HEADLINES

Brad Cecil

Lions Announce 53-Man Roster

August 29th, 2023 at 10:55pm CST by Ben Levine

We knew the Lions were going to make a handful of QB transactions leading up to today’s deadline, with Hendon Hooker destined for NFI and Nate Sudfeld tearing his ACL. Of course, the team made many additional moves to get to the 53-man roster limit:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Activated from PUP:

Placed on reserve/NFI:

Placed on reserve/suspended:

Placed on IR:

Released from IR:

Craig Reynolds spent the past two seasons with the Lions, and he made the most of his opportunities while on the field. He was limited to 14 games across the two seasons, but the RB still posted 500 yards from scrimmage on 94 touches. With a new-look depth chart in 2022, Reynolds found himself on the outside looking in.

The same goes for Benny Snell, who joined the organization earlier this offseason. The running back has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, starting five of his 63 appearances. He didn’t miss a game for Pittsburgh over the past three seasons, although he’s seen a drop in productivity. After compiling 429 yards from scrimmage during the 2020 campaign, Snell has only collected 218 yards in 34 games since.

Lions Sign 15 UDFAs

May 13th, 2023 at 9:36am CST by Ben Levine

With the Lions kicking off rookie minicamp yesterday, the team was busy adding 15 undrafted free agents to their roster:

Per Tim Twentyman of the team’s website, Lions Brad Holmes expressed enthusiasm about their year’s UDFA class, with the GM noting that three unspecified players were actually on Detroit’s draft board.

One of the team’s most notable additions is Steven Gilmore, the younger brother of former NFL DPOY Stephon Gilmore. The Marshall product had nine interceptions and 34 passes defended during his five collegiate season, and his ability to play multiple positions in the secondary (plus special teams) could give him a strong opportunity to earn a roster spot.

The Lions used a third-round pick on Hendon Hooker, but that didn’t stop them from adding a QB in free agency. Adrian Martinez had a prolific showing at Nebraska before transferring to Kansas State, where he paired an underwhelming 1,261 passing yards with 627 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. His passing inconsistency led to him going undrafted, but the Lions could get creative with how they use the dynamic runner.

Speaking of, Keytaon Thompson was a backup quarterback at Mississippi State before transferring to Virginia as a wideout. He was productive in the slot during his two seasons as Virginia, hauling in 131 receptions for 1,569 yards.