By Blessing 
Lions Keep Their Promise, Bring Back Rookie Edge Rusher Ahmed Hassanein
The Detroit Lions have followed through on a preseason promise by bringing back rookie edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein, a sixth-round draft pick who had been sidelined with an injury. Months after parting ways through an injury settlement, the team has officially added the 6-foot-2 defender to their practice squad.
Hassanein was injured near the end of the preseason, which led the Lions to release him. At the time, the front office assured him that once he was healthy, he’d have another shot in Detroit. That assurance came to life this week.
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Detroit’s Faith in Hassanein Never Wavered
General manager Brad Holmes made it clear during training camp that the Lions saw long-term value in the rookie. Even while finalizing his release, Holmes stressed that it was a procedural move meant to give Hassanein time to recover properly.
> “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.”
The organization has been consistent about its belief that Hassanein’s toughness and work ethic fit perfectly with the Lions’ defensive culture.
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From Boise State to the NFL: A Player Still Growing
Coming out of Boise State, Hassanein was viewed as a strong, physical prospect with room to develop. Analysts saw him as a player who could become a reliable rotational piece in the NFL with the right coaching and patience.
> “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,” Pro Football Focus wrote before the draft. “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.”
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Young Defense Showing Promise
While Hassanein works his way back, another young Lion is already making his mark. Second-year cornerback Terrion Arnold has been earning praise from the coaching staff for his physical play.
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard credited his mentor, former coordinator Aaron Glenn, for instilling the unit’s physical identity.The identity of your defense shows up when your corner’s at the point of attack in the run game,” Sheppard said, via SI.com. “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.”