The Lions signed 4 new players, including one we could see a lot of soon, let’s get to know them

The Lions have a new tight end we could see a lot more of soon

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Lost in all the craziness of a Thanksgiving loss, and Frank Ragnow unretiring and then retiring again, is that the Detroit Lions have brought in four new players in the last few days. None of these guys are superstars or anything like that, but they could be a good hand. Let’s get to know them more.

TE Hayden Rucci (claimed off waivers Monday)

Rucci is the Lions’ corresponding move to putting Terrion Arnold on the IR. So he goes right to the Lions’ 53-man roster. With Brock Wright looking like he will miss this week’s game, the Lions could use more help there.

The tight end was an undrafted free agent for the Miami Dolphins out of Wisconsin last season. The Lions got to spend a week with him this summer during joint practices, and they must have liked what they saw.

Rucci played four regular-season games this year, and he played really well in those games — especially as a pass-and run-blocker. He had an 85.8 run block grade against the Lions in the preseason. No wonder they claimed him. We might actually see a good amount of this guy.

TE Giovanni Ricci (signed to practice squad)

The former Western Michigan Bronco is back in Michigan. Ricci has been in the league for a while now. He’s spent most of his career with the Carolina Panthers but has also played for the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, and, most recently, the Minnesota Vikings.

He hasn’t played a regular-season game since 2023, and I don’t know if that streak will change anytime soon in Detroit. The Lions are much more likely to play Rucci, along with Ross Dwelley and Anthony Firkser, on the 53-man roster. Ricci could be a good hand in practice, though.

WR Andrew Armstrong (signed to practice squad)

Color me intrigued by this guy. He’s an undrafted rookie that the Lions got to spend some time with when the Dolphins were in town, and like Rucci, they must have liked what they saw. Armstrong is a pretty big guy at 6-4 and 210 pounds.

The Lions might not see anything with him right now, but maybe he’s a candidate for a futures deal, and you see what you get later. Interestingly enough, Armstrong was Isaac TeSlaa’s running mate at Arkansas last year.

RB Jabari Small (signed to practice squad)

Small was actually with the Lions this summer, but was the odd man out after Jacob Saylors came in and won the job. With Craig Reynolds on the Patriots, this feels like a move to just get an extra running back in the building.

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