As they head to the Nation’s capital for a bout with the Washington Commanders, the Detroit Lions made a trio of roster moves.
First, they activated safety Daniel Thomas to the 53-man, making him the first
Lions player to officially return from injured reserve this season. Thomas suffered a forearm injury in the team’s Week 3 game against the Baltimore Ravens. A key player on special teams, Thomas will likely contribute heavily on Sunday. And with Kerby Joseph already declared out against the Commanders, he will provide some much-needed depth.
In order to make room for Thomas on the roster, the Lions have waived Jammie Robinson. Just under a month ago, Robinson was signed to the Lions’ roster from the Chiefs’ practice squad. Since then, Robinson has been a weekly gameday inactive.
Additionally, the Lions have temporarily elevated offensive lineman Michael Niese from the practice squad. Last week, the Lions lost starting left guard Christian Mahogany to a leg injury that landed him on injured reserve. Detroit said they were exploring several options to replace Mahogany in the starting lineup. And while the expectation is for Kayode Awosika to get the start, Niese provides the team with depth and an in-house option who has been with the team since 2023. Last year, Niese played 35 offensive snaps as a mid-game replacement.
Finally, the Lions downgraded linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez to OUT for Sunday’s game. Rodriguez remains on the PUP list, stemming from his torn ACL last year. He’s been practicing for two weeks, which means his return is likely slated for next week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
A quick recap:
- S Daniel Thomas activated from IR to 53-man roster
- S Jammie Robinson waived
- iOL Michael Niese elevated from the practice squad
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez downgraded to OUT
