Getty Eric Banks celebrates after a play in a Rams preseason game in 2021.
The Detroit Lions are always looking for help along their defensive line, and with a higher waiver priority, the team struck on Friday for a decent addition.
It was revealed that the team was awarded defensive end Eric Banks off waivers from the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday, October 1. Banks had just been released from the Chargers’ 53 man-roster a day before, so Detroit wasted little time pouncing on adding him to the mix.
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Here’s a look at the team revealing the news of Banks coming aboard via Twitter:
#Lions have been assigned DL Eric Banks via waivers from the LA Chargers.
Banks doesn’t have a lot of NFL experience to rely on, but at 23, still has age on his side as it relates to potentially being part of the solution in Detroit for the future. Thus far this season, the Lions have looked at a lot of younger players, and Banks will fit this mold.
A few years back, Banks started his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams, which is where Lions’ general manager Brad Holmes would likely know him well from. To that end, Banks could be coming to the right place to show his talent for the future in Detroit if he gets a chance and makes the most of it.
Banks’ Stats and Career Highlights
In college, Banks played for UTSA, and while there, was a very productive player. Collegiately, he put up 80 total tackles, 20.5 tackles for-loss, 6.5 sacks, 3 passes defended and 4 forced fumbles in his time with the Roadrunners. Banks went undrafted in 2020, and spent last season with the Rams, where he made the roster, was cut and returned to the team’s practice squad where he stayed until August 31, 2021. The Chargers claimed him in September 1, 2021 and then released him by the end of the month.
So far in his NFL career, Banks has played in 3 games and assisted with 1 tackle. While his production isn’t dramatic, he does have upside as a rusher and is a incredibly well-spoken player as this interview shows:
Banks will now set out to try and stick around in Detroit for the long haul and make his presence felt.
Lions Have Deep Defensive Line for 2021
If there was a spot on the Detroit roster that should have been primed for some sort of upgrade this offseason, it was the defensive line. The Lions lacked depth in the middle, but adding rookies Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill in the draft has helped that in a big way. The deeper the Lions get in the middle of the line, the better off they will be in terms of getting better presence on the outside as well as depth.
If Onwuzurike was to be able to become a star, that would be a huge development for the Lions and their defensive line depth up front. Already, the depth has been upgraded, which is good to know ahead of a season in which the Lions have to get tougher up front on defense for a complete turnaround. Detroit has also seen the rise of names such as Charles Harris, Michael Brockers and Nick Williams for their defense this year.
The hope for the Lions is that the team has enough defensive line depth to get by this season, and so far, that has looked to be the case. Even though the Lions have some bodies, they can always use more as the wear and tear of a season progresses, and that is what Banks figures to bring the team. He’ll get his chance to impress and perhaps stick around for the Lions.
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