The Detroit Lions have suffered several injuries in recent days and made roster adjustments on Thursday to compensate for them.
The organization announced the signings of offensive lineman Jake Burton and defensive lineman Pat O’Connor. In addition, offensive lineman Netane Muti has been placed on injured reserve, which means his season will finish before it begins.
The acquisitions of O’Connor and Burton come after Muti and defensive end John Cominsky suffered serious injuries during training camp. According to rumors, Muti is suffering with a shoulder issue and Cominsky has a ruptured MCL.
On Wednesday, head coach Dan Campbell indicated that the team was considering not placing Cominsky on injured reserve right away in order to leave the door open for his comeback later in the season. Clearly, that is the course they will adopt, at least for the time being.
Burton has spent the last few years in both the USFL and the UFL. He featured in 11 games for the Michigan Panthers earlier this year, playing guard. Burton served on the New York Giants’ practice squad in 2021.
Lions fans may recall O’Connor, the team’s seventh-round pick in 2017. O’Connor has appeared in 68 games (no starts) across his six-year career, all with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also owns a Super Bowl ring.
Both O’Connor and Burton appear to be long shots to make the roster, but they will give the Lions a couple extra bodies in camp and could be considered for the practice squad after final cuts.