The Detroit Lions will have 4 players from their practice squad eligible to play against the Packers.
The Detroit Lions have made a flurry of roster moves to get ready for their important bout against the Green Bay Packers. Here’s a full list;
- Released TE Parker Hesse
- Signed LB Abraham Beauplan to the 53-man roster
- Signed DL Chris Smith to the 53-man roster
- Elevated TE Shane Zylstra from the practice squad
- Elevated DL Al-Quadin Muhammad from the practice squad
Let’s break down each move:
Released TE Parker Hesse, elevated TE Shane Zylstra from the practice squad
For the third straight week, Zylstra has been elevated from the practice squad. It’s clear he’s surpassed Hesse on the depth chart, as Hesse had been inactive for the past two games. Zylstra even filled in for the fullback role, which is something we hadn’t seen from him before.
“I think that’s the thing that we love about Shane. No matter where you put him, he’s going to give it everything he’s got and do what he’s asked to do,” tight ends coach Steve Heiden said this week.
Zylstra has now been elevated the maximum amount of times for a single season (three). That means if Detroit wants to play him going forward, they will need to sign him to the 53-man roster. As for Hesse, don’t be surprised if they bring him back on the practice squad next week. He is a veteran, so he is not subject to waivers.
Signed DL Chris Smith, LB Abraham Beauplan to the 53-man roster
With no Mekhi Wingo or Malcolm Rodriguez this week, the Lions needed serious reinforcements on their defensive line. Smith, at 6-foot-1, 316 pounds, is about as close to a one-to-one replacement for Wingo, who was downgraded to out with an ankle injury suffered during the week of practice. An undrafted defensive lineman out of Notre Dame, Smith has only made one brief game appearance—in the season opener against the Rams (eight snaps)
Beauplan is in line to make his NFL debut. Undrafted in 2023, Beauplan spent his rookie season dealing with an injury with the Vikings. This year, the Lions signed him mid-training camp, and he’s been on the practice squad since roster cuts. Beauplan had a strong end to the preseason, and he’ll likely step in as an emergency option given Detroit’s injuries at the linebacker position.
Elevated Al-Quadin Muhammad from the practice squad
Muhammad made his Lions debut last week, and produced six pressures for Detroit. It was a very promising performance, filling in for Josh Paschal.
“Muhammad, I thought, did exactly what we thought he would do, and what we wanted him to do,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said on the radio after the game. “Man, bring your lunch pail and come to work. Play violent, play physical, finish on the plays, and I thought he did that. So that was good. And he’s experienced. He’s played in this league, and so he’s got some awareness about him at that position.”
The Lions have used two of Muhammad’s three practice squad elevations thus far.
There will likely be more roster maneuvering early next week, as Jameson Williams comes off the reserve/suspended list after the Packers game, and there currently isn’t a roster spot available to activate him.
