The Detroit Lions are bringing back a sixth-round draft pick months after making a promise that he would return after he recovered from an injury setback.
Rookie edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein was hurt at the end of the preseason, leading the team to release him with an injury settlement and a vow that the team would re-sign him once he returned to full health.
The Lions made good on the promise this week, signing the 6-foot-2 lineman to their practice squad.
Lions See Potential in Ahmed Hassanein
Lions general manager Brad Holmes made it clear this summer that the team saw promise in Hassanein, saying the team wanted him back in the fold after he recovered.
“What we wanted to do is what is going to be the best path for him to get him back to the practice field when he’s healthy, and the injury settlement was the way to go,” Holmes said, via SI.com. “Especially him specifically with where he was at in his football career. The only thing that’s like – so after you do the injury settlement in terms of the length of the settlement with the weeks you have to tack on, additional three weeks you have to wait until we can bring him back. There’s a good chance that he might get healthy before then, within those weeks. But, bottom line, he’s going to be a Detroit Lion, he’s going to be back on the football field playing this year.”
Hassanein was seen as a promising but raw prospect coming out of Boise State. The edge rusher was seen as a mid-round prospect with the potential to turn into an NFL regular.
“Hassanein’s effort and physicality at the point of attack will lead to him being a favorite of NFL coaches, even though he lacks elite athletic traits,” noted a pre-draft analysis from Pro Football Focus. “He looks to be an ideal rotational edge who will be effective at holding his own at the line of scrimmage against the run while he works to add to his pass-rush toolbox. He should be considered an early Day 3 prospect.”
Lions See Growth in Another Young Player
While Hassanein may need some time to get ready to play, the team is getting some big contributions from another young defensive player, second-year cornerback Terrion Arnold.
Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said Arnold is a big part of the team’s defense, which calls for aggressive play from the defensive backs. Sheppard said the identity carried over from the previous defensive coodinator, Aaron Glenn.
“I learned this from Aaron Glenn, one of my mentors,” Sheppard told reporters this week, via SI.com. “The identity of your defense shows up when your corner’s at the point of attack in the run game. If you really want to preach you’re a tough defense, you’re a physical outfit, show me your corners when they’re called upon in run support. And we’ve been good in that area. And if you want to be on the field, you have to be good in that area.”
