The Detroit Lions have had a lot of injuries this year, but now they’re starting to get healthy again. Defensive tackle Brodric Martin started his 21-day clock last week and now Lions head coach Dan Campbell announced on Wednesday that the Lions are starting the clocks on both Emmanuel Moseley and Ifeatu Melifonwu.
That means that when the Lions decided to activate them, that’s three spots they have to open up to make room to bring all three guys back. These are guys they’re definitely going to want to play
The Lions are going to have to make some hard decisions on who those guys could be. We put together a list of players that could be released and then added to the practice squad pending they clear waivers.
Loren Strickland
The Lions defintley like this kid and they see a bright future for him as a special teams ace, but right now Brandon Joseph is ahead of him and the team is going to likely want to hold on to him over the rookie. Plus Melifonwu is going to take up some serious snaps in the safety room.
Allen Robinson
The Lions have talked about how much they like him, but with Jameson Williams coming back and Isaiah Williams being a guy they defintley want to keep on special teams, Robinson is sort of the odd man out right now. Ideally they would be able to get him back on the practice squad, but he might actually fetch a claim.
Robinson is a vested veteran and therefore would not have to go to waivers. The Lions could sign him right to the practice squad.
Pat O’Connor
A veteran that brings some knowledge to the special teams unit, but is playing the same position as the guy the Lions just traded for and the guy they’re getting back (Paschal) after missing a couple weeks. That kind of puts O’Connor in a tough position.
Michael Niese
A young offensive lineman that the Lions haven’t really played this year. With Christian Mahogany on the roster now and Kayode Awosika being the guy they lean on at guard, Niese is the odd man out.
Colby Sorsdal
I’m not saying the Lions are giving up here, but they do have Dan Skipper playing the swing tackle role pretty well and there’s no way they would get rid of Giovanni Manu. Sorsdal on the practice squad would totally work. He’s been inactive almost every week anyways.