Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Breaking down which players are on the Detroit Lions practice squad as of Week 6
The NFL’s Week 6 schedule sees the Detroit Lions idle on a bye week. The Sunday off came at an opportune time for coach Dan Campbell’s banged-up Lions team.
Even during the bye, the Lions have still tinkered with the roster. The ever-changing practice squad has seen a couple of new additions. It can be hard to keep track of just who is on Detroit’s practice squad, so here is the current iteration as Friday, October 14th.
Alexander has been the Lions’ primary return man the last two weeks
The Detroit Lions made a roster maneuver to kick off the bye week in Week 5. The Lions waived wide receiver and kick returner Maurice Alexander.
Alexander was signed to the active roster prior to Week 5 and was the team’s primary return specialist in New England. The former USFL standout had served in the same role in Week 4 as a practice squad elevation.
The move was not unexpected. The Lions are expected to activate CB Jerry Jacobs and DL Josh Paschal from the PUP list after the bye week break and roster space is needed to activate them. Several players are expected to return with significantly improved health as well, including WR DJ Chark, who missed the last two games.
Alexander can be claimed on waivers by another team on Tuesday. If he goes unclaimed, expect him back on the Lions practice squad when the team reconvenes after the Week 6 bye.
In related news, the weekend move waiving kicker Austin Seibert is now finalized.
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The Lions also placed WR Quintez Cephus on IR with a foot injury and elevated CB Saivion Smith and K Michael Badgley
Saturday was once again a busy one on the Detroit Lions roster front. The day before the Lions face the New England Patriots in Week 5, Detroit signed two players from the practice squad to the active roster.
The Lions signed WR Maurice Alexander and CB AJ Parker. Alexander played as Detroit’s kick returner in Week 4 as a practice squad elevation. Parker was Detroit’s primary slot CB last year but has been on the practice squad throughout the 2022 season thus far.
One of the roster vacancies came from waiving K Austin Seibert on Friday. The Lions created another by placing WR Quintez Cephus on IR. Cephus injured his foot in the Week 4 loss to the Seahawks.
Detroit also elevated CB Saivion Smith and K Michael Badgley from the practice squad for the week. It’s the first practice squad elevation for both players.
The Lions had a couple of great special teams plays but also some very costly mistakes
Detroit’s offense in Week 4 was great, scoring 45 points. The Lions defense was inept, surrendering 48 to the visiting Seahawks. But what about the third unit, the special teams?
It was an interesting afternoon for coach Dave Fipp’s punt and kick units.
Early on, special teams was about the only thing working for the Lions. Rookie LB Malcolm Rodriguez forced a fumble on Jack Fox’s first punt. Detroit quickly cashed that takeaway in for a pretty Jared Goff-to-T.J. Hockenson touchdown strike. Later in the first quarter, Fox found Quintez Cephus with an accurate dart and converted the fake punt on fourth down. Maurice Alexander, called up from the practice squad, had a nice kickoff return in there too.
Fake punt! The Lions successfully converted from inside their own territory.
Video: @Lions pic.twitter.com/n9qmCCdgD8
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 2, 2022
Yet even the good special teams came with some warts. Kicker Dominik Eberle, signed off the practice squad on Saturday due to an injury to Austin Seibert, missed the extra point after the first Hockenson touchdown. Eberle booted a kickoff out of bounds, leading to a Seahawks field goal. Alexander ran into a wall at the 16-yard line on the subsequent Lions return, setting up some bad field position.
But Eberle wasn’t done. He missed a second extra point late in the second quarter. What should have been a 24-17 deficit was instead a two-score margin at the half. In a game where the Lions defense did not stop the Seahawks once, every point was critical.
Think about it this way: if Eberle hits those two routine extra points, the Lions are going for the tie on their last touchdown — or even another 2-pt. conversion and the potential late lead.
Former USFL standout Maurice Alexander makes his case for a Detroit Lions roster spot against Colts with great returns
In the second preseason game for the Detroit Lions, wide receiver and return specialist Maurice Alexander has started to emerge as a player to watch.
Alexander, who began his professional career with the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars in the spring of 2022, signed with the Lions just seventeen days ago and is already making a name for himself.
In the second quarter against the Colts, Alexander took a kickoff return 61 yards before being hit out of bounds. With some solid blocking by his fellow special teamers, he was able to make two defenders miss before being tackled at the opposing 45-yard line.
Big return from @_hardtime3! #DETvsIND | 📺 Lions TV Network pic.twitter.com/dX0i17lwr2
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 20, 2022
On the very next kickoff, he took the ball for another long run of 46 yards before being taken down.
In the first half of the game, he recorded just one reception for four yards on offense. On special teams, however, he had four kickoff returns for 156 yards and an average of 38 yards per return.
What was most notable about his performance is that he got the nod at kick and punt returner over players who held those roles last year, such as Godwin Igwebuike and Kalif Raymond.
Alexander initially went undrafted in 2020 out of FIU and didn’t play again until he was drafted by the Stars in the inaugural USFL draft. With Philadelphia, he was named an all-USFL player for his performances both on offense and special teams.
Alexander was a starting WR and primary return man for the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL
There is a new name on the Detroit Lions wide receiver depth chart. The team has signed WR Maurice Alexander to the roster.
