Lions signed former SVSU star linebacker out of fear of practice-squad poaching

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions are already pretty heavy at linebacker.

They not only had six linebackers on the main roster for their win over the Las Vegas Raiders heading into the bye week. But each of them saw snaps, and that’s been the norm this season. Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and rookie Jack Campbell get most of the work on defense. While Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Anthony Pittman and Malcolm Rodriguez hold it down on special teams.

But when faced with losing practice squad linebacker Trevor Nowaske to another team, the Lions found room for the former Saginaw Valley State University star. They waived running back Devine Ozigbo and promoted Nowaske during the week away.

“Yeah, he was being poached, potentially,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. “We didn’t want to lose him. We felt like we had the flexibility to make that move. We feel like we’re going to need him before it’s all said and done.

“We like where he’s going. He’s another young guy that we’ve got on this roster that’s really developing and growing.”

Nowaske signed with the Lions as an undrafted rookie free agent. He spent the offseason and training camp around these parts before landing on the practice squad. And that worked to his benefit in this situation, with Nowaske working directly with the team’s coaching staff for nearly seven months to this point.

He’s not likely to crack the defensive rotation anytime soon. But Nowaske could join Reeves-Maybin, Pittman and Rodriguez on special teams work before too long.

“That’s a good room right now. All seven of those guys, counting him,” Campbell said. “I mean, it’s an outstanding room between what they’re able to do defensively. But also special teams, too. I mean, we rely on them for a lot. He (Nowaske) was a guy that we didn’t want to lose.”

It’s worth noting that while many while raise an eyebrow at seven linebackers that special teamer Khalil Dorsey was injured in the Monday Night Football game entering the bye week. Dorsey led the Lions in snaps on that phase, so it’s easy to see a window of opportunity, especially for an athlete like Nowaske.

The Saginaw Valley State product was an Relative Athletic Score darling entering the draft. Nowaske scored a 9.86 (out of 10), with his speed and agility testing popping off the page. The 6-foot-3, 235-pouind linebacker ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash and paired that with 25 bench-press reps and a 34.5-inch vertical jump. He’s spent the last seven months working with the team’s defensive and special teams coaching staff, and could get an opportunity soon.