After several injuries on Thanksgiving, the Lions are signing defensive lineman Jonah Williams off the Rams’ practice squad, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Four Lions defensive linemen – Mekhi Wingo, Josh Paschal, and Levi Onwuzirke – suffered injuries during Thursday’s win. Wingo (knee) was able to return to the game, but Paschal (knee) and Onwuzirke (hamstring) missed the entire second half. Za’Darius Smith, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and DJ Reader were able to pick up the slack with 22 combined quarterback pressures, per Next Gen Stats, but Detroit still needed additional depth to weather the injuries.
Williams has appeared in just seven games this year – one for the Vikings and seven for the Rams – but he played in 33 games with 22 starts across 2022 and 2023 in Los Angeles. The versatile defender can line up off the edge or on the interior, so he could play a similar role as Paschal and John Cominsky, according to Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers.
Williams began his career as an undrafted free agent with the Rams in 2020 when current Lions general manager Brad Holmes was the Rams’ director of college scouting, so Holmes “would have been heavily involved in scouting the lineman,” per Rogers.
The Lions currently have 53 players on their active roster, so they will need to make a move to accommodate Williams. That will likely be placing linebacker Malcom Rodriguez on injured reserve after his ACL tear on Thursday.
I think the Lions have really reshaped their entire organization when they brought in Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell , Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn along with other quality former players/coaches. What the Fords have done is what the Bears should try to copy…Be strong owners but get quality people to run the team.
Holmes has done a great job with the draft, free agents for the most part, trades that were not only good in the short term but also in the long run and extending key players.
Grabbing Jonah Williams is a great get…very low risk with a good upside and when you have coaches that players actually want to play for instead of in spite of it’s just a really good recipe for continuing success. Will the Lions get to the Super Bowl?
Who knows but they are fun to watch and I think it’s awesome that they are now in the conversation.
It’s ridiculous to think a player languishing on a practice squad is a “good get”. These guys only get signed by other teams that are facing an emergency situation at a particular position. Williams is damaged goods with no upside, having spent time on IR himself.
Don’t confuse this Jonah Williams (DT) for the one that just came off the IR (Knee Injury) for Arizona (OT).
This Jonah Williams was a starter last year for the Rams and then signed with the Vikings this year before the Rams snatched him off their PS, he has played in 49 games with 22 starts and has plenty of experience and I said “Great Get” because of that. There are plenty of players that get stashed on the practice squad and he has been pulled up on game day three different times this season, so he wasn’t “Languishing” and clearly the Lions are facing an emergency situation and getting a previous full time starter fills a need.
What’s ridiculous is that you come out blasting and you’re talking about a different guy named Jonah Williams.
Crosseyedlemon, you are thinking of the wrong Jonah, I think.
The reality is that in the 17 game war of attrition, the practice squad is of vital importance to every team, and treated as an extension of their roster where they can strategically place young players, vets who would otherwise cost more as vested players and under the radar depth pieces. Most pickups like these recent ones for Detroit often get blocked, as the team having their player poached from P.S. can simply “call up” the player to their own active roster instead of letting him go.
The Lions were very strategic in the 3 players they just grabbed. Kwon Alexander wasn’t gonna get in the youth movement and LB rotation in Denver and has preexisting relationship with both Sean Payton and Aaron Glenn. Payton was going to do right by an established guy like Kwon, and it didn’t hurt it was for a team in the other conference that is staffed by former coaches that worked for him.
Jamal Adams has been looking for a team with a Super Bowl chance that has legitimate need for his skill set. Well, there he goes.
Jonah Williams was never gonna get full time reps with the draft investments Rams made. And Rams didn’t have roster spots available to call him up to block the poaching. Perfect scenario for a team to grab someone else’s P.S. player.
Look at the Practice/Taxi squads around the league. There are a TON of VERY GOOD NFL players on them. This Lions F.O. has been very adept at identifying specific skill sets and types of players they need, and very good and creating leverage for trades (like Smith) and/or strategically poaching guys.
It’s the most competent front office the Lions has ever had. It’s the most competent front office in Detroit sports right now, that’s for sure
Four Lions defensive linemen – Mekhi Wingo, Josh Paschal, and Levi Onwuzirke. Editing is a lost skill.
If they’re counting linebackers, Malcom Rodriguez would be the fourth mentioned in the article, but you are right that editing is required regardless.