peko just doesn’t get off blocks well or anchor as strongly as hoped. Top-heavy interior player. He also doesn’t always feel the down block or pulling blockers well, and it leads to him getting a hand or a shoulder on the ball carrier but not being able to finish the play. This was evident in the Titans’ midseason games against Pittsburgh and Jacksonville; the effort is there, but the results are not.

Peko’s PFF profile for 2023 reflects this. They charted Peko with 10 missed tackles and a missed tackle rate of over 30 percent. He ended the season missing the final four games with a calf injury.

Reuniting with Coach Williams is probably the best-case scenario for Peko to keep the NFL career alive. In Detroit, Peko should compete for interior reserve reps with Levi Onwuzurike, Brodric Martin, Mekhi Wingo and Chris Smith.

 

Lions add veteran defensive tackle as a free agent

The Lions have signed veteran defensive tackle Kyle Peko as a free agent

The Lions have added another veteran to the mix at defensive tackle. Detroit has signed DT Kyle Peko, the team announced on Tuesday.

Peko is a 30-year-old veteran who played the 2023 season with the Tennessee Titans. It was his meatiest role since entering the league in 2016, with Peko starting 10 games and recording 22 tackles and two TFLs. All those figures are career highs for the one-time undrafted free agent from Oregon State.

Peko has also played for the Raiders, Bills and Broncos in his career, which includes two separate seasons (2021 and 2023) with the Titans. In Tennessee, Peko played for new Lions DL coach Terrell Williams.

In the same transaction announcement, the Lions also confirmed they have re-signed safety CJ Moore.

Titans place Kristian Fulton, Kyle Peko on IR among 4 moves

The Titans made four roster moves on Wednesday, including placing CB Kristian Fulton and DL Kyle Peko on injured reserve.

The Tennessee Titans made four roster moves on Wednesday, which included the placement of two players on injured reserve.

The Titans announced they have placed cornerback Kristian Fulton and defensive lineman Kyle Peko on IR, which means they’ll miss the remaining four games of the 2023 season.

To fill those roster spots, the Titans poached defensive lineman Quinton Bohanna and Keondre Coburn off the practice squads of the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, respectively.

With Fulton out for the season, we might have seen the last of him in the two-tone blue after what has been a disastrous season for the LSU product, who struggled mightily prior to his injury. He’ll hit free agency in 2024 and it’s highly unlikely the Titans bring him back.

The Titans are now even more shorthanded along the defensive line, as Jeffery Simmons is expected to miss at least one more game with a knee injury, hence Tennessee adding two defensive linemen.

Bohanna has appeared in three games for the Lions this season, tallying six tackles (two for loss). Coburn played in one game for the Chiefs, totaling one tackle (one for loss).

The Titans will return to action on Sunday when they host the Houston Texans at Nissan Stadium.

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Report: Titans’ Kyle Peko likely to miss rest of season

Titans defensive lineman Kyle Peko is reportedly likely to miss the rest of the season after suffering a calf injury in Week 14.

The Tennessee Titans may be without another one of their defensive lineman moving forward, as Kyle Peko is believed to have suffered a season-ending injury versus the Miami Dolphins.

According to Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky, Peko’s calf injury, which forced his early exit from the Week 14 contest, will likely sideline him the rest of the season. The specifics of the injury remains unknown, though.

The injury will leave Tennessee even more shorthanded upfront after the team lost fellow defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons for multiple games following his suffering a knee injury in Week 13.

Along with starters Denico Autry and Teair Tart, the Titans have Jaleel Johnson and rookie TK McLendon on the roster. Johnson forced a fumble against the Dolphins and McLendon was responsible for the recovery.

Tennessee also has Ross Blacklock and Marlon Davidson on the practice squad. Both have played in one game for the Titans this season and are candidates to be promoted if Peko goes to injured reserve.

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Titans’ Week 13 snap counts: Treylon Burks plays sparingly in return

Analyzing the Titans’ snap counts from their Week 13 loss.

The Tennessee Titans welcomed back wide receiver Treylon Burks in Week 13 but lost three starters to injury during the contest.

Running back Derrick Henry (concussion) exited in the fourth quarter, and defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (knee) and punter Ryan Stonehouse (knee) were lost in the third quarter.

