HEADLINES

Kingsley Eguakun

Lions Activate DE Marcus Davenport From IR

November 26th, 2025 at 8:55pm CST by Ely Allen

For the second year in a row, Lions pass rusher Marcus Davenport‘s season was put on pause after only two game appearances when he was placed on injured reserve with a pectoral strain that knocked him out of the team’s Week 2 contest. Unlike last year, though, Davenport will get to see the field again. The Lions announced today that they have activated Davenport from IR.

Injuries have played a significant role in Davenport’s NFL career to this point. Now in his eighth year in the league, Davenport has never appeared in every game of a season. Despite some offseason surgery after his rookie year in New Orleans, Davenport stayed relatively healthy throughout most of his first two years as a pro. He missed three games as a rookie then started every game of his sophomore campaign up until he suffered a foot injury that put him on IR for the final three games of the year.

He got a late start to the 2020 season, missing the first four games of the season, and as a result, he came off the bench for much of the year behind Cameron Jordan and Trey Hendrickson. At that point in his career, Davenport had shown flashes but only totaled 12.0 sacks in three years. The Saints showed their confidence in Davenport, exercising his fifth-year option, and he returned to more of starting role the next year, rewarding the team’s faith with a nine-sack performance. Those sacks came despite the fact that he missed six games in 2021, including four from an IR stint due to a shoulder injury.

Davenport underwent five offseason surgeries before playing out his fifth-year option, including a partial amputation on one of his fingers, but he appeared in career-high 15 contests, starting nine of them. While his attendance was much improved, his production was not. In his contract year, Davenport logged only half of a sack. This led to him signing a one-year, $13MM prove-it contract with the Vikings in 2023, and a high ankle sprain ended his year in Minnesota after appearing in only four of the first six games of the season.

That led to his current two-year stay in Detroit which has seen him — and several other Lions pass rushers — plagued with injuries. It looked at the start of the year that Davenport and star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson would shake off their prior year injuries, but Davenport will get another chance at that as he returns to the active roster. During Davenport’s absence, outside linebacker Derrick Barnes (4.0 sacks) and defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad (6.0) have filled in admirably opposite Hutchinson (8.5).

The Lions made several roster moves while activating Davenport from IR. They also activated LSU fifth-round rookie offensive guard Miles Frazier from the reserve/physically unable to perform list, where he started the season due to a knee injury. To make room on the 53-man roster, they waived backup running back Craig Reynolds. Detroit signed tight end Anthony Firkser and wide receiver Tom Kennedy to its practice squad and designated center Kingsley Eguakun and tight end Zach Horton as standard gameday practice squad elevations for its Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Packers tomorrow.

Lions Sign CB Kendall Fuller

October 14th, 2025 at 3:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

After facing the Chiefs with a skeleton crew at cornerback — to the point increased base defensive looks were deemed necessary — the Lions are adding an experienced piece to help.

Kendall Fuller is joining the team on a practice squad deal. This is Fuller’s first chance since the Dolphins released him in February. A veteran with extensive outside and slot experience, Fuller had joined the Dolphins on a two-year, $15MM deal in 2024 but was the first domino to fall in what has been a Miami cornerback overhaul.

The Lions played the Chiefs with only Amik Robertson healthy among their top six corners. As could be expected, Detroit struggled to contain Kansas City’s aerial attack in a 30-17 loss. The Lions have D.J. Reed and Ennis Rakestraw on IR, while Terrion Arnold and Avonte Maddox remain on the active roster. Rock Ya-Sin, who had moved to safety this offseason but offered positional versatility based on his CB past, needed to be used as a full-timer Sunday night. Arnold is not believed to be out too long, but he might not be ready for Week 7.

Fuller, 30, joins the Lions after they had offered Michael Davis a spot on their practice squad last week. Davis joined the Saints’ active roster instead. After auditioning for the Colts last week, Fuller has that gig.

Considering Detroit’s depth problem at the position right now, Fuller could see game action soon. The Lions have an interesting Buccaneers matchup ahead, with Tampa Bay somehow even more depleted at receiver — down Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka — than Detroit is at corner. It is not certain Evans and Egbuka miss that game, but the other two are set to.

The Dolphins used Fuller as a full-timer last season, continuing his run as a regular starter during a career previously spent in Washington and Kansas City. Being part of the Alex Smith trade in 2018, Fuller started for the Super Bowl LIV-winning Chiefs in 2019 before returning to Washington on a four-year, $40MM deal. Fuller played out that contract and impressed during his 2023 platform year, though his Dolphins pact came in short of where most envisioned. We ranked Fuller 19th on our 2024 top 50 free agent list.

