Tag: Lions tryouts

Busy day for ex-Lions on the NFL’s transaction wire

Several ex-Lions appeared on Tuesday’s NFL transaction wire, from releases to tryouts

The NFL publishes a daily transaction report, one that runs the gamut between roster cuts, players being placed on reserve lists to those trying out for teams and everything in between. Tuesday’s transaction list was crowded with updates on former Detroit Lions players.

Foremost on the list is Trey Flowers. The New England Patriots released the defensive end from the team’s PUP list. Flowers has not played this season and managed just 65 snaps for the Miami Dolphins in 2022 after the Lions released him following the 2021 season.

One-time Lions OL Tommy Kraemer is back on the New Orleans Saints practice squad. Kraemer was signed from New Orleans’ practice squad to their active roster last week, then waived on Monday. He’s played seven offensive snaps in two games with the Saints.

Another former Lions offensive lineman, Obinna Eze, had his practice squad contract terminated by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Eze signed with Pittsburgh’s practice squad after Week 3 but was unable to stick.

There were a few ex-Lions hitting the tryout/workout circuit this week, too:

QB Jeff Driskel tried out for the Colts (Monday)

DT Bruce Hector also tried out for the Colts

K Austin Seibert tried out for the Raiders

OL Ross Pierschbacher tried out for the Cardinals

CB AJ Parker tried out for the Seahawks

DB Juju Hughes tried out for the Raiders

As of Wednesday morning, none of the players were signed.

 

Former local college standouts among the Lions tryouts after Week 2

The Detroit Lions held tryouts for 7 players on Tuesday, including a couple of familiar local college products

Tuesday was tryout day in Allen Park for the Detroit Lions. The Lions worked out seven players during the off day from practice, per the NFL’s transaction wire.

A couple of the players will be familiar names to fans of college football in the Mitten State. Former Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes and Western Michigan cornerback Darius Phillips were among the septet of tryout players. From the D-II level, running back Nate McCrary from Saginaw Valley State also worked out.

The other tryouts:

LB Mitchell Agude

CB Chris Jackson

RB Abram Smith

LB Jordan Smith

No players were immediately signed.

The list of Lions rookie minicamp tryout players

The Lions invited 10 players to tryout at this weekend’s rookie minicamp

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There were quite a few unsigned players in Allen Park for this weekend’s Detroit Lions rookie minicamp event. The Lions invited several free agents to the minicamp on a tryout basis.

A couple of the names were previously announced, including two players from the XFL. Wide receiver Darrius Shepherd and kicker John Parker Romo were known as official tryout participants from the upstart XFL.

Here are the list of the players who are participating on a tryout basis for the rookie minicamp, via the Lions:

S Chris Bacon – Bowling Green
S Xavier Bell – Portland State
CB Da’Meak Brandon – Limestone
WR Dylan Drummond – Eastern Michigan
DL Jacorey Johns – Wake Forest
DL Wyatt Ray – Boston College
K John Parker Romo – Virginia Tech
WR Darrius Shepherd – North Dakota State
DL Jullian Taylor – Temple
CB David Vereen – Newberry

One of the interesting names here is Wyatt Ray, who has 23 games of NFL experience across three teams since 2020.

Lions held tryouts for 3 DBs this week

The Detroit Lions held tryouts for 3 DBs this week including one-time Dolphins starter Torry McTyer

There were a few extra defensive backs in Allen Park this week. The Detroit Lions hosted three DBs late in the week on tryouts, per the NFL’s transaction wire.

The Lions held auditions for safety Shyheim Carter as well as cornerbacks Torry McTyer and Khalil Dorsey. All three are young players who have bounced around various NFL training camps and practice squads. McTyer has played some meaningful reps in his career, starting four games in 2018 for the Miami Dolphins and also earning reps with the Bengals and Commanders.

Update–the Lions signed Dorsey to the practice squad.

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Lions hold a tryout for TE Drew Himmelman

Lions hold a tryout for TE Drew Himmelman, who played OT for the Broncos in 2021

There was an unexpected Detroit Lions mention on the NFL’s transaction wire on Thursday. Per the league’s official log, the Lions held a tryout for second-year player Drew Himmelman.

Listing Himmelman as a tight end is interesting. The 6-foot-9, 315-pound Illinois State product entered the NFL in 2021 as an offensive tackle. Himmelman even saw time on the Denver Broncos active roster at the end of 2021 as a tackle. The Commanders signed him earlier this offseason but Himmelman failed his physical with Washington.

The Lions already have quite a crowd at tight end in training camp. Detroit had eight TEs active in Thursday’s practice, a number that includes recent acquisition Devin Funchess and two undrafted rookies, Derrick Deese Jr. and Nolan Givan. Second-year players Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra are also competing with veteran free agent Garrett Griffin and fifth-round rookie James Mitchell to back up T.J. Hockenson.

It could be an error on the NFL’s part in listing Himmelman as a TE. The Lions do have room to add competition to the reserve offensive tackle room with vet Dan Skipper still absent on the non-football illness list.

Himmelman was not signed as of press time.

