On Monday, the Detroit Lions made two roster moves that raised some eyebrows.
The team waived linebacker Abraham Beauplan and defensive lineman Chris Smith from their 53-man roster, creating two open spots.
One of those spots is expected to be used to activate wide receiver Jameson Williams, who has now completed his two-game suspension for violating the league’s Performance Enhancing Substances policy. With his reinstatement eligibility, it’s almost certain the Lions will use one of the open spots for him.
The situation with the second roster spot is less clear.
The Lions have been actively looking for a trade before Tuesday’s deadline, and some speculate that the spot could be used for a potential deal. However, it’s not the only possibility.
The Lions could also activate defensive lineman Brodric Martin from injured reserve, though his 21-day evaluation window only started last Wednesday.
Head coach Dan Campbell suggested last week that Martin may not be ready to be added to the roster just yet. “It’s a matter of, do we feel he can help us after three weeks?
Is he healthy enough? How does he compare to the rest of the roster, even the practice squad?” Campbell said.
Another option for the second open spot is tight end Shane Zylstra.
Over the last three weeks, Zylstra has been elevated from the practice squad for each of the three allowed elevations, which means if the Lions want him to play again, he will need to be added to the 53-man roster.
As for Beauplan and Smith, both are now on waivers.
If no team claims them, they could return to the Lions’ practice squad. Both players were only signed to the 53-man roster just last Saturday for the Packers game.
The Lions likely selected them with the idea that they would be less likely to be claimed off waivers. Currently, there are three available spots on the Lions’ practice squad.