The Detroit Lions created a second open spot on their 53-man roster on Thursday, possibly signaling that two injured players could be set to return.
Late Thursday, the Lions made a roster move that may provide insight into their plans for Sunday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. The team waived wide receiver Tom Kennedy and re-signed defensive back Morice Norris to the practice squad.
At first glance, this move strongly suggests that wide receiver and punt returner Kalif Raymond will return to action this week, a conclusion that seems reasonable. While Raymond was sidelined, Kennedy took over as both kick and punt returner. However, Raymond has been practicing for two weeks now, making it highly likely he’ll be back for the season finale.
It’s worth noting that the Lions had already opened a roster spot earlier in the week when they released Norris from the 53-man roster. Raymond could have simply taken that spot, allowing the team to avoid the risk of losing Kennedy to waivers by cutting him.
This brings us to linebacker Alex Anzalone.
Anzalone, the Lions’ defensive captain, returned to practice this week after missing six games due to a broken forearm. While it would be a quick turnaround for Anzalone to play with only two practices and a walkthrough under his belt, he was listed as a full participant in Thursday’s session. Speaking to the media later that evening, he shared some of the difficult decisions involved.
“Obviously, the doctors and the trainers, they go through what the risks are: Waiting a week, waiting two weeks, going through practice, maybe letting it spin next week or the week after that or this week,” Anzalone said. “So I think that for me personally, I think it’s like, ‘Okay, say if something did happen, would I be okay not playing in the Super Bowl?’ So I think that’s kind of the decision I have to make in my own head, and is it worth it?”
While it’s possible the Lions might not plan to activate Anzalone this week, they often value the flexibility of having an open roster spot. Still, the path is now clear for him to return on Sunday, which could be a big boost for Detroit’s defense.
