Report: Bruce Irvin, a much-needed pass rusher for the Detroit Lions, joins the practice squad
The Lions finished the season with 21 sacks, which is almost at the bottom of the NFL.
DT – Veteran pass rusher Bruce Irvin has reportedly agreed to join the Detroit Lions practice squad, giving the team much-needed defensive support.
“Per his agent Daniela Salazar, veteran pass rusher Bruce Irvin is signing with the #Lions,” Pelissero reported. “Irvin will join the practice squad at first. His career total is 55.5 sacks.
The Lions have been in need of another pass rusher to go along with former Michigan Wolverines defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who leads the team with 4.5 sacks through nine games.
The Lions, as a whole, have only acquired 21 sacks in the season, which is near the bottom of the NFL.
The lack of depth at getting to the quarterback was on full display during last Sunday’s showtime shootout when the Lions took down the Los Angeles Chargers with a last-second walk off-field goat 41-38. In that game, the Lions had zero sacks as Justin Herbert connected with Keenan Allen early and often.
Hutchinson and linebacker Alex Anzalone were the only players to get a hand on Herbert in the week nine matchup. Herbert completed 67.5% of his throws for 323 passing yards and four touchdowns.
In the 2012 NFL Draft, the 36-year-old Irvin was chosen with the 15th overall choice by the Seattle Seahawks, the rival team of the Lions.
The 36-year-old’s experience and expertise will be crucial for the young Lions playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, as he was a member of the Legion of Boom during their devastating victory over Payton Manning and the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. Additionally, he participated in Super Bowl XLIX, nearly defeating the goat, Tom Brady.
Irving accumulated 55.5 sacks while playing for a number of clubs, including the Atlanta Falcons, the Chicago Bears, the Oakland Raiders, and the Carolina Panthers. He played an incredible 400 defensive snaps and recorded 3.5 sacks before rejoining the Seahawks in 2022.
