Getty Darren Fells running with the Lions in a 2017 game.
The Detroit Lions are seemingly on the road to nowhere the rest of the 2021 season, so nobody could blame any veteran players who want to find a way out while they still can.
One such player is veteran tight end Darren Fells. Recently, Fells requested his release from the team, and that request is going to be granted according to reports on Monday, November 8.
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As Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported, the Lions will be granting Fells his release from the team after he requested it. The tight end will now hit the waiver wire for other teams to look at this week.
#Lions veteran TE Darren Fells asked for and received his release from Detroit today, source said. He’ll go on waivers, providing an interesting option for TE-needy teams.
This past offseason, the Lions signed Fells for depth at the position, but he hasn’t been called upon to do much for the team this year. So far in 2021, Fells only has 4 receptions for 43 yards. He hasn’t been targeted much this year, nor asked to do much in the game.
Now, he will move on elsewhere in the league.
T.J. Hockenson’s Emergence Left Little Role for Fells
When the Lions signed Fells this offseason, it was for some insurance given the struggles the tea, has had with depth at tight end the last few years. Fortunately for Detroit, T.J. Hockenson has eaten up a ton of snaps thus far at the position, and looked solid when doing so. Hockenson has put up 2 touchdowns and 448 yards on the season. He’s been one of the best tight ends in football, so it wasn’t a shock to see him occupying more attention than Fells on the field, especially within Detroit’s offense.
Here’s some of his best work so far:
Fells has been known as a better blocker during his time in the league, so it isn’t a shock to see Hockenson generating more attention for his work on the field this year. As a result, Fells was likely a bit unhappy with his role and wanted to see more time somewhere else.
Fells’ Stats and Highlights
Fells has has a solid run in the NFL, and at 35, might be far from done in terms of his own career after the numbers he has been putting up recently. He had a solid three-year run with the Arizona Cardinals, signed with the Lions for a season, signed with the Cleveland Browns for 2018 and then landed in Houston, where he’s been the last two seasons. Fells has put up 21 touchdowns and 1,483 receiving yards in his career. Interestingly, half of those scores came the last two seasons when he played with the Texans. In Detroit, Fells put up 177 yards and 3 scores in 2017.
Here’s a look at some of Fells’s best work in Houston recently:
It’s obvious to see how Fells could benefit a young Detroit offense and Jared Goff in 2021, and good to see he is fitting in and prepared to do whatever he can to help the team, even at the expense of his own stats.
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