Dan Campbell explains why Trevor Nowaske was promoted to Lions active roster

Bye weeks are, as expected, a little slower in terms of roster maneuvering for NFL teams. Of course the Detroit Lions' bye week happened to fall at the trade deadline, so they did make a notable acquisition last week in wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.

But last Thursday, the Lions waived running back Devine Ozigbo and signed undrafted rookie linebacker Trevor Nowaske to the active roster from the practice squad. Ozigbo was brought back to the practice squad on Monday.

But as such back end of the roster moves go, it was a little surprising to see the Lions thin the running back ranks and add a seventh linebacker to the 53-man roster.

Nowaske is a Detroit-area native who played his college ball at Saginaw Valley State. He was a deep darkhorse candidate to earn a spot on the 53-man roster coming out of camp, but ultimately he was an ideal developmental-type guy to have on the practice squad.

Dan Campbell explains why Lions added Trevor Nowaske to the 53-man roster

On Monday, via the Detroit News, head coach Dan Campbell explained the move to add Nowaske to the active roster.

"Yeah, he was being poached, potentially," Campbell said. "We didn't want to lose him. We felt like we had the flexibility to make that move. We felt like we're going to need him before it's all said and done."

So another, to this point unknown, team was trying to sign Nowaske from the Lions' practice squad to their 53-man roster. He wouldn't have had to take the opportunity if he wanted to stay, but he probably gave the Lions a chance to promote him rather than lose him and they took it.

Campbell further explained how much the team likes Nowaske.

"We like where he's going," Campbell said. "He's another young guy that we've got on this roster that's really developing and growing. That's a good room, all seven of those guys, counting him. It's an outstanding room, between what they're able to do defensively, but (also) special teams. We rely on them for a lot. So, he was a guy we didn't want to lose."

Nowaske is lined up to get most of his run on special teams, if/when he's active on game days.