Kris Durham jumps from practice squad to Lions starter

BY CHRIS MCCOSKY

Green Bay, Wis. — From the practice squad to the starting lineup.

Receiver Kris Durham made that leap Sunday night as he first replaced the injured Ryan Broyles on the 53-man roster and then was named the starter in place of Mike Thomas.

"This is a big opportunity and I worked my butt off to get to this point," Durham said earlier in the week.

Durham is 6-6, 216 pounds and he gives quarterback Matthew Stafford another big target on the outside. He and Stafford played together for three seasons at Georgia.

"We had very good grades on him coming out of college (Georgia) and he ended up going to Seattle," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "When he was available we brought him in knowing that he was going to give us a receiver with size. We got Calvin (Johnson), but to be able have a receiver that's 6-6 on the outside that can build speed down the field, I think gives us another dimension that we haven't had on the field."

Durham is the second player to make the leap from practice squad to starter this season. Safety Ricardo Silva did it in Week 4.

Two defensive starters were inactive for the Lions: safety Louis Delmas and defensive tackle Corey Williams. Both are fighting lingering knee injuries.

Nick Fairley started in place of Williams and Don Carey replaced Delmas.

Also inactive were quarterback Kellen Moore, offensive tackles Jason Fox and Corey Hilliard, receiver Lance Long and defensive end Ronnell Lewis.

The Packers are missing five starters — cornerback Charles Woodson, running back James Starks, linebacker Clay Matthews, defensive end C.J. Wilson and receiver Jordy Nelson.

Michigan State's Jerel Worthy started in place of Wilson.

From The Detroit News