Lions training camp notebook: Day 2 top observations

 

Lions sign 3 players from rookie minicamp tryouts

All participated in the team’s rookie minicamp over the weekend

The Detroit Lions held on-field tryouts over the weekend for five players as part of the team’s rookie minicamp. Three of the five tryout players earned contracts with the team on Monday.

The team announced it has signed cornerback Alex Brown, safety Alijah Holder and tight end Charlie Taumoepeau off the tryouts. All three are NFL veterans who were not retained by their teams after the 2002 season.

Brown, a 170-pound slot corner, played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019. He missed the 2020 season on injured reserve. He was a 2019 undrafted free agent signing by Kansas City out of South Carolina State.

Taumoepeau is in his second NFL season out of Portland State. He had stints with three different teams in 2020, never elevating above the practice squad. The 240-pounder was last with the San Francisco 49ers.

Holder’s signing with the team was previously reported by his agent. The former Broncos safety also has the potential to play some outside CB as well as on special teams.

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Lions announce the 32-man rookie minicamp roster

The list includes several first-year players and 5 tryouts

The first official function for the Detroit Lions rookie class of 2021 kicks off this weekend with the rookie minicamp. The team brought in 32 players to the training facility in Allen Park for the workouts and introduction to being Lions.

It’s also the first opportunity for new head coach Dan Campbell and his staff to get in front of the room full of rookies and welcome them to the team.

Not all of the 32 players are technically rookies. The assembly also includes several players who are not rookies but still qualify to meet the criteria for participating. Those players include:

Scott Daly, LS

Jalen Elliott, S

Evan Heim, OL

Tom Kennedy, WR

Alize Mack, TE

Robert McCray, DE

Anthony Pittman, LB

Hunter Thedford, TE

Here is the rookie class that is participating. Note that first-round draft pick Penei Sewell is not present after testing positive for COVID-19.

Jonathan Adams, WR, Arkansas State

D’Angelo Amos, S, Virginia

Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue

Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall

Rakeem Boyd, RB, Arkansas

Jake Hausmann, TE, Ohio State

Drake Jackson, C, Kentucky

Jerry Jacobs, CB, Arkansas

Jermar Jefferson, RB, Oregon State

Tommy Kraemer, G, Notre Dame

Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse

Javon McKinley, WR, Notre Dame

Alim McNeill, DT, North Carolina State

Dedrick Mills, RB, Nebraska

Levi Onwuzurike, DT, Washington

A.J. Parker, CB, Kansas State

Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forest

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC

Brock Wright, TE, Notre Dame

In addition, the Lions have five players in camp who are on a tryout basis and not under contract:

Alex Brown, CB, South Carolina State

Alijah Holder, S, Stanford

Nick Pickett, S, Oregon

Charlie Taumoepeau, TE, Portland State

A.J. Taylor, WR, Wisconsin

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Lions try out 2 DBs and host a visit for RB Jordan Scarlett

Tramaine Brock has started 53 games at CB in his career

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The makeshift front office for the Detroit Lions continues to operate at full speed. The Lions hosted three players in Allen Park on Thursday for auditions with the free agents.

Two defensive backs were officially designated as tryouts with the team. Veteran cornerback Tramaine Brock and fellow CB Josh Hawkins tried out.

Brock has started 53 games in 10 seasons, most of them with the San Francisco 49ers from 2013-2016. The 32-year-old started 11 combined games for Arizona and Tennessee in 2019 but has not played yet in 2020.

Detroit also welcomed former Florida Gators power back Jordan Scarlett for a workout. Scarlett washed out of Carolina quickly as a 2019 fifth-round pick.

The Lions are handling transactions and tryouts by a committee that includes VP of Player Personnel Kyle O’Brien, Director of Player Personnel Lance Newmark and Senior Personnel Executive Jimmy Raye, with President Rod Wood overseeing the group.

 

 

Lions hold tryout for free agent OL Evan Brown

Brown can play guard or center and has NFL experience

The Detroit Lions held an official tryout on Friday for free agent offensive lineman Evan Brown.

Brown played five games for the Cleveland Browns in 2020 before being let go after Week 8. The second-year lineman from SMU played exclusively on special teams. Brown was with the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants as an undrafted rookie in 2019, playing a total of 38 snaps on the line.

He’s primarily a center but Brown can also play either guard position. He’s got good agility for a 302-pounder and has some special teams experience with all three of his prior NFL stops.

Lions try out free agent WR Mohamed Sanu

Sanu caught one pass in 3 games for the 49ers this year

There was but one entry on the NFL’s official tryout list for Monday. The Detroit Lions held an audition for veteran free agent wide receiver, Mohamed Sanu.

Sanu has been on the market since being released by the San Francisco 49ers last month. He played three games for the 49ers this year, catching one pass.

In 2019, Sanu split time between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots. New England sent the Falcons a second-round pick a year ago to acquire Sanu, but he managed just 207 receiving yards in eight games with the Patriots.

Sanu, 31, spent four years with the Falcons and four seasons before that with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was a teammate and draft classmate of Lions WR Marvin Jones with the Bengals.

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