Tag: practicing

Lions activate Everson Griffen from reserve/COVID-19, Danny Shelton returns to practice

The Detroit Lions have activated EDGE Everson Griffen from reserve/COVID-19 and Nose Tackle Danny Shelton returns to practice but remains on injured reserve for the time being.

The Detroit Lions are getting some help on the defensive line. A day after activating JACK Julian Okwara from injured reserve, they announced that they have also activated EDGE Everson Griffen from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Additionally, Nose Tackle Danny Shelton, who is still on injured reserve, has returned to practice and is eligible to be activated to the 53-man roster at any time.

Griffen announced on social media that he tested positive for COVID-19, and 11 days after the team placed him on the reserve list, he has been medically cleared and is eligible to return to practice.

No additional roster move was required at this time because Griffen has a roster exemption, but in order for him to play on Saturday, a corresponding move from the 53-man roster would be required.

Shelton was placed on injured reserve three weeks ago, has completed the required time on short-term IR, and is now eligible to return to the team. As Shelton is also technically still on IR, he also does not take up a spot on the 53-man roster, and when he is ready to play, a corresponding roster move would be required.

One final housekeeping note: running back Dalyn Dawkins has been added to the practice squad for his fourth stint with the team.

Lions activate TE Hunter Bryant from I.R., sign DT Kevin Strong to active roster

The Detroit Lions announced that they have activated rookie tight end Hunter Bryant from injured reserve and signed defensive tackle Kevin Strong to the active roster.

The Detroit Lions made a series of roster moves on Wednesday, including placing defensive tackle Danny Shelton and cornerback Desmond Trufant on injured reserve.

That transaction opened up two spots on the active roster and in a corresponding move, the Lions activated rookie tight end Hunter Bryant from injured reserve and signed defensive tackle Kevin Strong off of the practice squad.

Strong was just re-signed to the practice squad yesterday, but after spending the majority of the last 18 months on the roster, he is very familiar with the Lions defensive scheme and should be an immediate contributor.

While switching out Shelton for Strong seems like a one-to-one swap, they play at different spots on the defensive line, with Shelton splitting time between the nose and 3T, while Strong is a 3T, with range to play at defensive end in big sets.

Instead, expect sixth-round rookie nose tackle John Penisini to be injected into the starting lineup.

Bryant was a favorite target of Matthew Stafford in training camp and that relationship, along with above-average athleticism, will give him a shot to contribute right away, if healthy.

Bryant’s health is still a bit in question, as he has not seen the field this season, and this promotion could have come, not because he was healthy, but because his 21-day evaluation window was coming to a close. Meaning if the Lions wanted to play him at some point this season, he needed to be placed on the active roster this week.

Like Bryant, Julian Okwara and Darryl Roberts have completed their stints on injured reserve. While Bryant began practicing three weeks ago, Okwara and Roberts are just beginning to practice today which will start the clock on their 21-day evaluation period.

One final housekeeping note, the promotion of Strong to the active roster opened up a spot on the practice squad and that was filled by cornerback Alex Meyers. Undrafted in 2019, Meyers spent his rookie season on the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad before being released earlier this year.