Lions create Alim McNeill-sized roster spot with practice squad reshuffling
As injuries continue to mount in the secondary, the Detroit Lions added an established veteran cornerback among other pieces to their practice squad. Brad Holmes has also returned OL Kingsley Eguakun and DL Chris Smith to the practice squad after waiving them before their Week 6 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Lions have brought in CB Kendall Fuller, too, in order to supplement the continuous injuries that have plagued the Lions over the past two seasons.
The moves come a week after the Lions brought in cornerback Arthur Maulet, who joined the team on October 8, as another veteran option in the secondary. Maulet made his debut for the Lions against the Chiefs, appearing in 23 snaps (13 on defense, 10 on special teams), and recording three tackles.
Lions make some Alim McNeill-sized moves to practice squad ahead of Week 7
With Fuller, the Lions hope that they'll get a similar spark as they did with Maulet. Fuller has been in the NFL since 2016, spending time with the Washington Commanders, Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins in his career. The Virginia Tech alum has appeared in 128 games, recording 536 tackles, along with16 interceptions.
With injuries to Terrion Arnold, Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch (who is also suspended for Week 7 until we hear otherwise), D.J. Reed, and Avonte Maddox, the addition of Fuller provides a bit of relief for Detroit as they once again manage the wear and tear of the season.
In a corresponding move, S Loren Strickland, who was recently signed to the active roster, was waived. Strickland played in one game for the Lions this season, appearing on 17 special teams snaps against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Lions have not announced a promotion for their open active roster spot, which could possibly mean that Alim McNeil is set to make his return to the field as his 21-day window is set to expire. The Lions are going to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their Week 7 matchup at Ford Field during Monday Night Football.
Steelers are finally utilizing this weapon correctly and the NFL is on notice
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been on quite a winning streak over the past three games. While the victory over the Patriots felt like the least deserved, the last two games against the Vikings and Browns have been a different story.
For the first time during the 2025 season, this team played as they were designed to play. The defense did its part to limit the opposing offense. The run game was efficient, and Aaron Rodgers filled in the rest of the gaps with the passing game.
On offense, there has been one key difference over these last two games that has made that difference possible. Without him, I’m not sure the team cruises to two wins like they did.
That Steelers difference maker is Darnell Washington.
Now, the NFL has officially been put on notice. Washington is an ascending star, and he makes the Steelers offense a dangerous one.
The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have offensive success because of Darnell Washington
Despite a stout room of tight end options, Washington has claimed his spot as the true top dog in the room. He logged over 90 percent of the offensive snaps against the Vikings and followed that up with almost 80 percent of the snaps against the Browns.
Both games have seen the run game open up. Kenneth Gainwell had a career game against the Vikings while adding almost another 100 rushing yards against the Browns. The big reason for this success? Washington’s ability to block.
Better yet, we saw him turn into a receiving weapon this past week, receiving 62 yards through the air. He is turning into a complete package for this offense.
We are seeing this new wave of blocking tight ends who can catch take center stage. While you still have your standout receiving options, they are becoming harder and harder to field if they can’t block. Just look at Atlanta Falcons TE Kyle Pitts. He is one of the freakiest athletes at this position, but hasn’t been able to become a true top tight end because he can’t block.
While Washington is more of a blocker as opposed to a receiver, he has shown he can do both. His infusion into the offense has unlocked the full potential of the team.
It has come at a cost. There is a lot of grief about Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth being non-factors on the offense. Both have essentially cannibalized each other’s opportunities, and their high price tag isn’t justified based on their current impact.
That shouldn’t impact this team from keeping Washington on the field. At the end of the day, you need to play your best players. Washington has done wonders and should continue to command the most snaps.
Yes, the game plan will change. The team has wanted their heavier tight end against these past 4-3 teams, as blocking those larger and more athletic ends can be a struggle for Smith and Freiermuth.
Even when they aren’t facing these even front teams, though, there isn’t a good reason to keep Washington off the field.
Sure, this poses some long-term questions as to who gets paid (Washington will be eligible for a new deal), but we can cross that bridge when we need to. For now, the Steelers have a unique weapon to utilize on offense, and the rest of the NFL has just been put on notice.
