Tag: Shane Zylstra

Snap count notes: Lions were all hands on deck in win over Packers

The Detroit Lions relied heavily on newcomers and depth in the Week 14 win over the Green Bay Packers, who flashed depth of their own

In Thursday night’s 34-31 win over the visiting Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions required all hands on deck on defense. With injuries running rampant, every healthy body was thrown into the action for Detroit.

The most glaring note from the snap counts for the Lions and Packers is this: Green Bay ran just 50 offensive plays, but Aaron Glenn still had 17 different Lions defenders play at least 10 snaps.

Four Lions played all 50:
Kerby Joseph
Jack Campbell
Terrion Arnold
Carlton Davis

Pat O’Connor worked in 41 snaps on the line, while EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad saw action in 37. These were healthy scratches a month ago.

Tracking the newcomers to the Detroit defense:

DE Jonah Williams – 25
DT Brodric Martin – 23 (Martin had played just two all season prior to this game)
DE Myles Adams – 19
LB Kwon Alexander – 17
EDGE Mitchell Agude – 9 (practice squad elevation)
LB Jamal Adams – 8

Green Bay rolled through its own defensive depth, with an astonishing 20 different Packers players seeing at least 10 snaps. The Lions offense ran 80 plays against them, however.

The starting offensive line and QB Jared Goff played all 80, with the exception of right guard Kevin Zeitler. Rookie Christian Mahogany came in for three snaps that Zeitler missed while seeing treatment on the sidelines. They were the first three offensive snaps of Mahogany’s career.

No. 3 TE Shane Zylstra out-repped No. 4 WR Allen Robinson 16 to just five. No. 2 TE Brock Wright played 49 snaps, just four fewer than No. 3 WR (and star of the game) Tim Patrick.

At RB, Jahmyr Gibbs was on the field for 45, while David Montgomery saw 36. Simple match indicates that both were on the field for at least one snap together, which would be the first time all season that’s happened. Craig Reynolds played one snap, while rookie Sione Vaki only appeared on special teams.

Detroit did not use an extra OT in this game, which makes sense with regular No. 6 OL Dan Skipper playing at left tackle in place of an injured Taylor Decker.

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Lions Monday medical report – post-week 11 injury updates

Lions Monday medical report – post-week 11 updates on injured Lions players including Carlton Davis, Alex Anzalone and more

Another week, another injury to a Lions front-7 player. This time it’s a forearm fracture to Alex Anzalone. Fortunately, this injury will allow him to return this year and probably stronger than ever as I explain in my feature article.

Pending concerns include Shane Zylstra’s neck and Allen Robinson’s possible concussion. Many other players went down during the Jaguars game but most of those injuries appear to be minor.

On Monday, Dan Campbell gave a pessimistic update on Ifeatu Melifonwu saying “something came up…. he won’t be ready for a while… this is a different injury”. This may be due to Melifonwu’s new finger injury last week.

Here is the list of what I saw in the Jaguars game along with suspected diagnoses:

Amik Robertson – 1q 10:00 left thigh contusion

At the end of the first drive, he appeared to be hit in the left thigh which may have caused a simple charley horse. I didn’t see anything with the ankles or knees. He limped off but returned the next nickel package which was during the 3rd drive. He played the rest of the game with no noticeable effects.

Amik’s dad confirms that he is just fine.

Jahmyr Gibbs – 1q 1:50 mild abdominal contusion

Gibbs landed on the ball which could have caused an abdominal contusion, rib cartilage injury, or just wind. He left after the play but returned the same drive and finished out the game.

Frank Ragnow – 2q 9:19 left elbow/forearm contusion

Ragnow took a helmet directly to his left elbow/forearm area and came up grimacing. He didn’t miss a play. He finished the game without any kind of elbow wrap or pad which is reassuring. Likely, he just had a mild contusion.

Alex Anzalone – 2q 2:36 left forearm fracture

See my full article for details. Anzalone should be back within 6-8 weeks with no long-term concerns.

