Tag: Trevor Nowaske

Lions inactives for Week 12 vs. Packers: Healthy scratches provide roster clues

With Jonah Jackson the only player out, the Lions made several healthy scratches

The Thanksgiving game in Ford Field features a Lions team that enters the Week 12 contest with just one player ruled out for an injury. In fact, left guard Jonah Jackson (wrist) was the only Detroit player with any injury designation at all.

That means the weekly inactive list is full of healthy scratches. And healthy scratches mean we get a glimpse of the pecking order of the bottom of the Lions roster.

We got an early idea when the Lions elevated DT Quinton Bohanna and OL Michael Schofield from the practice squad. After adding them into the mix, the Lions made the following players inactive:

LG Jonah Jackson (injured)
OLB Julian Okwara
DT Isaiah Buggs
DT Brodric Martin
WR Antoine Green
CB Steven Gilmore
LB Trevor Nowaske

The notable players here are the veterans, Buggs and Okwara. Being inactive while healthy is an indication that they are at the bottom of the depth chart at their positions. With both of them pending free agents, it could very well be seen as a sign that neither is long for Detroit.

Why the Lions signed LB Trevor Nowaske from the practice squad

Nowaske is the seventh LB on the active 53-man roster after being signed during the bye week

The Detroit Lions raised some eyebrows when they signed rookie linebacker Trevor Nowaske from the practice squad to the active roster during the heart of the team’s bye week. With no players in the building and six linebackers already on the active roster, it seemed like an unusual timing for such a move.

Head coach Dan Campbell explained why the Lions signed Nowaske, a Detroit-area (Canton) native from Saginaw Valley State, to the active roster.

“Yeah, he was being poached, potentially,” Campbell told reporters on Monday. “We didn’t want to lose him. We felt like we had the flexibility to make that move. We felt like we’re going to need him before it’s all said and done.”

It was the most likely explanation for the move, given the crowd at linebacker. Nowaske joins Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, first-round rookie Jack Campbell, Malcolm Rodriguez, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Anthony Pittman on the 53-man roster. That’s a lot of LBs for a team that runs a base 4-2-5 defense. It’s an indication of how much the team likes the undrafted rookie.

“We like where he’s going,” Campbell continued on Nowaske. “He’s another young guy that we’ve got on this roster that’s really developing and growing. That’s a good room, all seven of those guys, counting him. It’s an outstanding room, between what they’re able to do defensively, but special teams too. We rely on them for a lot. So, he was a guy we didn’t want to lose.”

Lions sign LB Trevor Nowaske from the practice squad

Nowaske is an undrafted rookie from Saginaw Valley State who played well in the preseason, especially on special teams.

Even on a week where no players are in the building, the Detroit Lions are amking roster moves. On Thursday of the bye week, the Lions signed linebacker Trevor Nowaske from the practice squad.

Nowaske is an undrafted rookie from Saginaw Valley State. He signed with the Lions right after the draft and has played extensively on both defense and special teams in the preseason. He’s a Detroit-area native.

To make room for Nowaske, the Lions waived running back Devine Ozigbo. He had been in Nowaske’s shoes, signed from the practice squad to the active roster prior to Week 8.

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 22 remaining Detroit Lions roster cutdowns

The Detroit Lions have 75 players on the active roster as of noon Monday and have to be down to 53 by 4 p.m. Tuesday

It’s almost time for the Detroit Lions initial 53-man roster to be set for the 2023 regular season. The team has already trimmed several players from the 90-man preseason limit, but there are more cutdowns to be made.

As of 12 p.m. ET on Monday, the Lions have 75 players still on the active roster. That leaves 22 more players to be removed from the active roster before 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Note that CB Emmanuel Moseley and QB Hendon Hooker are not currently on the active roster, so they don’t factor in. WR Jameson Williams begins serving his suspension after the cutdowns, so he’s not involved either. 

