The Denver Broncos and general manager George Paton should pounce on recently released Detroit Lions defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand.
Denver Broncos general manager George Paton loves to tinker with the roster, and for good reason.
In the NFL, you can never have too much depth, and while some of his moves during the season have been slightly unpopular for the masses (including the trade of franchise legend Von Miller), Paton has done a really good job of assembling a deep and talented group in Denver.
The rigors of an NFL season mean the war on attrition must be addressed week in and week out, so when a player like Detroit Lions defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand becomes available, it’s reasonable to think the Broncos should pounce.
Broncos could get a big boost on the DL from Da’Shawn Hand
The #Lions are releasing DL Da’Shawn Hand off IR today with an injury settlement, source said. Should be healthy in a few weeks. Potential D-line help for a playoff-bound team.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 30, 2021
It’s not clear whether or not Hand will still be subject to the waiver wire considering he’s receiving an injury settlement to be released off of injured reserve. All players at this time of year that are on active rosters are subject to waivers, whether they have accrued veteran status or not.
With that being said, no player is sent to waivers with an injury settlement, which leads me to believe that Hand will be allowed to select his new team as a free agent rather than be subject to waivers.
Either way, the Denver Broncos should find a way to pursue him.
Hand obviously has had plenty of issues staying healthy in his time in Detroit, but the former fourth-round pick out of Alabama just turned 26 and brighter days could yet be ahead.
Is he on-brand for George Paton? Let’s take a look.
Da'Shawn Hand has been killing it inside for the #Lions. He posted an elite #RAS coming out of the draft, with fantastic explosion and speed scores. Poor agi scores pulled it down an otherwise incredible card. pic.twitter.com/UdnznwSQeL
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) October 26, 2018
The short answer is yes, he is absolutely on-brand for George Paton.
Paton has noted multiple times a desire to get better in the team speed department, and he’s certainly done his part to improve it with the acquisitions that he’s made over the course of the last 10 months.
Adding a player like Da’Shawn Hand on the interior defensive line would be a nice boost for the Denver Broncos, who are obviously in the thick of the AFC West race at this particular point in time.
He may not be able to contribute this week against Kansas City, but he might be able to play when the Broncos take on his now-former team, the Detroit Lions the following week.
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Considering the potential Hand showed in his rookie season back in 2018 as well as his age (26), relative athletic score, and combination of size and speed, the Denver Broncos should make it a priority to bring this guy in for a look.