In need of a body to supplement a banged-up wide receiver corps, the Detroit Lions have brought back Trinity Benson.
The Detroit Lions are injury-thinned at wide receiver, with Josh Reynolds finally missing a game in Week 9 and joining DJ Chark, Quintez Cephus and Jameson Williams on the sideline. On Wednesday, as first reported by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press and later confirmed by the team, the Lions signed Trinity Benson to their active roster off the Denver Broncos practice squad.
Benson spent last season with the Lions after being acquired in a late preseason trade with the Broncos. He had just 10 catches for 103 yards on 22 targets over eight games, and despite only giving up late-round picks general manager Brad Holmes has received criticism for the trade.
Benson didn’t make the Lions 53-man roster out of camp this year, and in October he landed back with Denver on their practice squad.
Trinity Benson not likely to make a big impact in second time around with the Lions
With Reynolds out, the Lions were forced to use Kalif Raymond and Tom Kennedy as outside receivers in Week 9. Benson (6-foot, 180 pounds) profiles as a perimeter receiver, even if he’s not exactly big or rangy either.
The Lions tried to sell Benson’s potential, and it’s worth noting how he was put behind the learning curve by his late arrival last year. He has also barely played in his NFL career, with last season his first and to this point only regular season action.
Chark will stay on IR at least one more week, Williams is lined up to make his debut in December and Reynolds has been constantly banged up with seemingly a new injury each week. So Benson may be in uniform Sunday against the Chicago Bears, and maybe a couple games after that. Just don’t expect much of an impact.