Lions Place Charles Harris On IR, Sign James Houston From Practice Squad
After re-emerging for two games earlier this month, Charles Harris will see his injury-marred season will be paused again. The Lions placed the former first-round pick on IR on Monday.
A groin injury has kept Harris on the shelf for the past two games. He will be shut down until at least Week 17. Given the timetable here, it is certainly possible the Lions — who have five injury activations left — just keep the veteran defensive end on IR the rest of the way. To take Harris’ roster spot, Detroit signed defensive end James Houston — he of two Thanksgiving Day sacks in his NFL debut — off the practice squad.
The Lions entered the year with reasonable plans for Harris, who re-signed with the team on a two-year, $14MM accord. Harris led the 2021 Lions with 7.5 sacks, helping a team that had lost Romeo Okwara to a severe injury. The Dolphins cut Harris earlier in 2021, leading him to the Lions on a low-cost deal.
Harris, who suffered the groin injury initially in Week 4, opened the season as a starter. After his first hiatus, however, he returned as a backup. The former Mizzou standout played only 24 defensive snaps in Detroit’s past two games. He has one sack and four quarterback hits this season.
A sixth-round rookie, Houston has spent the season on Detroit’s practice squad. Despite playing only five defensive snaps in his debut, Houston dropped Josh Allen twice. He figures to see more opportunities going forward. The Lions have Aidan Hutchinson positioned as their edge anchor but have dealt with considerable injury issues outside of the No. 2 overall pick. Most notably, Okwara remains on the team’s PUP list. But the Lions designated him for return earlier this month, opening the door to a late-season stretch of game action for the veteran pass rusher.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/22
Today’s minor moves around the league:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: WR Frank Darby
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: DE Mike Love, WR Tanner Gentry
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: T Aviante Collins, DE Takk McKinley
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: LB James Houston, C Ross Pierschbacher
Green Bay Packers
- Designated for return from NFI list: T Caleb Jones
- Claimed off waivers (from Rams): LB Justin Hollins
- Waived: RB Patrick Taylor
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Designated for return from IR: OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Designated for return from IR: CB Nate Hobbs
Los Angeles Chargers
- Designated for return from IR: RB Joshua Kelley
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Justin Zimmer
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: OL Devery Hamilton, S Trenton Thompson
- Elevated: S Terrell Burgess, OL Korey Cunningham
- Waived: LB Austin Calitro, OLB Quincy Roche
Thanksgiving will mark McKinley’s Cowboys debut after he signed to Dallas’ practice squad last week. The veteran will seek to be more productive in his reunion with Dan Quinn than his previous stops following the end of his Falcons tenure, while providing depth to a Cowboys edge group which has produced a league-leading 42 sacks this season.
Hobbs returning to the fold in the near future will be a welcomed sight for the Raiders’ secondary. The 2021 fifth-rounder was a full-time starter through the first five weeks of the season before landing on IR with a broken hand. Vegas has struggled against the pass, allowing more than 247 yards per game through the air in 2022. The team has three weeks to activate him before he becomes ineligible to play again this season.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings moves are noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Chicago Bears
Claimed:
- DB Josh Blackwell (from Eagles), DL Kingsley Jonathan (from Bills), OL Alex Leatherwood (from Raiders), DL Armon Watts (from Vikings), LB Sterling Weatherford (from Colts), TE Trevon Wesco (from Jets) (story)
Released:
- LB Joe Thomas
Waived:
- LB Caleb Johnson, CB Duke Shelley, G Zachary Thomas, DT Khyiris Tonga
Placed on IR:
- WR Tajae Sharpe
Signed to practice squad:
- TE Chase Allen, C Dieter Eiselen, RB Darrynton Evans, CB Thomas Graham Jr., DL Sam Kamara, QB Nathan Peterman
Detroit Lions
Claimed:
- DT Benito Jones (from Bills)
Waived:
