Lions add OL Matt Rotheram to practice squad, release RB Mike James

The Detroit Lions have the day off in preparation for their game this Sunday against the Houston Texans. However, the front office of this team never seems to stop and the Lions again made small adjustments to the bottom of the roster on Tuesday.

According to the team, the Lions added offensive lineman Matt Rotheram to the practice squad while releasing running back Mike James.

Rotheram comes to Detroit from the Green Bay Packers, who signed the undrafted rookie in 2015. He was a highly sought after undrafted rookie, reportedly receiving 15 free agency offers. Rotherham spent all of the year on Green Bay’s practice squad, before rejoining the team again for 2016. However, he did not make the final squad this year after suffering a bicep injury that held him out of the final few games of the preseason.

Rotherham’s play looks best suited at the guard position. Acme Packing Company called him a “mauler in the run game” and at Pitt in college, Rotherham played every single game of his sophomore and senior years at right guard.

James was released on Tuesday after spending just three weeks with the team. He was added to the practice squad after the Lions were suffering from injuries to both Ameer Abdullah and Dwayne Washington. But when Theo Riddick went down, too, James remained on the practice squad, suggesting he wasn’t ready to get real playing time. His release is a good sign that at least Washington is on pace to return against the Texans, and possibly Riddick as well.