Fresh off creating the team’s 16-player practice squad, the Detroit Lions have revealed the first week’s protected players from the practice players.
Protecting practice squad players is a wrinkle that was added last season and carries over due to overwhelmingly positive reception from both teams and players. Each team can protect up to four players each week, which means another team cannot sign those practice squad players to their active rosters. The protection ends after the week’s games are complete.
The Lions chose to protect safety Jalen Elliott, defensive end Bruce Hector, kicker Zane Gonzalez and quarterback Steven Montez for Week 1. Montez was signed to the practice squad after cutdowns, while the others have been with Detroit since training camp.