On Thursday, the Detroit Lions made two roster moves ahead of their first official Week 4 practice. Veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson was signed to the active roster, while linebacker Abraham Beauplan was added to the practice squad.
Earlier this week, after placing Derrick Barnes and Marcus Davenport on injured reserve and signing wide receiver Tim Patrick, the Lions still had an open roster spot, which is now filled by Robinson.
Robinson, originally signed to the Lions’ practice squad after roster cutdowns, was brought in to provide depth at wide receiver, particularly for the WR-X role. After acclimating to the team for a few weeks, he was elevated to the active roster for Week 3 against the Cardinals, though he only played a single snap.
Allen Robinson's lone snap on Sunday.
(He's the receiver at the top) pic.twitter.com/LhSUEKvQBj
— Jeremy Reisman (@DetroitOnLion) September 23, 2024
The entire receiving corps saw limited action that game, but the Lions anticipate future matchups where a deeper receiver group will be necessary. Robinson, an 11-year veteran, is known for his reliability on and off the field, as well as his strong run-blocking ability. The Lions have been tracking him for some time.
“Allen Robinson is someone we wanted to sign in free agency a few years ago,” said Lions general manager Brad Holmes. “He’s a Detroit native, but that’s not why he’s here. He’s a proven player, and it’s just a matter of how quickly he can get acclimated. It could be one, two, or three weeks, but we feel good knowing we have a veteran who fits our culture.”
As for Beauplan, he joined the Lions during training camp and impressed in the preseason. Although he was a practice squad candidate, the Lions initially kept seven linebackers on the active roster, leaving no room for him. With Barnes now on injured reserve, Beauplan returns to the practice squad to add depth at linebacker.
