Lions protect practice squaders Craig Reynolds, Parnell Motley

Craig Reynolds, Bruce Hector, Parnell Motley, and Aldrick Rosas are protected this week, meaning they can’t be poached by another team.

The Detroit Lions can’t hide running back Craig Reynolds anymore. After a stellar performance in Denver, the Lions have elected to add Reynolds to their protected practice squad in Week 15, an honor he will likely hold the remainder of the season—unless promoted to the active roster. When a practice squad player is protected for the week, that simply means he cannot sign to another team’s active roster.

Additionally, injuries and positive COVID-19 results continue to rock the Lions’ secondary. On Monday, the Lions placed starting corner Jerry Jacobs on injured reserve with a torn ACL, as well as nickelback Corey Ballentine on the reserve/COVID-19 list. On Tuesday, the hits kept on coming as Nickell Robey-Coleman—the man who replaced Jacobs in the starting lineup in Week 14—was also placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

In an attempt to preserve what they have left amongst the corner group—five corners are currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list—the Lions have also elected to protect corner Parnell Motley. Like Reynolds, this is his first time being protected by the Lions this season.

With Reynolds and Motley added, the Lions elected not to protect tight end Shayne Zylstra and offensive lineman Parker Ehinger, who were both protected last week.

Here is the full list of players the Lions elected to protect in Week 15:

• RB, Craig Reynolds
• DL, Bruce Hector
• CB, Parnell Motley
• K, Aldrick Rosas

One of the main reasons the Lions protect specific players is that there is a chance they may need them to play in the upcoming game. Each practice squad player is eligible to be elevated to the active roster for a game through the standard format twice a season, but there are no limits to the number of times a player can be elevated for COVID-19 replacement services.

For example, last week Motley was a standard elevation, while Reynolds and Hector were COVID-19 replacement elevations. Meaning, Motley used one of his two allotted elevations last week and can only be a standard elevation one more time this season, while Reynolds and Hector’s elevation did not count against their allotment.

As we head into the final month of the season, here is a list of players on the Lions’ practice squad who have been elevated this season (as well as how many standard elevations remain):

• RB, Craig Reynolds: 1 COVID elevation (2 standard elevations remaining)
• WR Geronimo Allison: 1 standard (1)
• TE Shany Zylstra: 1 standard, 1 COVID (1)
• OL Parker Ehinger: 1 standard (1)
• DL, Bruce Hector: 1 standard, 1 COVID (1)
• LB Tavante Beckett: 1 standard (1)
• LB Curtis Bolton: 1 COVID (2)
• CB Nickell Robey-Coleman: 1 standard, 1 COVID (1)
• CB Corey Ballentine: 1 COVID (2)
• CB, Parnell Motley: 1 standard (1)
• K, Aldrick Rosas: 1 standard (1)