12 players projected to make the Lions practice squad

These 12 players from the Lions’ final preseason game roster should make the team’s 16-man practice squad

One of the first orders of business for the Detroit Lions following the conclusion of the roster cutdowns and initial waiver claim period is to form the 16-man practice squad. Teams can start signing players to the practice squad after Wednesday, August 30th at 12 p.m. ET.

Most teams prefer to stock the practice squad with players who were on the roster for the final preseason game. The Lions did that last year and are expected to do so once again.

Here are 12 Lions expected to be cut by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline who should make the practice squad.

Detroit’s own Trevor Nowaske reflects on his NFL debut in the Lions preseason win

Undrafted rookie LB Trevor Nowaske talks about his experience playing for his hometown Lions in Ford field in preseason win over the Giants

Playing in an NFL game for the first time, even in the preseason, is a major accomplishment for rookies. Getting to make that professional debut in your hometown stadium, with many friends and family in the stands cheering you on, that’s a truly special opportunity.

That’s what happened for Lions linebacker Trevor Nowaske on Friday night. Nowaske is an undrafted rookie from Saginaw Valley State and a proud native of Canton in the Detroit metro area.

“I don’t know if I can put it into words,” Nowaske said after the game about playing as a Lion in Ford Field. “Such an unreal experience. Being from Canton, honestly being a Lions fan my whole life, and now it’s coming to fruition being on the team, it’s still kind of settling in.”

Nowaske made his mark on both defense and special teams. He logged four total tackles, including three in just 15 run defense snaps. No. 59 was an active presence all over the field in the final portion of the game.

“My heart was beating (fast) for sure,” Nowaske added. “I knew that first play would be a bottle full of emotions. My whole family is here, and it was really cool to kind of experience that will all of them.”

The family support means everything to Nowaske.

“I’ve very blessed. It’s been awesome,” Nowaske said about having his parents so close by.

He was quick to point out that he’s not living at home, but he really appreciates having them so readily available. His father, Jim, played football at Adrian College (where he’s in the school’s hall of fame) and had a cup of coffee with the Cleveland Browns.

His proud parents “are at every practice,” and Trevor is clearly appreciative of their support. He’s had a solid training camp, showing the athleticism that helped Nowaske stand out in the GLIAC and earn the chance to make his hometown team.

As for what’s next after contributing to the Lions’ 21-16 win over the Giants, it’s right back to work.

“I’ve still got a lot of work to do. I know it’s an uphill battle from here, being undrafted … I’m happy I could go out there and contribute but there’s still a lot more than can be done.”

Nowaske gets another shot at proving he belongs in Detroit when the Jacksonville Jaguars come to town for joint practices later this week. He’s realistic about his chances to make a stronger linebacking corps than the Lions have fielded in years. A practice squad spot seems very realistic, however.

“I’m trying to do one thing every day that catches someone’s eye,” Nowaske stated.

 

 

 

Lions vs Giants: Best and worst PFF grades from Detroit’s preseason win

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst PFF performers for the Detroit Lions against the New York Giants.

The Detroit Lions kicked off their season with a 21-16 victory over the New York Giants in their first preseason game. Despite many of the team’s key players sitting out, the Lions’ management was able to evaluate potential roster candidates.

The game started off slowly, with the offense struggling, but the defense saved the day by repeatedly stepping up to the challenge and shutting down their opponents. Although some areas showed promise, others may require further evaluation by the Lions’ management.

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst Pro Footbal Focus (PFF) performers, highlighting those who impressed and those who fell short in their bid for a coveted roster spot.

Lions rookie report: Strong showing from Detroit’s rookies in win over Giants

The Lions beat the Giants 21-16 and relied heavily on contributions from the rookie class

The Detroit Lions came out victorious from their first preseason game of 2023. Not only did they come out with a win, but they got early returns on their investments from their rookie class.

You can’t talk about this game without mentioning the wide receivers. Detroit has three first-year receivers on the team and all three made an impact against the Giants.