Carlton Davis – left thumb fracture earlier in week

Davis didn’t play in the second half but this presumably was a precaution for the left thumb fracture he suffered in practice a few days ago. Dan Campbell stated on Monday that during the game “he didn’t feel quite right”, so this is something to monitor this week.

Here is the cast/splint he was playing with:

Za’Darius Smith – 2q 00:45 right torso/ribs contusion

Smith took an elbow to the right torso which could have caused a rib or abdomen injury. He was in visible pain on the ground for a while but only missed one play. Likely this is just a contusion with the worst case being a rib fracture.

Penei Sewell – 3q 1:12 torso strain

Video was obscured but he did get his torso crushed by Ragnow. Two plays later, Sewell landed hard on his torso which may have aggravated the initial issue. He didn’t miss a play and finished the game in good shape.

Allen Robinson – 4q 5:18 possible concussion

Robinson takes a hard blow to the head here and also bangs his head on the ground. He is slow getting up which is concerning for a concussion. He tried to stay in for the next play but was sent off for a concussion evaluation. Presumably he has passed the evaluation since there has been no news. Delayed symptoms are possible and we should know that by Wednesday.

Shane Zylstra – 4q 6:22 neck

Zylstra pulled himself out after this play and was officially listed as a neck injury. He did not return to the game. I reviewed all his plays in the 4th quarter and nothing jumped out. Neck injuries often don’t show much on video as we saw with Saivion Smith’s temporary paralysis in 2022. Hopefully, this is just a simple cervical muscle strain.

Lions elevate two from practice squad for Week 9

Lions elevate two from practice squad for Week 9

The Lions announced Saturday they have elevated two players from the practice squad for Week 9 against the Packers. Detroit called up tight end Shane Zylstra and outside linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad.

Zylstra has surpassed Parker Hesse as the No. 3 tight end. Detroit released Hesse Saturday but he is a candidate to return on the practice squad. This is the third and final elevation the Lions can use on Zylstra. Expect him to be signed to the practice squad very soon.

Muhammad was called up last week against the Titans and had six pressures in the 52-14 win. It was his first appearance for the Lions. Detroit can elevate Muhammad one more time from the practice squad before having to sign him to the active roster.

Lions elevate 2 players for Week 8 matchup with the Titans

Lions elevate 2 players for Week 8 matchup with the Titans, including veteran pass rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad

Faced with an acute shortage of EDGEs thanks to injuries and illness, the Detroit Lions added one from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s Week 8 matchup with the Tennessee Titans.

The Lions elevated veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad for the game with the Titans. It will be Muhammad’s first time playing in a Lions uniform, though the 29-year-old has played in 84 NFL games and started 34, mostly with the Indianapolis Colts. Head coach Dan Campbell indicated on Friday that Muhammad would get called up for this game.

Detroit also elevated tight end Shane Zylstra for the second week in a row. No. 84 played three offensive snaps in the Week 7 win over the Vikings.

Lions sign veteran DE and elevate two from practice squad for Week 7

Lions sign veteran DE Pat O’Connor and elevate two from practice squad for Week 7

The Detroit Lions made some roster enhancements ahead of Sunday’s Week 7 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.

Most notably, the Lions signed veteran defensive end Pat O’Connor from the team’s practice squad to the active 53-man roster. O’Connor will make his Detroit debut seven years after being a seventh-round pick by the Lions in the 2017 NFL Draft.

The Eastern Michigan product didn’t make the Lions team that year, but worked his way into a lengthy stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Detroit brought him back over the summer and he’s been on the Lions practice squad all season. At 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, O’Connor fits the size desired by the Lions on the edge to help replace injured Marcus Davenport and Aidan Hutchinson.

The Lions also promoted two practice squad players for the game. Tight end Shane Zylstra and EDGE Isaac Ukwu were both elevated. It’s the second week in a row Ukwu, an undrafted rookie from Ole Miss, has been elevated. Zylstra has not played in a game since 2022 after suffering a serious injury in 2023 training camp.

The Lions already have three active TEs on the roster, so Zylstra’s elevation is something of a surprise. With DT Kyle Peko lost for the season, there was some expectation the Lions would elevate DT Chris Smith for this game against the Vikings.