Released from IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Maurice Alexander, LB Jarrad Davis, TE Derrick Deese, T Obinna Eze, TE Garrett Griffin, DL Bruce Hector, LB James Houston, RB Justin Jackson, WR Tom Kennedy, CB A.J. Parker, LB Anthony Pittman, T Dan Skipper, CB Saivion Smith
Green Bay Packers
Signed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- QB Danny Etling, WR Travis Fulgham, CB Rico Gafford, RB Tyler Goodson, LB La’Darius Hamilton, DL Jack Heflin, T Caleb Jones, LB Kobe Jones, DL Chris Slayton, RB Patrick Taylor, CB Kiondre Thomas, LB Ray Wilborn, WR Juwann Winfree
Minnesota Vikings
Waived:
Lions Finalize Initial 53-Man Roster
Detroit got an early start on reducing its roster size Monday, but the team made the final moves toward 53 players Tuesday. Here are the moves from today that got the Lions there:
Released:
- QB Tim Boyle
- LB Jarrad Davis (story)
- TE Devin Funchess
- DL Bruce Hector
- RB Justin Jackson
- T Kendall Lamm
- T Dan Skipper
Waived:
- WR Maurice Alexander
- CB Cedric Boswell
- TE Derrick Deese
- T Obinna Eze
- CB Mark Gilbert
- LB James Houston
- RB Godwin Igwebuike
- WR Tom Kennedy
- CB AJ Parker
- K Riley Patterson
- T Darrin Paulo
- WR Kalil Pimpleton
- LB Anthony Pittman
- CB Saivion Smith
Waived/injured:
- DL Eric Banks
- WR Trinity Benson
- DL Jashon Cornell
- G Kevin Jarvis
- S C.J. Moore
Placed on reserve/physically unable to perform:
- CB Jerry Jacobs
Houston was the only member of the Lions’ 2022 rookie class that failed to make the initial 53-man roster. The young linebacker should have a good chance to land on the team’s 16-man practice squad Wednesday, if he can clear waivers. On the other hand, undrafted defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor found his way onto the roster after a disruptive preseason. Another undrafted rookie, running back Greg Bell, didn’t make the roster, but will remain with the team on Detroit’s injured reserve.
There were a number of surprising, but necessary, cuts today. Igwebuike had a decent chance to make the roster due to his experience and ability returning kicks. Kennedy led the team in catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns during the preseason. His lack of effective use on special teams likely lost him his spot on the final roster. Parker started much of last year at nickel for the Lions. Unfortunately he was expendable after the offseason additions of veteran JuJu Hughes and rookie Chase Lucas.
The winner of the kicking battle has been crowned as Austin Seibert made the final roster over Patterson. Patterson showed plenty of ability during the last couple of weeks and it would be no surprise if he was to be claimed by another team off waivers by tomorrow.
Finally, it appears the backup quarterback battle was won by David Blough, who outperformed Boyle in preseason. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Detroit peruse the mass of recently waived players for a new quarterback. They have the second-highest priority on the waiver wire and should have their pick of the litter if they think they can improve on Blough.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/13/22
Several more mid- and late-round picks agreed to terms on their four-year rookie contracts Friday. Here are the latest agreements:
Denver Broncos
- TE Greg Dulcich (third round, UCLA)
Detroit Lions
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez (sixth round, Oklahoma State)
- LB James Houston (sixth round, Jackson State)
Houston Texans
- WR John Metchie III (second round, Alabama)
- TE Teagan Quitoriano (fifth round, Oregon State)
- OL Austin Deculus (sixth round, LSU)
Indianapolis Colts
- S Nick Cross (third round, Maryland)
Los Angeles Chargers
- DL Otito Ogbonnia (fifth round, UCLA)
- CB Ja’Sir Taylor (sixth round, Wake Forest)
- CB Deane Leonard (seventh round, Ole Miss)
- FB Zander Horvath (seventh round, Purdue)
Miami Dolphins
- QB Skylar Thompson (seventh round, Kansas State)
New England Patriots
- CB Marcus Jones (third round, Houston)
- RB Kevin Harris (sixth round, South Carolina)
New Orleans Saints
- LB D’Marco Jackson (fifth round, Appalachian State)
- DT Jordan Jackson (sixth round, Air Force)
New York Giants
- LB Micah McFadden (fifth round, Indiana)
- DT D.J. Davidson (fifth round, Arizona State)
- OG Marcus McKethan (fifth round, North Carolina)
- LB Darrian Beavers (sixth round, Cincinnati)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR George Pickens (second round, Georgia)
- TE Connor Heyward (sixth round, Michigan State)
- LB Mark Robinson (seventh round, Ole Miss)
- QB Chris Oladokun (seventh round, South Dakota State)