After a protracted battle to sign this incredible star, the Detroit Lions have finally sealed this historic contract.

After a protracted battle to sign this incredible star, the Detroit Lions have finally sealed this historic contract.

The Detroit Lions have announced that they have added veteran cornerback Anthony Averett to their practice squad. With Emmanuel Moseley’s torn ACL on Sunday, Brian Branch’s ankle injury, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s long-term pectoral ailment keeping him on injured reserve, Detroit is currently lacking a bit of depth in the secondary.

With the Ravens and Raiders, Averett has started 27 games over his five years in the NFL. Averett, a former 2018 fourth-round selection, has seen ups and downs during his major league career. He started 14 games with the Ravens in 2021, his most active season, and recorded an outstanding 11 passes defensed and three interceptions. But that year, he only received a 55.0 coverage grade from PFF due to his 739 yards and three touchdowns allowed through the air.

Averett has battled injuries ever since. He saw IR twice with the Raiders in the previous season. Five games after his comeback, he was sidelined first for a fractured thumb and then again for a toe ailment.

The date is January 14, 2012. We are in San Francisco at Candlestick Park. The 49ers need a touchdown with 14 seconds remaining, down three, and facing a third down to maintain their hopes of making the playoffs without having to go to OT. In the meantime, the Saints can draw a conclusion from this and move on to the NFC Championship Game. We need to look back in time to comprehend how we got here and to fully appreciate what this moment signifies.

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Averett signed with the 49ers this summer early in training camp, only to be placed on injured reserve a week later. He was freed in the middle of August after accepting an injury settlement.

Averett gives Detroit some much-needed experience at the outside corner now that he is apparently healthy. The Lions are fine with Jerry Jacobs and Cameron Sutton starting, but their two healthy backups right now are undrafted rookie Steven Gilmore and ready-to-retire Khalil Dorsey, who has never started an NFL game.

The Lions made three other moves on Tuesday in addition to this one:

TE signed. Practice squad will include Anthony Firkser
WR Trey Quinn was dismissed from the practice squad.
CB Darius Phillips was dismissed from the practice squad.
With James Mitchell out with a hamstring injury and Darrell Daniels taking over at fullback in place of Jason Cabinda (injured reserve), Firkser provides the Lions with additional depth at tight end. With 115 catches, 1,207 yards, and five touchdowns in the NFL, Firkser is a five-year veteran.