Predicting the Detroit Lions initial practice squad

Predicting the Detroit Lions initial practice squad, which gets formed after 12 p.m. ET on Wednesday

One of the duties for the Detroit Lions and GM Brad Holmes is to assemble the team’s practice squad. Roster cutdowns to the initial 53-man roster left the Lions with only 52 players, so that complicates predicting who all makes Detroit’s initial practice squad.

The Lions are allowed up to 16 players on the practice squad. Six of those can be veterans with at least four years of experience, players who were not subject to waivers after the roster cutdowns.

We already know one of those six will be former Broncos WR Tim Patrick. At least four vets the Lions released on Tuesday make great candidates to return:

DT Kyle Peko

DL Pat O’Connor

LB Ty Summers

OT Jamarco Jones

That would leave one opening for a veteran who wasn’t with the Lions during the preseason. It could also be where QB Nate Sudfeld fits if the Lions want him back in the building, or another LB like Abraham Beauplan or Joel Iyiegbuniwe. I don’t see Donovan Peoples-Jones or Daurice Fountain returning, though the latter does have some potential to join the Lions practice squad.

Barring waiver claims from another team, which tend to pluck a little less than one player per team on average, here are the 10 younger players the Lions figure to focus on keeping on the practice squad:

OLB Mitchell Agude

WR/RS Maurice Alexander

OL Jake Burton

OL Kingsley Eguakun

QB Jake Fromm

RB Jermar Jefferson

WR Tom Kennedy

DL Chris Smith

EDGE Isaac Ukwu

TE Shane Zylstra

Fromm is an interesting one, because if the Lions bring Sudfeld back in any capacity, it makes no sense to also use a spot on Fromm. But the way head coach Dan Campbell talked about Fromm after his highly impressive preseason outing, the door appears open to keeping the younger QB with demonstrated better composure and accuracy.

The Lions also have a decision to make at running back. Jefferson, Zonovan Knight and Jake Funk all are worthy of keeping on the practice squad, but it’s difficult to see them keeping more than one. Jefferson gets the tentative nod based on his longevity.

Given all the tight ends waived around the league on Tuesday, I do expect Zylstra to clear waivers and return to Detroit. Cornerback Steven Gilmore could be back, too.

Detroit Lions roster cutdown deadline tracker

Detroit Lions roster cutdown deadline tracker ahead of Tuesday’s 53-man limit

The Detroit Lions must reduce the roster down to the 53-man limit before the deadline at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 27th. It’s a tough time with a quick turnaround from the final preseason game.

The Lions haven’t made any official transactions yet, but several moves are already reported as of Monday evening.

Most notable among those is the reported release of wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. He and fellow WR Kaden Davis were the first two cuts to leak out.

We will keep posting reported cuts as we find them. Keep in mind they are unofficial unless posted by the Lions themselves.

No real surprise with either Zylstra or Knight, though Zylstra did have some legit potential to stick as a receiving TE.

We have our first surprise with Mitchell Agude, who was the only backup to Derrick Barnes at the SAM position.

This one comes directly sourced: The Lions are releasing LB Ty Summers.

Also confirmed by me via a team source: Hogan Hatten has won the long snapper battle and the Lions are releasing LS Scott Daly. Hatten keeps the streak of undrafted rookies making the initial 53-man roster rolling to 14 years.

Last year’s UDFA to make it, Steven Gilmore, did not make the cut in 2024.

The biggest surprise thus far…

Beauplan led the Lions in tackles in the preseason win over the Chiefs:

Numerous sources have also reported the Lions are cutting WR Daurice Fountain, who was the leading candidate for the No. 4 WR spot after the first week of training camp.

CFL star Mathieu Betts fell short of making the team.

And now, the official list from the Lions:

Breaking down the Lions camp battle for TE No. 3 and (maybe) No. 4

Sam LaPorta is No. 1, Brock Wright is No. 2, but after that it’s a very tough call between the other four tight ends on the roster fighting for one (or maybe 2) spots

One of the biggest Detroit Lions training camp battles is playing out for the depth tight end spot. Or spots, as the offense could very well keep four tight ends instead of the traditional threesome.

