Oct 30, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; The new Detroit Lions blue helmet being worn for the first time before the Monday Night game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images.
The Detroit Lions lead the NFC North by a game and have the NFL’s second-best Super Bowl odds, according to sportsbooks (+460).
And on Monday, Detroit cut ties with one former Minnesota Vikings linebacker, Abraham Beauplan.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson straightforwardly tweeted, “The Lions release Abraham Beauplan.”
Often, when a young player like Beauplan gets dropped by a team, he’ll find his way back to the practice squad in a day or two. It’s unclear if such fate awaits Beauplan, but folks should know by Thursday if a reunion is on the menu.
These are the Lions’ off-ball linebackers without Beauplan:
Beauplan saw action in two Lions games this season, tabulating 20 special teams snaps. He has still yet to play on defense in the NFL sans the preseason.
Minnesota onboarded Beauplan in April 2023, an undrafted free agent and a part of a notable class that included Ivan Pace Jr. and outside linebacker Andre Carter II. However, unlike Pace Jr. and Carter II, Beauplan saw no regular season action as a rookie and lived on the practice squad instead.
He did, however, rejoin the Vikings’ roster immediately after the 2023 season. Beauplan was one of Minnesota’s first offseason moves, re-signing him for what turned out to be six months.
Beauplan also earned placement on Bruce Feldman’s famous “Freaks List” leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. “The 6-2 235-pounder from Florida showed off his speed when he ran the 40 in the high 4.5s and made 133 tackles at Navarro JC in Texas,” Feldman wrote in 2023. “Beauplan had little trouble transitioning to FBS football, leading the Herd in tackles with 110 and 11 TFLs. This offseason, he vertical-jumped 37 inches, squatted 565 and benched 385. His strength and athleticism really translated onto the field.”
The defender recorded a total of 231 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in 35 games at Marshall University — Randy Moss’ alma mater.
Detroit employs two other former Vikings: Marcus Davenport (defensive end) and Shane Zylstra (tight end). It’s worth noting that Davenport, who suffered an injury in September, is on season-ending injured reserve.
The Lions initially waived Beauplan in August during roster trimdowns before he rejoined the roster two months ago. Maybe he’ll eventually get a third stint in Detroit. Stay tuned.
The Vikings play the Lions again in Week 18 at Ford Field, a game that could be for all the marbles in the NFC North.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.