Getty Justin Jackson playing the Lions in 2019 with the Chargers.
Roster cuts are tough for teams across the league, and the Detroit Lions were no exception given the depth on their roster.
A strong roster, however, usually equates to a strong practice squad. The Lions might be able to feature one of those during the 2022 season as well, especially after a few of their first reported additions.
Wideout Tom Kennedy, one of the heroes of the preseason, is coming back to the Detroit practice squad as Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported.
“The Lions are re-signing WR and preseason legend Tom Kennedy to their practice squad, per source,” Pelissero tweeted.
Also re-joining the team will be running back Justin Jackson, who enjoyed a very positive run for the team in the preseason. That was according to Justin Rogers of the Detroit News.
“Another one fans are going to like, Justin Jackson is also signing with the Lions practice squad after an excellent preseason showing for the team,” Rogers tweeted.
All-told, bringing this pair back along with AJ Parker seem like three of the most solid moves the team could make for their practice squad. All of the players have impressed at various points, and will help make the roster better this season.
Importantly, all of the players could also end up playing a significant role for the Lions this season in the event of injuries on the roster.
Kennedy Impressed During Lions’ Preseason
It was easy to see why the team would look at Kennedy and feel impressed. The wideout did his best work in the second preseason game, and had a great exhibition slate throughout.
Just ahead of the conclusion of the first-half, Kennedy pulled in a touchdown in the corner of the end zone to tie the game at recess:
A touchdown to end the half!
#DETvsIND | 📺 Lions TV Network
Later on, Kennedy gave the Lions the lead with a grab in the second-half. This catch was another beauty in tight quarters in the back of the end zone.
Back to back trips to the end zone for TK!
#DETvsIND | 📺 Lions TV Network
All-told, Kennedy would finish with 24 yards on the day, which wasn’t nearly as much as the 104 yard total he put up during Week 1. Even such, Kennedy has shown off his playmaking abilities consistently for the roster.
Jackson Earned Role With Solid Work for Lions
Not only was Kennedy very impressive for the offense, but Jackson was as well. The running back arguably earned a role more than many players on the team in a shorter amount of time.
Every time Jackson saw the ball, he seemed to make something happen in this camp and preseason, and as a result, it was tough not to think he had some sort of future with the team. That’s especially true after an impressive catch-and-run against the Steelers.
Just wait for thee hurdle. 😳
📺: #DETvsPIT on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ t.co/rlWooatGHB
During this game, Jackson had an impressive output. He rushed for a team-high 44 yards on 8 carries and also hauled in 2 passes for 39 yards to lead all Detroit pass catchers on the day. Jackson has NFL experience and has been hard to ignore.
A pair of good preseason performances seemed to be enough to push this duo over the top for the Lions, and get them on the practice squad.
Whether each end up playing a role for the Lions during the regular season remains to be seen, but at the very least, the duo will be grinding to make the starters better in the meantime.