We know Sam LaPorta is tight end No. 1 after a record-breaking rookie season. We know Brock Wright, re-signed this offseason after San Francisco tried to poach him as a restricted free agent, is next in line. After that?

The Lions currently have four guys fighting for either one or two spots:

  • Parker Hesse
  • James Mitchell
  • Sean McKeon
  • Shane Zylstra

They’re all different enough in skills and traits that it’s a battle that is as much about what offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, tight ends coach Steve Heiden and the Lions want from the TE3 (and maybe TE4) than it is any superior performance in camp. Consistency of performance is definitely key, however.

Here’s what Johnson said about what the Lions are looking for at the position.

“That room, the competition is lights out right now,” Johnson stated before Thursday’s practice “In terms of the third spot, I think coach (Dan) Campbell, myself, Brad (Holmes), that spot needs to be able to wear a ton of hats because you just don’t know. You got LaPorta with his skillset, you got Wright with his skillset, and that third spot needs to be smart enough to fill in either spot if need be.”

Johnson continued,

“So the versatility is at a premium. (Dave) Fipp (special teams coordinator) certainly needs help there on special teams, and so that plays a part also. But we need a smart player that can wear multiple hats. It’s a bonus if we can get some backfield work; if he can do some fullback-type jobs, or if he can split out wide. The more you can do increases your value right there.”

With all that fresh in the mind, I spent a good portion of Thursday’s practice watching the tight ends. From a pass protection drill to a receiving drill and then special teams work, it turned out to be a very good day to focus on the combatants behind LaPorta and Wright, who is firmly No. 2 despite a rough day of practice.

Heading into padded practices this week, I had them ranked like this in terms of likelihood of making the final roster after watching them all compete all offseason:

Zylstra, Hesse, Mitchell, McKeon

Zylstra is the best receiver of the group, but also the weakest blocker. As such, the fourth-year vet has to thrive in the passing game. His speed and route-running remain fairly impressive, but he’s also put a couple of balls on the ground this week. A sweet touchdown snag in the red zone drill when QB Nate Sudfeld found him behind and beyond Jalen Reeves-Maybin was a nice feather in his cap … and a needed one, too; Zylstra’s blocking and special teams performance are clearly last amongst the combatants.

Hesse earned praise from Dan Campbell before Wednesday’s practice as someone who caught his eye in the first days in pads. No. 43 has been sure-handed as a receiver despite being the least dynamic athlete of the group. He was the best of any of the tight ends (including LaPorta and Wright) in the pass protection drill. He’s been the best of the group on special teams all offseason, though not impressive enough that Hesse would make it strictly as a special teamer.

Hesse is consistently the most physical and technically sound run blocker of the group, especially from an in-line alignment. He also had a fantastic downfield block that directly led to a Hendon Hooker-to-Donovan Peoples-Jones touchdown in Thursday’s team drills.

Mitchell had a typical James Mitchell day on Thursday. He had a couple of great reps in pass protection but also an absolute clunker. No. 82 is fast in the open field but the slowest to get into the open field, a weird combination.

Mitchell had a great catch away from his frame in team drills but was late getting his hands out for a catch on what appeared to be his very next rep. He followed up a matador whiff block on one special teams rep by blowing past Zylstra when they flipped sides of the kickoff team. The inconsistency has plagued the 2022 fifth-round pick all offseason. His positive flashes are difficult to overlook, however.

McKeon has stepped up since the pads came on. After spending his first four seasons with the Cowboys, where he caught six passes in 49 games, McKeon has flashed some very strong hands in red zone drills on multiple days this week. The Michigan product offers some nice nuance to his routes, maximizing his athletic ability well.

He is a perfectly functional in-line blocker, stonewalling James Houston early in the week with good knee bend and hand placement in his pass pro set. His special teams experience showed on Thursday, unspectacular but effective.