Alexander, 25, recently played in the USFL for the Philadelphia Stars. The 5-11 Florida International product caught 20 passes for 234 yards and two TDs in the rebooted USFL’s inaugural season. He also was the Stars’ primary kick and punt returner.
The Lions needed reinforcements after undrafted rookie Corey Sutton retired and Quintez Cephus suffered a knee injury in the second week of training camp. Alexander was chosen from three wideouts who tried out for the Lions on Tuesday, a group that also included Johnnie Dixon and Taywan Taylor.
To make room on the roster, the Lions waived rookie RB Greg Bell with injury designation. Bell suffered an injury in the first week of camp and has been unavailable for several days.
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Buffalo Bills free agents still on market.
The Buffalo Bills did plenty of roster tinkering over the past few months. In doing so, space has to be made for new additions.
NFL teams can only hold around 90 players on their rosters heading into training camp. Unfortunately, that leaves some players in the dust.
Now, that doesn’t mean the Bills won’t re-add some of these players, or perhaps another team comes in and picks them up. But at the time being, things are in a bit of a standstill.
Here’s a quick look at the couple players the Bills rostered last season that haven’t been signed by a team just yet:
Age: 28
2019: 0 games played
Bills: 0 games played
Career: 61 games played, 2018 PFF grade: 75th best tackle
Not much to breakdown here, unfortunately. The Bills added and added and added to their offensive line last season, hoping to find the right mix. Early in training camp, Waddle was taking reps with the depth players and he suffered a season-ending torn quadriceps injury in August.
Age: 30
2019: 7 games played, 11 tackles
Bills: 7 games played, 11 tackles
Career: 57 games played, 134 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 passes defended, 2 interceptions
A special teamer mostly for the Bills in Maurice Alexander. The Bills added Tyler Matakevich, a free agent via the Steelers this offseason, which could spell Alexander’s end in Buffalo.
Age: 29
2019: 16 games played, 8 tackles
Bills: 29 games played, 23 tackles, 1 pass defended
Career: 88 games played, 92 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pass defended
Similar to Maurice Alexander, a big special teams role, but also a positive backup for Julian Stanford in the few times he’s had to spell Tremaine Edmunds. Via Matakevich and running back Taiwan Jones, it looks like the Bills want to move in a new direction in terms of their special teamers.
Age: 32
2019: 14 games played, 3 tackles
Bills: 14 games played, 3 tackles
Career: 146 games played, 554 tackles tackles, 36 passes defended, 2 sacks, 21 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles
Coleman was a staple on the Bills roster as a special teamer in 2019. He has some defensive experience while in Carolina from 2014-2017, playing under Sean McDermott then. That’s an overlying reason the Bills sign plenty of players. Buffalo didn’t massively address their safety room this offseason, but did sign two UDFA safeties in Garrett Taylor and Josh Thomas, so it appears they want to get younger here.
Age: 30
2019: 10 games played, 13 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack
Bills: 7 games played, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack
Career: 118 games played, 287 tackles, 64 tackles for loss, 25 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 20 passes defender
A mid-season addition for the Bills, Corey Liuget played a depth role in Buffalo’s defensive line. Of all the team’s free agents still on the market, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the former first-round pick added at a later date, depending on how thing shake down. Quinton Jefferson can play on the inside of the line, but if a camp injury pops up, there could be a spot for Liuget.
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Buffalo Bills free agency profile breakdown for linebacker Maurice Alexander.
The Buffalo Bills have 12 unrestricted free agents inching their way toward free agency which opens on March 18. On March 16, the Bills can start negotiating with other team’s players and then two days later, the club can officially ink players to deals (although, reports of signings will start on the 16).
On the flip, the Bills’ pending free agents can do the same and sign with another franchise. With the clock ticking, the Bills still have a chance to sign their own free agents to contracts, and might even do so after the market opens.
Bills Wire will do a 12-part rundown of each of Buffalo’s pending free agents leading up to the “tampering period.”
Here’s the free agent profile for Bills free agent linebacker Maurice Alexander:
2019: 7 games played, 11 tackles
Bills: 7 games played, 11 tackles
Career: 57 games played, 134 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 passes defended, 2 interceptions
Signed via free agency, March 2019
One-year, $1 million deal (current age: 29)
Another special teamer mostly for the Bills. Maurice Alexander signed during the offseason, likely a move by special teams coordinator Heath Farwell. The coach joined the Bills last year to lead their special teams unit, helped them improve this past season. Prior to that, Farwell was a played and then coach with the Seahawks. The year prior to joining the Bills, Alexander was with the Seahawks so the two of them crossed paths there.
Alexander also hit the injured reserve list with a knee/ calf injury in November.
As a veteran, the Bills can let Alexander test the free agent market. If he leaves, they can get a young option in. But Farwell will likely have his say. Do the Bills like him enough to keep him as a piece on their special teams unit?
We can’t be in the mind of Farwell, but it’s up to him. Does he feel Alexander was a key factor to their special teams in 2019? Snap counts say Julian Stanford was, as he led the unit in snaps played (273). Based on that, the Bills do have nine draft picks to bring in a younger option. But Alexander could be a camp body to battle for a position.
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