Among the biggest surprises of the Lions’ roster moves was placing second-year nose tackle Brodric Martin on IR.
The Detroit Lions announced a flurry of moves to get the roster down to 52(?) players on Tuesday in order to meet the NFL roster deadline. Among the more surprising moves was placing second-year defensive tackle Brodric Martin on injured reserve to return.
Martin suffered a hyperextension in the team’s preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the game, coach Dan Campbell didn’t have a timeline update on his injury, but seemed to indicate it wasn’t too serious.
“He’s got—looks like a little hyperextension there. I don’t think it’s anything long-term, but enough to be sore for a little bit here,” Campbell said.
Martin will now miss at least four games to start the season. Interestingly enough, the Lions’ also released veteran nose tackle Kyle Peko, leaving them with DJ Reader as the only current nose tackle on the roster, and he’s even questionable to be ready for Week 1. However, it seems likely that the Lions intend to bring Peko back after doing some roster gymnastics.
One reason for those roster gymnastics is because Martin took up the IR-to-return spot that had been earmarked for Lions defensive end John Cominsky. The NFL has a new rule that allows two players to be placed on IR-to-return as part of the 53-man roster cutdowns. Any other players who a team wants to place on IR-to-return must make, and stay, on a 53-man roster for a least one full business day. Cominsky is likely to be placed on IR with a torn MCL later this week, and Peko is the most likely candidate to come back.
As for Martin, it’s a tough break in his second year, but let’s hope his absence won’t be longer than the four minimum weeks.