Detroit Lions sign RB Benny Snell, waive G Logan Stenberg
Some big news for a pair of former Wildcats broke out of Detroit on Thursday morning.
The Lions announced a handful of roster moves, including the signing of running back Benny Snell and the waiving of guard Logan Stenberg, who both played for Kentucky during the previous decade. Snell had been fighting his way through training camp tryouts during the summer before ultimately landing in Detroit, while Stenberg will look for a new home after spending the first three seasons of his NFL career with the franchise.
Snell’s addition to the Lions comes at the same time that fellow running back Justin Jackson was placed on the Reserve/Retired list. Detroit also signed former Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who spent the 2022 season with the Miami Dolphins.
Looking at Snell’s path to this point, he’s been busy the last couple of months. In June he participated in a minicamp with Sean Payton’s new-look Denver Broncos. In July, he worked out in the desert for the Las Vegas Raiders. Then, in early August, Snell tried out for the Indianapolis Colts before Detroit scooped him up on Thursday. Snell got his NFL start with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a fourth-round pick in 2019.
In four years with the Steelers, Snell logged 982 yards rushing and seven touchdowns, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry. He also caught 17 passes for 114 yards and played a prominent role on special teams. In total, Snell appeared in 63 games for Pittsburgh, making five starts — all coming in his first two seasons.
With the news of Justin Jackson’s retirement, Snell could be in line for an immediate role. The expectation was that Jackson, 27, would assume the RB3 spot for Detroit in 2023, but now, that position is up for grabs, and Snell will be the favorite to lock it up. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are listed as RB1 and RB2, respectively, by the Lions.
As for Stenberg, the 6-foot-6 offensive lineman was a fourth-round pick by the Lions in 2020. He appeared in 25 games across three seasons for Detroit, but it was his recent stretch in 2022 that showed the most promise. He played 16 games for the Lions with four starts this past season. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to stick around for the final year of his contract.
The 2023 NFL preseason begins on Thursday night. The regular season officially begins on Thursday, September 7 when the Lions face the Kansas City Chiefs on the road.
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