The Detroit Lions have been trying to get the absolute best out of practice squad signees and elevations this season in the wake of yet another injury-riddled year. The results have been mixed.
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has had an impressive first season at the position, but there's not much he can do to scheme this Lions defense out of trouble when he's got a new safety or cornerback out there almost every week. It's made even worse by the lack of starting talent at either of those positions.
One way the Lions could've solved, at the very least, that lack of starting depth was by signing someone like Asante Samuel Jr., who returned to action after recovering fully from a spinal fusion. Instead, he landed with the Lions' Week 16 opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he's earning some praise from one Steelers writer after his huge game against the Miami Dolphins in primetime.
"It feels like Asante Samuel is going to be a rare mid-season addition that actually helps a defense. He has been steady since getting called up to the active roster and added an interception to his resume. A strong week for the new face in the secondary," wrote Andrew Falce of Still Curtain of the cornerback's shining performance.
Lions missing out on Samuel Jr. could bite them in the end
Detroit didn't know that, when Samuel Jr. was available on the free agent market, that Terrion Arnold would be going down with a season-ending shoulder injury or that D.J. Reed would be looking rusty after coming back from a hamstring injury earlier in the year. Maybe that information would've forced their hand and made them be a lot more aggressive in pursuit of someone like him.
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Instead, the team has been riding with players like Amik Roberton, Avonte Maddox, Rock Ya-Sin, Nick Whiteside, Arthur Maulet, and Khalil Dorsey in their secondary as replacements for the starting level talent they've lost throughout another grueling season. Outside of Robertson, and some moments from Ya-Sin, this group hasn't looked the part.
Detroit has to be wondering what version of Pittsburgh they'll be getting on defense in Week 16. They've been up and down this year, mostly thanks to their aging core, but they looked focused against Miami during Monday Night Football. Their defensive line could still be hampered without T.J. Watt for this contest, but it might not matter thanks to a possible resurgence for Samuel Jr.
And, that might just tip Lions fans over the edge.