Detroit Lions: Bryant Suspended, Mulligan Signed, Wick To IR
The Detroit Lions placed Armonty Bryant on the suspended list, signed Matthew Mulligan and placed Cole Wick on injured reserve on Tuesday.
The Detroit Lions made several transactions on Tuesday after trading for cornerback Johnthan Banks earlier in the day, including signing tight end Matthew Mulligan, placing tight end Cole Wick on injured reserve and placing defensive end Armonty Bryant on the suspended list after the NFL announced a three-game suspension for him stemming from a 2015 drug-related incident.
Bryant, who was signed by the Lions one month ago despite a history of off-field problems, has been productive for Detroit as a pass rusher since being activated, logging five tackles, three sacks—including one in his week five debut in a win over the Philadelphia Eagles—and forcing a fumble.
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The Lions signed Bryant aware of his off-field problems and potential for suspension as the NFL reviewed his case. They released a statement upon his suspension.
“When we signed Armonty, (it read) we knew additional discipline from the NFL was a possibility due to an incident that occurred in 2015.
“Since joining our team, Armonty has met our expectations on and off the field.”
Bryant’s suspension will keep him off the field until after Detroit’s Thanksgiving home game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Cole Wick was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday after suddenly showing up on the injury report on Friday of last week with a knee injury. Wick was signed undrafted out of the University of Incarnate Word after the draft and impressed in the preseason, landing a spot on Detroit’s 53-man roster. He caught two passes for 18 yards in five regular season games for the Lions.
Matthew Mulligan will be re-joining the Lions after being released after week three of the preseason. Mulligan is in his eighth season in the NFL and the Lions are his second team. He is primarily a blocking tight end who did not catch a pass in the preseason.
With these moves, in addition to the signing of Banks, the Lions now have a full 90-man roster.
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The signing of Mulligan continues the near-perpetual rotation in the Detroit tight ends room this season. At various times during the preseason and regular season the team featured Orson Charles, Andrew Quarless and UDFAs Ben McCord and Adam Fuehne at tight end.
Three of the four tight ends currently on the Lions’ roster were signed after the Lions completed their final round of preseason cuts: Clay Harbor, Khari Lee and Mulligan. Starter Eric Ebron only returned from injury last week.
Detroit still awaits the return of Brandon Pettigrew from the PUP list, where he is recovering from an ACL injury suffered at the end of last season. Pettigrew is, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, expected to be re-activated after the Lions’ week ten bye week. In addition, tight ends Tim Wright and now Wick are on injured reserve.
In addition to Mulligan, the Lions also reportedly worked out but did not sign linebackers Ben Jacobs and Trevor Bates and cornerbacks Jeremiah McKinnon and Crezdon Butler on Tuesday. Butler was with the Lions in 2015 and defended a critical pass on a two-point conversion attempt in the Lions’ 18-16 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. He was released by the Lions on the same day as Mulligan, after week three of this preseason.
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The Lions will take on the division-leading Minnesota Vikings (5-2) at 1:00 on Sunday on FOX.