So where does that leave us with one practice left this week before the Lions head to New York for joint practices and a preseason date with the Giants? My impression of how the Lions now see the TE depth:

–Zylstra’s unique ability to play LaPorta’s role in the passing offense gives him a clear edge, but he can’t afford more dropped passes or instant losses as a special teams blocker.

–Hesse brings the most functional versatility, and he’s consistently impressed with his hands and physicality as both a receiver and a blocker. His limited work playing the H-back role out of the backfield is a nice boost that nobody else matches. He would get my nod over Mitchell, using Johnson’s stated desire for consistency and versatility.

–Mitchell has a very important week coming. On paper he’s the best candidate to win the TE3 job, but football isn’t played on paper. Mitchell really needs to string together good reps in all phases of the game across multiple practices. Even one “clean” day where he consistently lives up to his potential would vault him up, but I can’t recall Mitchell having one of those in the last two summers. For an organization that treasures trust and consistency, that’s not positive.

–McKeon has definitely made it more interesting, but the reality is that he’s likely playing for a practice squad spot or a No. 3 TE role on another team. He’s better already than Jesse James when he came to Detroit as a higher-priced TE2 back in 2019, for context about the relative skill level of the depth here.

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The Lions add another veteran TE to the roster

The Lions add another veteran TE to the roster by signing Sean McKeon, a free agent who was last with the Cowboys

One week after signing tryout player Parker Hesse, the Lions aren’t done adding depth to the tight end position. It was announced the the Lions signed tight end Sean McKeon.

To offset this move, the Lions waived tight end Isaac Rex. It was a short stint with the Lions for Rex. He was an undrafted free agent out of BYU from the 2024 NFL Draft.

As for McKeon, he’s entering his fifth season in the NFL. He was undrafted in 2020 out of Michigan and signed with the Dallas Cowboys. For the last four seasons, he’s played for the Cowboys. Throughout his career, he’s played in 45 games while recording 6 receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown.

For the Cowboys offense, he was listed as a backup and primarily was used as a blocker and special teams player. Over his career, he’s played 570 snaps on special teams and last season, he received a 79.2 pass blocking grade, per PFF. Last season, McKeon spent the final 6 games on injured reserve due to an ankle injury.

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Lions fans should be familiar with McKeon as he spent four seasons at Michigan. This season, the Lions are expected to carry four tight ends on their roster as Shane Zylstra and James Mitchell return from injury. As of now, here’s what the Lions depth chart looks like at tight end:

  • Sam LaPorta (starter)
  • Brock Wright
  • James Mitchell
  • Shane Zylstra
  • Parker Hesse
  • Sean McKeon

It’ll be an uphill climb for McKeon to make the Lions 53-man roster. But anything can happen during training camp and the preseason. After all, this move creates competition and that’s exactly what the Lions want with their roster.

 

Lions officially tender James Houston among several transactions

Lions officially tender James Houston among several transactions to start the new NFL league year

The start of the new NFL league year commenced at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The flip to 2024 means transactions that had been pending and long-reported are now able to be made official.

Such was the case for the Detroit Lions with a few deals that had been in the works. Among those were the qualifying tender offers for restricted and exclusive rights free agents on the roster.

MOst of these were already known, but the Lions made it official. They extended qualifying offers to just one of the six eligible restricted free agents. Tight end Brock Wright will be back in Detroit for $2.9 million.

The following restricted free agents are now on the open market and no longer under contractual control or compensation ties to the Lions:

  • CB Jerry Jacobs
  • CB Chase Lucas
  • LB Anthony Pittman
  • LS Scott Daly
  • DT Benito Jones
  • CB Khalil Dorsey

For exclusive rights free agents, or ERFAs, the Lions officially tendered five of the six eligible players. Most notable is EDGE James Houston, whose status had been kept quiet by all parties. Houston will play for the NFL league minimum for the Lions in 2024 and will become a restricted free agent following the season if he’s on the roster in some form for at least six games.

The trade for Carlton Davis and recent re-signings of RB Zonovan Knight, CB Emmanuel Moseley and TE Shane Zylstra were also made official on the league’s transaction wire.