Lions Place Ryan Donahue On IR, Sign Ricardo Silva From Practice Squad

by Sean Yuille on Nov 29, 2011 3:16 PM EST in Detroit Lions News

With safety Louis Delmas banged up and unlikely to play against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, the Detroit Lions decided today to sign safety Ricardo Silva from the practice squad. To make room for Silva on the roster, the Lions placed punter Ryan Donahue on injured reserve.

Silva joined the Lions this past summer as an undrafted free agent. During training camp and the preseason, he played quite well and made a case for being on the 53-man roster. The Lions ultimately went in a different direction, but Silva was signed to the practice squad and will now get his chance to play starting this week.

Donahue, who was also originally brought in as an undrafted free agent, was the Lions' starting punter before suffering an injury the week of the most recent game against the Chicago Bears. With Jason Hanson's status in question because of an injury, the Lions tried out Donahue at kicker. As it turned out, Hanson was able to play, but Donahue injured his quad while kicking and has been out ever since. With him now being placed on IR, it appears the Lions will go with Ben Graham at punter the rest of the season.

To fill Silva's spot on the practice squad, the Lions signed cornerback Brandon Stephens, who was a member of the team in the summer. He, like Silva and Donahue, was originally signed as an undrafted free agent.

Tweet Comment 35 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

This should make a few around here happy.

Now lets see if Silva tries to pad his INT stats at the expense of good fundamental football. Gun will eat him up.

Follow @szcz48152

Is your head as big as your Mama's ass?

by delusional on Nov 29, 2011 3:19 PM EST reply actions

I think Brees will be the one eating him up.

by Packfill on Nov 29, 2011 3:23 PM EST up reply actions

Either way we need Silva out there.

the DB’s got burned last week

Don't let my profile name fool you. My heart is, and always has been, with the Detroit Lions.

by Twincities88 on Nov 29, 2011 3:36 PM EST up reply actions

He is a ball hawk

and if he plays within the system, he can be a force.

I am excited to see him play.

Much like you, I am concerned that he might play out of the system to try to make an impact.

I like Wins, Cheese and I also Like Cookies. If you don't. Wow. :P
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It’s modern-day slavery, you know?" Adrian Peterson (AKA, The $11 million dollar slave)
Help Stop real slavery!
Adrian Peterson facing reality and trying to help!

by joshsun on Nov 29, 2011 3:53 PM EST up reply actions

He's needed for sure, but if he plays on Sunday, Brees will get to know him.

Follow @szcz48152

Is your head as big as your Mama's ass?

by delusional on Nov 29, 2011 3:56 PM EST up reply actions

I wonder if Delmas is ever going to figure it out

He does not need ot be a wrecking ball in the secondary. Just smart and solid on tackles.

by joshsun on Nov 29, 2011 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed

He’s a very good player, he just needs to dial back some of his missile shots on people if he wants to have a long career.

Yes, I really am that great.

by atvman on Nov 29, 2011 4:53 PM EST up reply actions

He didn't get hurt doing much of anything on the play he got injured on....please correct if I missed something.

Follow @szcz48152

Is your head as big as your Mama's ass?

by delusional on Nov 29, 2011 5:00 PM EST up reply actions

i AGREE

Had posted sumtin to this affect of Silva, he’s an absolute beast, reminiscent of Benny Blades

by LTownDown on Nov 29, 2011 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

Please

If anything about him reminded anybody on the Lions of Bennie Blades, he wouldn’t be on the practice squad until week 11.

Let’s not get crazy here.

by Big Z in Orlando on Nov 30, 2011 4:27 PM EST up reply actions

I'll admit it...

I liked him in preseason, and thought he should have made the team. I guess this won’t be a bad game for him to get his baptism of fire. He’s gotta be a better option than Rashied Davis, and maybe his time on the PS has made him more fundamentally sound.

The coolest Lion nickname ever belongs to Dick "NIGHT TRAIN" Lane; the BAD-ASS LEO of all-time.

SSSTTTAAAFFFOOORRRDDD!!!
Excuse me… I have a disease… my name is Gee, and I am a suffering Lions fan.

Follow me: Following B00Bs

by Gee Garold Lembach on Nov 29, 2011 6:54 PM EST up reply actions

Sucks for Donahue

Hopefully he will be ready to go next season. Was a big fan of him!

Datsyukian Deke, Detroit Red Wings Blog
Follow @cnsportsblogs

by Detroitnr1 on Nov 29, 2011 3:33 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, too bad for him. He'll be back.

The coolest Lion nickname ever belongs to Dick "NIGHT TRAIN" Lane; the BAD-ASS LEO of all-time.

SSSTTTAAAFFFOOORRRDDD!!!
Excuse me… I have a disease… my name is Gee, and I am a suffering Lions fan.

Follow me: Following B00Bs

by Gee Garold Lembach on Nov 29, 2011 6:54 PM EST up reply actions

Hows Houston?

Man do we need him this week. Game over if he’s out I’m afraid, Brees has plenty of targets and the drop off in talent at corner is scary

by LionsD on Nov 29, 2011 3:41 PM EST reply actions

I don't think it matters as much.

The Saints are going to be putting up a lot of points. It’s the offense that needs to keep up.

That said, I really hope Houston plays.

by Blue50 on Nov 29, 2011 4:41 PM EST up reply actions

I am so glad we cut

Harris (a player I can’t ever remember being hurt) for these flash in the pan players.

by joshsun on Nov 29, 2011 3:55 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

I thought that was a bad cut. Still do.

That goddamn Okra and beans got you Oprah in jeans. Seems to me a little lean cuisine, wouldn't hurt much- Agh don't touch! -Obie Trice

Fuck Jim Harbaugh.

by Skylar on Nov 29, 2011 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

rec'd

I didn’t like the Donahue over Harris deal at all. I understand why they did it….still didn’t like it.

LITTLE MAN IN BACKFIELD! LITTLE MAN IN BACKFIELD! GO STEFAN LOGAN!

by BBlades on Nov 29, 2011 7:42 PM EST up reply actions

seriously

kicker and punter, the two longest careers in the NFL and we are trying to upgrade them? When we have solid players at both positions? Seriously?

OMG, this guy averages 3 more yards per punt. SMH

by joshsun on Nov 29, 2011 7:57 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah...

He was cheaper…but he kept out kicking the coverage units. He was kicking a little further but wasn’t getting the same hang time as Harris.

LITTLE MAN IN BACKFIELD! LITTLE MAN IN BACKFIELD! GO STEFAN LOGAN!

by BBlades on Nov 29, 2011 9:16 PM EST up reply actions

Harris was never a 'solid' punter. He was well below average pretty much his entire career.

You guys have been settling for below average way too long. Harris was old and the Lions had a chance to bring in a young guy who looked good in college. Hanson was a different story, he’s been above average most of his career.

No slogans. Just win!!!

by drgarnett on Nov 29, 2011 10:55 PM EST up reply actions