The Lions are adding rookie CB Tyson Russell to the roster
Russell is an undrafted free agent who played collegiately at Vanderbilt. He participated in the Lions' rookie minicamp on a tryout basis back in May. The 5-9, 184-pounder primarily played outside in Vanderbilt's pressure defense and was also a four-year contributor on special teams. He clocked a 4.47 40-yard dash at the Commodores' pro day.
He fills the camp vacancy created when the Lions placed Stantley Thomas-Oliver on the PUP list to start camp.
More: Breaking down the Lions PUP/NFI list moves to start training camp
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Isaac TeSlaa and other Detroit Lions to watch in Saturday's preseason game vs. Dolphins
Joint practices are for the starters. Preseason games are for the hopefuls. The Detroit Lions' first-team units got some good work in this week, taking on the Miami Dolphins in joint practice. The offense found its rhythm, the defense carried over its intensity and Dan Campbell had to have been satisfied with the two-day period. Now, these teams put a bow on the week with a preseason game consisting of players looking to carve out a role, make a name for themselves or dig themselves out of a hole. Advertisement Here are some players to keep an eye on: The pressure is on Hooker. Following his second fumble during last Friday's preseason game vs. the Falcons, Hooker, who was supposed to play the entire first half, was benched in favor of Kyle Allen before the end of the second quarter. Campbell confirmed the following week that the move was a product of Hooker's fumbles. And while it wasn't a bad performance when you exclude the fumbles — Hooker completed 7-of-10 passes for 38 yards and had two drops — it wasn't necessarily inspiring, either. Making matters more complicated is how well Allen played in place of Hooker. The offense was far more efficient with him in the game and has been in both preseason contests. The Lions tend to alternate starting quarterbacks, so it's likely that Allen will get the start vs. the Dolphins. That means Hooker needs to show some promise in the second half. It's been a rough stretch for a player who previously looked like he had turned a corner. Vaki has had a difficult training camp, but only because he's been in and out of practice. He's dealt with a lingering hamstring injury that managed to sideline him for Detroit's first two preseason games. It's unfortunate, because when Vaki practices, he looks great. I watched the offense during Thursday's joint practice vs. the Dolphins, and Vaki scored a pair of red-zone touchdowns and showed great vision running between the tackles. He made it known every time he scored, screaming to the skies. It's time for Vaki to show what he can do in a game setting, and time for Lions fans to see him for themselves. The more you watch TeSlaa, the more you wonder how much longer he's going to play in these preseason games. Yes, he needs the reps — since he isn't getting many with the first-team offense right now. He's far from a finished product. But man, he's starting to feel increasingly important as time goes on. When the Lions line up for QB-WR throws in warm-ups, you see TeSlaa catching passes exclusively from Jared Goff. Most of Detroit's top weapons only catch passes from Goff during this period. It is perhaps a sign of what's to come. Not to mention, TeSlaa has impressed in both preseason contests — hauling in his first touchdown vs. the Falcons. As long as he's out there, he's must-see TV if you're a Lions fan. Advertisement Lovett has lost some of the momentum he gained early in training camp, after missing about 10 days with an abdominal injury. When he returned to practice Thursday, he failed to tightly secure a pass during a team period vs. the Dolphins and fumbled. Campbell was spotted lecturing his young receiver after the play, with several teammates patting him on the helmet. To make this roster — even as a draft pick — you have to limit mistakes and mental errors. Lovett shows good short-area quickness and an ability to cut on a dime, but he's had some drops, isn't a big, physical receiver and his game is a bit redundant with Kalif Raymond on the roster. If he can find a rhythm again, he still has a chance to be the sixth receiver — should the Lions choose to carry that many. That said, Ronnie Bell and Jackson Meeks have taken advantage of his absence. Meeks did damage vs. the Falcons, catching three passes for 78 yards and a touchdown from Allen. Bell, the former Michigan Wolverine, has earned more and more opportunities in training camp, particularly during Wednesday's practice vs. the Dolphins. With Tim Patrick limited, Bell earned some first-team looks and some love from his head coach. 'He's pretty steady,' Campbell said of Bell. 'He is a pretty smart guy, and because of that, he mentally knows the positions. And we got down there — we had lost a few guys — and so we needed him. And I thought he stepped in there and knew what to do. So, look, he puts the work in. You see his blocking, he'll block on the perimeter, and he's another guy that's kind of a crafty receiver. So, he's been pretty dependable for us in the preseason here and training camp.' We haven't really discussed Martin much this training camp. He looks like he's slimmed down a bit and is moving a bit better. It's Year 3, so you have to think he's picked up a thing or two by now. However, he hasn't worked himself into any first-team reps and his time with the second unit has been limited as well. I thought he flashed at times vs. the Falcons, but flashes aren't enough for him at this stage. If he's going to make a push, it feels like now or never. He's got two more preseason games to change the narrative before roster cuts. That said, it certainly feels like he's on the outside looking in. One of the more intriguing names defensively when the Lions began training camp was edge rusher Nate Lynn. It's easy to forget about him. He was showing flashes in training camp a year ago as a rookie UDFA, before a season-ending injury killed his momentum. But Lynn is back now, and he's picked up right where he left off. Among the 37 edge rushers with at least 20 pass-rush snaps this preseason, Lynn ranks second with a pass-rush win rate of 29.9 percent. He's also tied for first among all edge rushers in pressures with seven. Lynn has been excellent in the chances he's been given in these preseason games, and has been one of the best defenders on the second-team defensive line in practice. If the season started tomorrow, I'd personally have him on the roster. Advertisement Detroit's cornerback depth is still solid, but the loss of Ennis Rakestraw Jr. for the season stings. He was a promising young player who would've