Pride of Detroit
The Detroit Lions announced a plethora of roster moves on Wednesday. First, they activated defensive end Marcus Davenport and rookie guard Miles Frazier from their respective injury lists and placed them on the active roster. They also signed tight end Anthony Firkser and wide receiver Tom Kennedy off the practice squad to the active roster. Additionally, they elevated offensive lineman Kingsley Eguakun and tight end Zach Horton from the practice squad for Week 13. The team also confirmed that they’ve reinstated All-Pro center Frank Ragnow from the reserve/retired list and placed him on an exempt/Commissioner permission list. The Lions also released running back Craig Reynolds in a corresponding roster move. And lastly, the team did not activate Josh Paschal from the non-football-injury list.
The biggest name in this group is Davenport. While the former first-round pick has battled injuries for the majority of his two seasons in Detroit, he is a starter-capable talent who brings both strength and athleticism to the edge defender position opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
“It would be big to be able to get him back,” coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday. “He’s done a lot to get back, the amount of work that he’s put in and the amount of rehab.”
It’s unclear how big his role will be on Thursday—he is officially listed as questionable—but this will be his first action since suffering a shoulder injury in the team’s Week 2 game against the Bears.
This will be the first time Frazier—the team’s fifth-round pick this year—is on the active 53-man roster. He missed all of training camp and the first few months of the season with a knee injury. He, too, reached the end of his evaluation period, so just because he’s active doesn’t mean he’ll be ready to play.
Firkser and Kennedy are likely considered depth signings with TE Brock Wright and WR Kalif Raymond injured and ruled OUT for this week.
All four of these players are considered candidates for the practice squad if they clear waivers. Maulet may be the first priority as he held a starting role at nickel for several weeks, while Reynolds provides steady depth at running back, and Whiteside offers terrific upside as a developing young prospect.
Eguakun was likely temporarily elevated to give the Lions additional depth on the offensive line. With Graham Glasgow already ruled OUT, Frazier’s development still somewhat unknown, and Ragnow not yet eligible to play, Eguakun gives them eight healthy linemen to secure the game-day roster bonus.
Horton gives the Lions a third tight end, one who can...
