26-year old WR Calvin Johnson will be heading to the Pro Bowl.  He has played in 15 games for the Lions so far this year and he has caught 85 passes for 1,437 yards (16.9 avg) with 15 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 1 time for 11 yards so far this year.  Johnson has now played in 75 games in his first five years with the Lions and he has caught 355 passes for 5,628 yards (15.9 avg) with 48 TD grabs.  Johnson has also carried the ball 19 times for 167 yards (8.8 ypc) with 1 TD run in this career.  If Johnson can stay healthy a few more years, he will not only be the best receiver the Lions have ever had but he will be a Hall of Famer.

The Lions have signed 26-year old DT Keyunta Dawson.  Dawson played in all 16 games for the Colts last year and he had 31 tackles, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass defensed.  He has now played in 58 games in his first four years in the NFL and he has 113 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 5 fumble recoveries, 2 passes defensed and 2 tackles for a loss.  Dawson will get a couple of weeks to show that he belongs in the NFL.

UPDATE:  (12/22/2011) – The Lions have waived Keyunta Dawson.  Dawson played in 2 games for the Lions this year and he had 1 tackle.

The NFL has suspended 24-year old DT Ndamukong Suh for the next two games without pay due to his actions in the game on Thanksgiving when he stomped on a Packers’ player’s arm.  Suh has played in 11 games for the Lions this year and he has 31 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 pass defensed and 3 tackles for a loss.  He has now played in 27 games for the Lions in his first two years and he has 97 tackles, 13 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception, 4 passes defensed and 9 tackles for a loss.  This could really hurt the Lions, who are fighting to get into the playoffs.

The Lions have placed 22-year old RB Jahvid Best on the Injured Reserve List, ending his season due to a nasty concussion.  Best played in 6 games for the Lions this year and he carried the ball 84 times for 390 yards (4.6 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He also caught 27 passes for 287 yards (10.6 avg) with 1 TD grab for the Lions this year.  Best has now played in 22 games in his first 2 years with the Lions and he has carried the ball 255 times for 945 yards (3.7 ypc) with 6 TD runs.  He has also caught 85 passes for 774 yards (9.1 avg) with 3 TD grabs for the Lions.  This will hurt the Lions, but it looks like Kevin Smith might lessen the blow a little bit.

The Lions have placed 23-year old OT Jason Fox on the Injured Reserve List, ending his season due to an undisclosed injury.  He didn’t get into any games for the Lions this year.  He has now played in 4 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Lions.  This will hurt the depth on the O-Line a tad, but the Lions hadn’t played him at all this year and they have done o.k. offensively.

The Detroit Lions have re-signed 24-year old RB Kevin Smith.  Smith played in 6 games for the Lions last year and he carried the ball 34 times for 133 yards (3.9 ypc).  He also caught 11 passes for 123 yards (11.2 avg) for the Lions last year.  Smith has played in 35 games in his first three years with the Lions and he has carried the ball 489 times for 1,856 yards (3.8 ypc) with 12 TD runs.  He has also caught 91 passes for 824 yards (9.1 avg) with 1 TD grab for the Lions.  Smith will likely be the #3 RB for the Lions behind Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams.

The Lions have signed 33-year old OG Leonard Davis.  Davis is a mammoth 6’6′, 350 pound mauler in the running game.  He played in 16 games (all starts) with the Cowboys last year.  He has now played in 155 games (all starts) in his first 10 years in the NFL.  Don’t be surprised if Davis is thrown right into the fire this Sunday when the Lions have a showdown in Chicago against the division rival Bears.

The Lions have claimed 29-year old strong safety Chris Harris off waivers from the division rival Chicago Bears.  Harris played in only 3 games for the Bears this year and he had 8 tackles and 1 pass defensed.  He has now played in 88 games in his first seven years in the NFL and he has 416 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 12 forced fumbles, 8 fumble recoveries, 35 passes defensed and 15 interceptions.  This was a very solid pickup for the Lions as Harris is still a solid football player and he knows the division.

If 28-year old running back Jerome Harrison did not get dealt to the Eagles (which was eventually voided) this week, he might have died.  He was diagnosed with a brain tumor during his physical with the Eagles.  It’s treatable now and it might not even end his football career, but he is done for this year.  The Lions have placed Harrison on the Reserve Non-Football Illness List.  Harrison played in 4 games for the Lions this year and he carried the ball 14 times for 41 yards (2.9 ypc) and he also caught 1 pass for 3 yards.  Harrison has now played in 63 games in his first six years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 356 times for 1,681 yards (4.7 ypc) with 7 TD runs.  He has also caught 70 passes for 490 yards (7.0 avg) with 3 TD grabs in his career.  Here’s to hoping that Harrison has a full a speedy recovery.

UPDATE:  (10/24/2011) – The doctors have removed all of Jerome Harrison’s tumor in surgery last Friday!

The Lions have signed 25-year old RB James Davis to the practice squad.  Davis played in 7 games (0 starts) for the Redskins & Browns last year and he carried the ball 19 times for 60 yards (3.2 ypc).  He also caught 4 passes for 45 yards (11.3 avg) last year.  This was a good move for the Lions as they continue to add depth to their RB corps.