been the first man off the bench at outside corner or nickel in the event of an injury. It feels like they've got a solid five roster locks in Terrion Arnold, D.J. Reed, Amik Robertson, one of Avonte Maddox or Rock Ya-Sin (who's been playing more safety of late) and Khalil Dorsey. If the Lions want a sixth corner, one player who's been helping his case is Nick Whiteside. A Saginaw Valley State product and Auburn Hills, Mich. native, Whiteside has been spotted with the first-team defense on occasion when Arnold was nursing a hamstring injury. He had a strong performance against the Falcons and a rock-solid week of practice against the Dolphins. It'll ultimately come down to numbers, but Whiteside is making a push at a position that's down some bodies. The Lions have an opening for a fourth safety, and right now, the names to keep an eye out for are Kennelly and Loren Strickland. Strickland made the roster as a UDFA a year ago, mostly because of his special teams contributions. However, there's more competition this year. Kennelly, a Grand Valley State product, is the better athlete — recording a 9.14 relative athletic score. He hits hard, he's a physical tackler and he shows very good instincts at safety. Feels like he's the upside play in this battle. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Former GM Links Lions to Blockbuster Trade for Perennial DPOY Candidate
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Detroit Lions are viewed as one of the top potential Super Bowl contenders in the NFC heading into the 2025 season. Last year, Dan Campbell and company came through with a 15-2 regular season record. That success had fans expecting a deep playoff run. Unfortunately, the Lions were eliminated in their first playoff game against the Washington Commanders. Losing in front of the home Detroit crowd was a rough way to go out after such a magical season. The team will be looking to avenge that ending. Head coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions smiles prior to an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on January 5, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. Head coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions smiles prior to an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on January 5, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. Photo byOn paper, the Lions look very good. However, there are some potential areas that could use improvement. Read more: Browns' Shedeur Sanders Under Fire for Actions Before NFL Debut Aidan Hutchinson is back to full health for the 2025 season after suffering a broken leg last year. Bringing in another dangerous pass rusher could be something that Detroit has interest in doing. Since Micah Parsons made his trade request public with the Dallas Cowboys, the Lions have been linked as a possible destination. That link has been made once again. Former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum made an appearance on ESPN's "Get Up" on Friday and suggested a blockbuster trade between Detroit and the Cowboys that would feature Parsons. His trade idea would see Parsons sent to the Lions in exchange for safety Brian Branch, a first-round pick, and two second-round pick. It would be a steep price for Detroit to pay, but Parsons could be the final piece of the hopeful Super Bowl puzzle. Last season with Dallas, Parsons played in 13 games. He racked up 43 total tackles to go along with 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a defended pass. Back in 2023 in 17 games, he recorded 64 tackles, 14 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and two defended passes. Read more: Steelers' Mike Tomlin Just Sent the NFL a Serious Warning A pairing of Hutchinson and Parsons would be an absolute nightmare for opposing offensive lines. It's possible that the Lions won't have interest in paying what it would take to acquire the 26-year-old superstar, but they make sense as a suitor. Expect to continue hearing more rumors and speculation about Parsons moving forward. There is no telling what the Cowboys will do about his trade request, but if they do place him on the trade block Detroit could be a serious team to watch. For more on the Dallas Cowboys and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Road warrior Lions set sights on crashing AFL top-four
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan says he's a relieved man after watching his team secure a finals berth for a seventh straight year -- and now he wants them to go chase a prized top-four berth. The Lions booked their spot for September with a crushing 57-point win over Fremantle in Perth on Friday night. The 15.11 (101) to 5.14 (44) win improved Brisbane's record to 15-6-1 with just one more match to go - a tough fixture against Hawthorn at the Gabba next week. Seven years in a row of #AFLFinals appearances 👏 — AFL (@AFL) August 15, 2025 Brisbane's finals hopes would have been on thin ice had they lost to Fremantle, and Fagan was thrilled with the win on enemy territory. "It's a big relief," Fagan said. "I was sitting in my hotel room today thinking, 'if we lose tonight and we lose next week, we could miss finals having 14 wins and a draw - that's unheard of'. "But it was just a relief to have that out of the way. And it allows us to plan a little bit forward. "This is our seventh year in a row that we've qualified for finals. That's hard to do, particularly if you're an interstate club because you've got to travel more and there's a few more obstacles." Brisbane won the flag from fifth place last year. Fagan would love to see the Lions secure a double chance by finishing in the top-four this time around. "I'm sure it'll drive the group - that desire to finish top-four," he said. "I mean, there's probably 1001 different ways the ladder could end up next week, but we're in control of our own destiny." Brisbane have won 17 of their past 21 games away from home - a remarkable feat. "So we just should travel somewhere and play next week, to be honest," Fagan quipped. One major downer to come out of Friday's win was a dislocated shoulder to midfielder Jarrod Berry. Jarrod Berry left the field after this incident with Andrew Brayshaw.#AFLFreoLions — AFL (@AFL) August 15, 2025 Berry's left shoulder popped out when he was bowled over by Andrew Brayshaw in the final quarter, and it remains to be seen whether it will be a season-ending injury. "His other shoulder is the one he's had operated on ... so now the other one's popped out," Fagan said. "I don't know the full extent. Obviously, there'll be scans and stuff like that. "It didn't look good. But sometimes they can find a way to strap them up and get them through the season and have an operation at the end of the year."
