The Lions have two recently signed players that they don’t seem to have any plans to do anything with
When the Detroit Lions finalized their 53-man roster at the end of August, they hit the waiver wire and claimed a couple of defensive linemen. They claimed edge rusher Tyrus Wheat, who had been waived by the Dallas Cowboys, and interior defensive lineman Tyler Lacy, who had been cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars.In the first […]
When the Detroit Lions finalized their 53-man roster at the end of August, they hit the waiver wire and claimed a couple of defensive linemen. They claimed edge rusher Tyrus Wheat, who had been waived by the Dallas Cowboys, and interior defensive lineman Tyler Lacy, who had been cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In the first two weeks of the season, both players have been healthy scratches. Wheat in both games, and Lacy in Week 2. Lacy was active in Week 1, but he did not play a single snap. We’ve also heard absolutely nothing about these two players from coaches since they got here. What is going on, and if the Lions don’t want to play them, why are they still here?
What are the Lions doing with Tyrus Wheat and Tyler Lacy?
NFL roster rules require that when you claim a player on the waiver wire, that player has to be on your 53-man roster. These guys might have been better off being on the practice squad. It just seems odd that we haven’t seen them play yet.
The question is, as long as they’re here, why not play them? Marcus Davenport’s injury could pave the way for Wheat to see the field if Davenport misses any games. It’s hard to see Lacy ever seeing the field with Tyleik Williams, DJ Reader, Mekhi Wingo, Pat O’Connor, and Roy Lopez all healthy. Right now, he feels like an emergency player.
We’ll see where things go in the coming weeks. If Wheat gets a chance, he’s shown in the preseason that he can get pressure and be a decent run stopper. It’s weird that we haven’t at least seen him a little bit out there. But it’s also troubling that, despite the Lions having just four edges, he hasn’t seen any time at all.
Editor’s note: This story originally stated any player signed off waivers must remain on a roster for four weeks. That rule is only for players signed off practice squads, and it’s three weeks. It’s been updated.
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