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The Detroit Lions are dealing with a tough injury situation to starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, and as a result, are adding another passer to the roster just in case.
On Wednesday, the Lions revealed they have shaken up the practice squad, signing quarterback Jordan Ta’amu and running back Jordan Scarlett while releasing running back Dalyn Dawkins and punter Arryn Siposs. The move gives the Lions an extra quarterback in case something happens to backup Chase Daniel, and could mean that Detroit might be prepared to be without Stafford this week in Tennessee thanks to the rib cartilage injury.
Obviously, the headliner in the swap is Ta’amu, a former XFL player from a year ago who has bounced around since going undrafted in 2019. The Lions will be his first team since signing with the Kansas City Chiefs last offseason. Ta’amu was released just after training camp broke this summer, later landing on the practice squad and getting signed again before a late October release.
Scarlett spent 2019 with the Carolina Panthers before being released this August and has been looking for work since. Now, both players will get a chance to provide the Lions some key depth on offense down the stretch.
Jordan Ta’amu Stats
Ta’amu, 23, still has plenty of youth on his side. The former Ole Miss quarterback was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Houston Texans after the 2019 draft. He stuck there for camp that year, then was released. Ta’amu then latched on with the XFL last October and played for the St. Louis BattleHawks. While there, he put up 1,050 passing yards, 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, as well as 217 yards rushing and 1 touchdown in just 5 games played. After the XFL folded, he went to Kansas City before finally being picked up by Detroit.
In college, Ta’amu was a solid prospect for the Rebels, finishing a brief two-year career as a starter with 5,600 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Those were pretty productive numbers in the rough and tumble SEC for the quarterback, so it’s obvious he has some talent.
Jordan Scarlett Stats
Scarlett, 24, was a fifth-round pick of Carolina in 2019, but has only 9 rushing yards to his credit in the NFL, suggesting that he was not given a chance to touch the football or have any type of impact on the offense during his brief stay with the Panthers.
College at the University of Florida was a different story, however. Scarlett was productive for the Gators, putting up 1,846 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns over a three-year career. That production got him on NFL radars enough to be selected reasonably high, so there is talent there for the Lions to perhaps tap into. Like Ta’amu, Scarlett is likely a depth option for the Lions the rest of the way, with the potential to chip in if an injury or illness affects Detroit’s backfield in the final weeks.
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