Tag: Michael Niese

Jared Goff tips off who is Frank Ragnow’s replacement at center

Jared Goff tips off who is Frank Ragnow’s replacement at center, and it’s not the person who played center all summer in Detroit

Frank Ragnow will not play against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4, that much we’ve known. But there was some uncertainty about who would fill in at center for the All-Pro on Monday Night Football.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff ended any of that mystery during his Thursday media session. It will be Graham Glasgow, the team’s regular left guard — if Goff’s words are to be believed.

“Yeah, he’s the Swiss army knife,” Goff said of the veteran Glasgow. “He can kind of do it all. He’s played right guard, he’s played left guard this year, and now he’s playing center and it’s a luxury for us to have him, for sure.”

That sure sounds like Glasgow will be moving into the center spot, where he started three games in 2023 (Weeks 8, 12 and 13). He was Denver’s primary center in the 2022 season as well, though he’s spent most of his career and earned his top PFF grades playing guard.

The Lions did keep an actual center on the 53-man roster in Michael Niese, and Niese took all the fill-in first-team reps at center throughout training camp–not Glasgow. During a conversation I had with a member of the Lions coaching staff in August, the indication was that Niese was Plan B if Ragnow got hurt during the season.

Niese can also play guard, and sliding Glasgow into the pivot opens up a need for a starting left guard. The Lions have not revealed the plans there yet, but Kayode Awosika and Niese are the only current guards on the active roster. Rookie Christian Mahogany remains on the non-football illness list through at least the bye in Week 5. Colby Sorsdal, who played some guard as a rookie in 2023, has been moved back to full-time tackle this year.

Tom Kennedy among 11 players signed to reserve/future deals by the Lions

The Detroit Lions signed 11 players to reserve/future contracts, including WR Tom Kennedy and OT Connor Galvin

One of the first orders of business for all teams in the offseason is to sign players to reserve/future contracts. With the Lions season not ending until after the NFC Championship game, it took longer than other years.

The Lions added 11 players to reserve/future deals on Tuesday. A reserve/future contract is a commitment by the team to bring the players back with a chance to compete for spots in the coming season. Typically, they are players coming off the practice squad or unsigned street free agents who had some connection to the team.

The biggest name is wide receiver Tom Kennedy, who has been on and off the Lions roster since the 2019 season.

The full list:

  • LB Mitchell Agude
  • WR Maurice Alexander
  • OL Matt Farniok
  • RB Jake Funk
  • OT Connor Galvin
  • CB Craig James
  • S Brandon Joseph
  • WR Tom Kennedy
  • OL Michael Niese
  • DT Chris Smith

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Lions elevate practice squad OL Michael Niese for Week 14

Niese is the only heathy player besides Graham Glasgow on the Lions roster, active or practice squad, who has even played one down of center

In need of someone who has played center for even one snap in their football life, the Detroit Lions elevated Michael Niese from the practice squad to the active roster for the Week 14 game against the Chicago Bears.

Niese is primarily a guard, but he did play some center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2023 preseason finale. That makes him the only player with any center experience to back up Graham Glasgow, who is filling in for an injured Frank Ragnow.

The other reserve offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, Kayode Awosika and Dan Skipper, are primarily tackles who can also play guard.

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Lions sign RB Devine Ozigbo, elevate OL Michael Niese

Lions sign RB Devine Ozigbo, elevate OL Michael Niese for Week 8 matchup with the Raiders

The Detroit Lions finalized the roster for the Week 8 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders by making a couple of additions on Monday.

The Lions signed running back Devine Ozigbo to the active roster from the practice squad. Ozigbo has been elevated in each of the two prior weeks while the team has dealt with injuries. Detroit had an open roster spot so no move was needed to create space on the 53-man roster.

The Lions also elevated offensive lineman Michael Niese from the practice squad. Niese will serve as the backup center behind Graham Glasgow, with starter Frank Ragnow ruled out.

Jersey numbers for the Lions latest player additions

The latest player additions for the Detroit Lions have decided on their jersey numbers, as well as number switches from last season.

The Detroit Lions have finalized their 53-man roster and practice squad, but as we all know, this could change at any moment. The roster now includes a mix of new and old players, and we’re excited to see what jersey numbers they’ll be wearing this season. Some players have even decided to switch their numbers from last year.

Below is the list of jersey numbers for the new players, as well as the players who have switched their numbers for this season.

Teddy Bridgewater takes over No. 10, previously held by Nate Sudfeld

Jerry Jacobs previously was 39 but switched to No. 23.

Steven Gilmore switched to No. 24 after sporting 36 through the preseason

Michael Badgley goes back to No. 17, which he held last season.

David Blough will be No. 18 this year. He previously was 10 when he was with the Lions before.

Zonovan Knight will hold No. 28 after the departure of Jermar Jefferson

Raymond Johnson will be No. 52 after the release of Christian Covington

Michael Niese will take over No. 62 with the departure of Ryan Swoboda

Darice Fountain will hold No. 84, which was previously held by Avery Davis

Quinton Bohanna will be No. 90 after Cory Durden was waived

Detroit Lions practice squad tracker

The Lions are signing players to the practice squad to start the season. Here’s who has signed in Detroit.

With the 53-man active roster established, the Detroit Lions are now forming the 16-player practice squad for the start of the 2023 season.

All players who are not signed to another team are eligible for the practice squad, though there are limits on how many vested veterans can be on any practice squad.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell extolled the virtue and importance of the practice squad in his final press conference before the roster cutdowns.

“I understand it is, it’s a 53-man roster, but it’s really not. It’s a 60-man team. It’s a 69-man team is what it is, and that’s kind of how we view it. These guys are all on the same team. We all help each other out and every one of those guys, there’s a good chance they’re going to play for us,” Campbell said of the practice squad.

Knowing that context, here is who has signed with the Lions 16-man practice squad.

Predicting the Broncos’ 5 upcoming roster cuts

The Broncos need to make five cuts before 2 p.m. MT on Tuesday.

The Denver Broncos have to trim the roster from 85 players down to 80 players before 2:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday. Here’s our quick prediction on which five players could be cut this week.

  • CB Donnie Lewis Jr.: He played the fewest snaps (five) among Denver’s cornerbacks on Saturday.
  • OL Michael Niese: The Broncos have a lot of depth at guard and while Niese might be a practice squad candidate, he’s unlikely to make the 53-man roster.
  • OLB Jonathan Kongbo: Similar to guard, Denver has a crowded outside linebacker depth chart, and Kongbo will face long odds to make the active roster.
  • DB J.R. Reed: Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson are locks at safety. Caden Sterns and P.J. Locke have been excellent this summer, and they should be locks, too. Delarrin Turner-Yell is a fifth-round pick, so that will help his case. The Broncos seem very unlikely to carry six safeties.
  • WR Trey Quinn: Before his fumble on Saturday, Quinn was having a fine summer, but Denver has more receivers on the roster (11) than any other position, and Quinn might be the odd man out.

After making five cuts Tuesday, the Broncos will face the Minnesota Vikings in their preseason finale on Saturday. After that, Denver will have until the following Tuesday (Aug. 30) to finalize a 53-man roster.

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Broncos announce undrafted free agent signings: Meet the 13 players

The Broncos have signed 13 undrafted free agents. Learn more about each player here.

After selecting nine players in the 2022 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos then signed 13 college free agents to round out their roster for the summer.

The Broncos announced those 13 undrafted free agents on Thursday, officially confirming the signings. Here’s a quick look at each of the team’s new UDFAs.