Chase Cota, undrafted out of Oregon, played for most of the game and had quite the professional debut with four catches for 60 yards. Seventh-round pick Antoine Green aided early on in the game with three catches of his own for 36 yards. Dylan Drummond, who has picked up some attention throughout training camp, had a quieter game but still contributed nonetheless. The former Eastern Michigan wideout earned 12 yards on two receptions and also took one kick return for 19 yards.

Undrafted rookie quarterback Adrian Martinez came in for Nate Sudfeld in the fourth quarter and showed some flashes of potential. Known for being mobile in college, he ran the ball 5 times with his longest gain being 10 yards. He capped off his day with a rushing touchdown to take Detroit into the lead. He didn’t look as good as a passer, only completing four-of-seven attempts for 37 yards, but his performance should earn him more playing time in the remaining preseason showings.

Tight end Sam LaPorta saw the field plenty in the first half of the game, but did not contribute much to the box score. He was utilized often in 12-personnel sets alongside Brock Wright and the two even lined up side-by-side at times. LaPorta was targeted once but dropped the pass.

First-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs impressed early on despite some poor offensive line play up front. The shifty running back showed an ability to find his way upfield in situations that would normally be a loss of yardage. He also briefly flashed his skills as a receiver with one catch for 18 yards. He also proved himself to be a team player as he is credited with a tackle on New York’s Jason Pinnock following an interception from Sudfeld.

Fellow rookie running back Mohamed Ibrahim did not share the same successes. Ibrahim averaged 2.3 yards per carry on his four touches and had to briefly go to the locker room wit the trainer after suffering a minor injury.

On the offensive line, fifth-round pick Colby Sorsdal started the game at right guard and it became evident that there would be a learning curve for the former William & Mary lineman. Undrafted rookies Brad Cecil and Connor Galvin served as the respective second-team center and right tackle.

On the other side of the ball, defensive lineman Brodric Martin may have stood out size-wise, but his one tackle on the day leaves us waiting to see what made the Western Kentucky product worthy of a costly trade-up in the third round. Fellow rookie linemen Chris Smith and Cory Durden saw limited action against the Giants but did not do anything noteworthy.

First-round pick Jack Campbell had a very impressive debut for the Lions. The former Iowa Hawkeye had four tackles and a pass defense on the day and seemed to bring life to the team’s run defense. With Alex Anzalone not suited up, Campbell got the start alongside Derrick Barnes.

Undrafted linebacker Trevor Nowaske had his name called on the broadcast a few times, and for good reason. The Saginaw Valley State standout also put up four tackles in this matchup against New York.

The four rookies in Detroit’s secondary were some of the biggest playmakers of this group. Safety Brandon Joseph made impactful plays everywhere on the field. On top of his game-sealing interception, he also played well against the run and even made a tackle-for-loss.

Nickel defender Brian Branch got his first start as a Lion and immediately made plays. Not even four minutes into the game, he sniffed out a screen to veteran Cole Beasley and quickly took him down for a loss of yardage.

Undrafted rookie Starling Thomas has been the training camp darling of 2023, and he continued to impress against the Giants. His biggest contributions were on special teams, where he excelled as a gunner on the punt team and also put up some key blocks on kick and punt returns throughout the game.

Look: Top photos from the Lions preseason win over the Giants

Quick takeaways from the Lions preseason win vs. the Giants

Here are a few things that stood out for the Lions in the preseason opening win vs. the Giants

Football returned to Ford Field on Friday night when the Detroit Lions hosted the New York Giants in the preseason opener for both teams. After two days of spirited joint practices, the two teams took their action to the exhibition field.

The Lions wound up winning the game, 21-16, when rookie QB Adrian Martinez scored a late rushing TD. The game outcome doesn’t matter, it’s the path to the outcome and the play of the Lions players that means everything. Even so, the 48,000-plus fans enjoyed the exhibition victory.

Here are a few things that stood out in watching the game live in the stadium.