Lions make big Marcus Davenport injury move before Thanksgiving game
The Detroit Lions made a significant pre-Thanksgiving roster move by activating defensive end Marcus Davenport from injured reserve, positioning the veteran pass rusher to return Thursday against the Green Bay Packers. Davenport had been away from play since Week 2, when he sustained a pectoral/shoulder injury during Detroit’s win over the Chicago Bears. Before landing on IR, he had recorded five total tackles and one sack in two games, opening the season as the starting edge defender opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
The 29-year-old’s return comes at a crucial time for a Lions defense that has struggled to consistently pressure quarterbacks from the edge during his absence. Hutchinson leads the team with 8.5 sacks, while Al-Quadin Muhammad has produced six sacks, primarily from interior alignments. Detroit has rotated multiple players to fill Davenport’s role, including Tyler Lacy and even defensive tackle Alim McNeill, but the unit has lacked Davenport’s combination of size and burst.
The Lions also activated rookie offensive lineman Miles Frazier, who had been on the PUP list since suffering a knee injury in May. Frazier had missed all of training camp and the opening months of the season but has recently practiced at both guard and tackle. His activation adds needed depth to a battered offensive line. The team ruled out starting center Graham Glasgow and listed tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell, along with guard Tate Ratledge, as questionable entering Week 13.
Detroit officially reinstated All-Pro center Frank Ragnow from the reserve/retired list, placing him on the Commissioner exempt list, which prevents him from playing but allows the team to carry him without using a 53-man roster spot. To accommodate the new activations, the Lions waived veteran running back Craig Reynolds, who had recently fallen behind Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors on the depth chart and had been a healthy scratch in multiple games.
Detroit also upgraded its skill positions and gameday depth by signing tight end Anthony Firkser and wide receiver Tom Kennedy from the practice squad, in response to injuries to Brock Wright (neck) and Kalif Raymond (ankle). The team additionally elevated center Kingsley Eguakun, whom they expect to back up Trystan Colon with Glasgow out, and tight end Zach Horton, an undrafted rookie who provides H-back and fullback versatility.
Defensive end Josh Paschal did not make the list of activated players. With his 21-day window expiring, the Lions declined to move him to the active roster, ensuring he will remain on the reserve/NFI list for the rest of the season.
Eagles Trade Pitch Moves on From Disgruntled Star for Lackluster Return
Over the past year or so, the Philadelphia Eagles have endured the chatter about A.J. Brown potentially being traded. In some sense, it’s Brown’s fault for his actions on and off the field. Going on social media after games, making strange comments to the media, and other factors have only led to those rumors being louder than they need to be.
However, from the Eagles‘ perspective, it doesn’t make much sense to move on from Brown unless they receive a package they can’t refuse. Even at that point, this is a Super Bowl-contending team that just won it all a year ago, meaning that it wouldn’t ever make sense to move on from the top offensive player in the wide receiver room.
Could the Eagles Move On From A.J. Brown
Despite that reality for the Philadelphia Eagles, Pro Football Network still believes it’d be a positive for both sides if they decide to part ways. They proposed a trade idea to send him to the Los Angeles Chargers for Keandre Lambert-Smith, a young wide receiver who wouldn’t be much of an asset for the Eagles at this point.
“Even after a close loss to the Broncos, things are good in Philly; they are 4-1 and have their eyes on another deep playoff run, so what could go wrong? WR A.J. Brown has never been shy about discussing when there is a problem, and the last thing that this team needs is controversy holding them back.
“Plus, if the targets are down, maybe there is a better stylistic fit that could come in and make an impact as well. I am not judging Brown, as I am not in the locker room, but it seems like a change of scenery would do everyone involved well at this point,” Josh Weil wrote.
A.J. Brown Breaks Silence on Situation
Regarding some of his prior comments, Brown admitted that he has to stop allowing the frustration to boil over. Of course, that’s much easier said than done for the Philadelphia Eagles champion, but it’s something he has to work on. The Eagles need to use him a bit better offensively, but at the end of the day, they’re winning games and doing so at the highest level.
“I didn’t speak to the media,” Brown said, per Nick Shook of NFL.com. “I had a chance to correct my frustrations and I continued to let it boil over. And that’s on me. I take full accountability on that. My message on Twitter wasn’t directed at anyone in the building. And of course, not my quarterback, my GM, nobody. I take full accountability.”
If the Eagles moved on from him, it was reported by NFL.com that it’d take a massive package to entertain a deal.
For that reason alone, the Eagles will likely decide to keep him, as other teams won’t want to move that type of package for a wide receiver.
“Absolutely,” said Brown, who sources say would garner a Micah Parsons-like package in a trade, anyway. “This is my home, you know? I did it to myself. But this is my home, man. I love it here. But you just see frustration because obviously we want to be great and most definitely I want to be great, as well.”
