
by Trevor R. Browning
Not many NFL teams can afford to keep four healthy Tight End’s on their roster, so the writing was on the wall for Kellen Davis.
Needing to add offensive line depth, the Lions released Davis on Tuesday and promoted Rodney Austin off the practice squad.
The Lions signed Davis, a former Michigan State standout, on Oct. 20, the day the team left for London. At the time, all three of the team’s tight ends — Brandon Pettigrew, Eric Ebron and Joseph Fauria — were banged up. Davis ended up playing 47 snaps in the 22-21 win against the Falcons.
As the position group got healthier, Davis’ role declined each week, culminating with his deactivation against the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Kellen Davis, an Adrian, Michigan native, has played for five different teams (Chicago, Cleveland, Seattle, New York, Detroit) since he was drafted in 2008. Davis has 561 receiving yards on 50 receptions in his first eight years in the league.
Austin’s addition to the main roster adds depth as the offensive line deals with injuries to right guard Larry Warford and left tackle Riley Reiff.
Austin was signed as an undrafted free agent by Detroit after the 2012 NFL Draft, later being released and signed by the practice squad. He played college football at Elon University.
To fill Austin’s spot on the practice squad, the Lions re-signed linebacker Jerrell Harris.