On top of those three, rookie tight end Josh Whyle (knee) left the game in the fourth quarter.

Henry is reportedly in the concussion protocol as of Monday, and Whyle and Simmons have both reportedly avoided season-ending injuries. As for Stonehouse, it appears he suffered a serious injury.

So, how many snaps did Burks play in his return? And how did the Titans fill the voids left by their injured players?

Find out now as we analyze the Titans’ snap counts from Week 13.

5 Titans players among leaders in win rates

Five Titans players are among the top 20 in win rates, according to ESPN analytics.

The Tennessee Titans have collectively had a disappointing start to their 2023 season.

The hardest pill to swallow through six weeks is that a lot of the national media and people outside the fanbase were right about the perception they had of this team.

Not many people who pay very close attention to the Titans had them starting the year 2-4, especially following their massive addition of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

However, that’s the reality of where the Titans currently are at heading into their Week 7 bye.

Despite the adversity, the Titans have had a few individual bright spots scattered across the roster. According to ESPN Analytics, the Titans have five players who ranked inside the top 20 at their respective positions in win rates.

In total, Tennessee has three defenders and two o-linemen who cracked the lists after the first six weeks of the season. Let’s find out exactly who they are and where each of them landed.

Titans promote Kyle Peko, waive Jayden Peevy among 3 moves

The Titans made a trio of moves on Tuesday.

The Tennessee Titans made a trio of moves on Tuesday, with two having to do with the active roster.

The team announced it has promoted defensive lineman Kyle Peko from the practice squad to the 53-man roster while also waiving fellow defensive lineman Jayden Peevy.

In addition, the team released veteran defensive lineman Michael Dwumfour from the practice squad. Chances are Peevy will be brought back in his place once he clears waivers but that has not been confirmed.

A 2022 undrafted free-agent signing, Peevy was an offseason darling and was one of head coach Mike Vrabel’s offseason award winners before making the initial 53-man roster.

However, he was inactive in Week 1 and played just four defensive snaps in Week 2.

Peko, who is in his second stint with Tennessee after playing in eight games (three starts) with the Titans in 2021, has played a total of 49 snaps over two games, including 27 in Week 2. He was the preferred choice off the bench over both Peevy and Naquan Jones.

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Titans rule out OL Peter Skoronski vs. Chargers

The Titans have ruled out rookie OL Peter Skoronski (illness) for Sunday’s game vs. Chargers.

After a strong showing in his NFL debut, many were excited to see how Titans rookie offensive lineman Peter Skoronski would follow up his impressive Week 1 performance.

Unfortunately, Skoronski popped up on the injury report on Friday with an illness designation, and it’s apparently severe enough to the point that he has already been ruled out for Sunday’s Week 2 matchup with the Chargers, per Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com

Tennessee will undoubtedly have massive shoes to fill, and the likeliest options to replace the rookie lineman are Xavier Newman-Johnson and Corey Levin. However, Dillon Radunz is set to make his debut on Sunday, so there could be a chance that we see him at left guard as well.

Nonetheless, this is a disappointing development for someone who is arguably already the team’s best offensive lineman.

Also, in separate news, Tennessee is elevating defensive lineman Kyle Peko and defensive back Eric Garror for Sunday’s showdown with the Chargers.

Titans elevate Justin Murray, Kyle Peko from practice squad for Week 1

The Titans are elevating two players from the practice squad for Week 1.

The Tennessee Titans have made a pair of standard practice squad elevations for their Week 1 game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

On Saturday, the Titans announced they are elevating offensive lineman Justin Murray, who will give them added depth at guard and tackle if active, and defensive lineman Kyle Peko.

Murray, who was originally signed by the Titans in August, made the team’s 53-man roster before being released and brought back on the practice squad.

Peko appeared in eight games (three starts) for the Titans in 2021, tallying 10 tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble.

He and the Titans reunited this offseason during training camp, when the team was dealing with multiple injuries upfront. He failed to make the 53-man roster but was re-signed to the practice squad.

Tennessee will open its 2023 campaign on Sunday afternoon in the Caesars Superdome against the New Orleans Saints, with kickoff set for noon CT.

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