The Detroit Lions have traveled to Germany for their Week 10 action, as they will square off against the New England Patriots on Sunday morning. The Lions have been playing good football as of late, but they will have to put together another strong outing against a tough Patriots team if they intend to keep pace with the rest of the NFC North division.
Both of these squads are banged up heading into this contest, with Detroit being particularly injured on defense. The team’s linebacker depth has taken some big hits in recent weeks, so with more help needed at this spot on Sunday, the Lions made a roster move involving veteran linebacker Owen Pappoe on Saturday morning.
Lions Elevate Owen Pappoe to Active Roster for Week 10
Pappoe was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he ended up spending his first three seasons with the team. For the most part, Pappoe was used on special teams by the Cardinals, occasionally getting some work in on defense. He suited up for all but two games during his time in town, but he got released by Arizona ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Rather than hitting the open market, Pappoe ended up getting claimed by the Tennessee Titans. He spent the first few weeks of the season bouncing between their practice squad and active roster before he ended up getting released for good in early October. Pappoe appeared in just one game for the Titans and failed to record a single statistic of note.
After losing Jack Campbell to a scary injury, the Lions signed Pappoe to their practice squad as an extra layer of depth at the linebacker position. Considering how many other injuries the team is dealing with at this spot beyond Campbell, it decided to put Pappoe to use shortly after signing him, as he was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of this game.
“Lions have elevated LB Owen Pappoe from the Practice Squad to the Active/Inactive list,” the team announced in a post on X.
Lions Shore Up Linebacker Depth Before Patriots Clash
Throughout his career, Pappoe hasn’t really shown up much on defense, but he could be used as a rotational piece for the Lions on Sunday. Ideally, Pappoe won’t have to do much besides potentially being used on special teams, but if Detroit were to suffer another injury at linebacker, he could quickly find his way onto the field.
How the Lions’ defense fares against a Patriots offense that has been up-and-down this season could determine the outcome of this game. Detroit is going to put points on the board one way or another, so if it can prevent New England from scoring, it will likely win this game. Kickoff for this international contest is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.
Lions Announce Roster Move Involving Veteran Linebacker Right Before Week 10