Last season, Fuller played 11 games. Two concussions sidelined the nine-year veteran, who also sustained a knee injury last year. Fuller was one of the top unsigned CBs, though, having logged 104 career starts. Pro Football Focus viewed Fuller as a mid-pack CB last season, ranking him 75th among regulars at the position. Before his quality Commanders contract year, the 5-foot-11 cover man nabbed two pick-sixes in 2022.

The Lions also waived safety Loren Strickland from their 53-man roster while signing offensive lineman Kingsley Eguakun and defensive lineman Chris Smith back to their P-squad.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/25

October 11th, 2025 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations heading into the sixth Sunday of the NFL season:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Manu was ruled out for this week with a knee injury after making the first start of his career with Detroit. Unfortunately, he’ll miss the team’s next three games, as well, after being placed on injured reserve.

Wright will fill in as placekicker for the Titans in Week 6. Regular kicker Joey Slye has been ruled out with a calf injury after missing practice all week.

Avery in Cleveland and Walton in Carolina are both being called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the third time this year. If either of their respective teams want them to be active for another game, they will need to sign them to the 53-man roster.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/20/25

January 20th, 2025 at 10:13pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest reserve/futures deals from around the league:

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Pittsburgh Steelers

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North

August 28th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Chicago Bears

Signed:

Claimed:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Detroit Lions

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Green Bay Packers

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Minnesota Vikings

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Lions Get Down To 53 Players

August 27th, 2024 at 8:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The Lions used a couple of different methods to get their active roster to 53 players:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

The Lions released a lot more vested veterans than we typically see at this time in the year, perhaps a sign of the young talent on the roster. Peko seemed like a sure thing to make the roster after starting 10 games for the Titans in 2023.

Detroit will dismiss a couple of young rushers in Jefferson and Knight after the two failed to develop a significant role on the roster. Fromm was easily outshined in the preseason by an electric Hendon Hooker, who will take the backup job behind Jared Goff. Fromm continues to search for his place in the NFL after nearly winning it all at the collegiate level.

Martin, like Mahogany, will be able to return after four weeks, thanks to a new NFL rule that allows each team to place two players on IR before or at the roster cut deadline and designate them to return. Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley has the other designation.

Mahogany is the only drafted rookie not to make the initial 53, but he’ll stick around in Detroit. On the other side of things, the Lions kept three undrafted rookie signees on their active roster to start the season. Most notably Hogan Hatten will come in and operate as the team’s new long snapper. Safety Loren Strickland from Ball State and wide receiver Isaiah Williams from Illinois are the other two undrafted rookies to make the initial roster.

Lions Sign 15 UDFAs

May 10th, 2024 at 8:54am CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions came away with five rookies over the course of the draft. The 2024 event’s hosts have added to that group with 15 undrafted players. Here are Detroit’s rookie free agent signings:

  • Jalon Calhoun, WR (Duke)
  • Steele Chambers, LB (Ohio State)
  • Duke Clemens, OL (UCLA)
  • Kingsley Eguakun, OL (Florida)
  • Chelen Garnes, S (Wake Forest)
  • DaRon Gilbert, LB (Northern Illinois)
  • Hogan Hatten, LS (Idaho)
  • Bryan Hudson, OL (Louisville)
  • Nate Lynn, DL (William & Mary)
  • Morice Norris Jr., CB (Fresno State)
  • Isaac Rex, TE (BYU)
  • Loren Strickland, S (Ball State)
  • James Turner, K (Michigan)
  • Isaac Ukwu, DL (Ole Miss)
  • Isaiah Williams, WR (Illinois)

Williams secured one of the largest guarantees in the league amongst undrafted rookies. The 5-9 speedster received $225K of locked in base salary in addition to a $15K signing bonus, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. Williams began his college career as a quarterback, but over the past three seasons he served as a key member of the Fighting Illini’s passing attack. The 180-pounder recorded 82 catches in 2022 and ’23, totaling a career-high 1,055 yards and five touchdowns last year.

The Lions finished the 2023 campaign with Michael Badgley as their kicker, and he was re-signed earlier this offseason. The 28-year-old entered Friday as the only kicker on Detroit’s roster, but Turner will provide offseason competition. The latter spent his first four seasons at Louisville, converting 79.7% of his field goal attempts. That figure rose to 85.7% with the Wolverines in 2023, and Turner connected on all but one of his extra point kicks

Like Williams, Chambers switched positions midway through his college tenure. He started his time with the Buckeyes as a running back, though he only received 28 carries across the 2018 and ’19 seasons. The move to linebacker prompted a spike in playing time, and Chambers increased his tackle total with each passing season over the last three years. In all, the 6-1, 220-pounder racked up 208 stops, three sacks and four interceptions; he will aim to translate that production into at least a special teams opportunity in Detroit.