The Detroit Lions signed offensive tackle Max Pircher on Monday as part of the NFL’s International Pathways Program.
Picher, a native of Italy, spent the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams after being allocated to the team through the program in 2021.
He takes the place of Australian-born tight end Patrick Murtagh, who was allocated to the Lions earlier in May but is unable to participate in the program due to a medical issue.
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Pircher, released in March, began playing football in Austria for the Swarco Raiders and was a member of the Italian National Team in 2019. He was playing for the Hildesheim Invaders in Germany when he was invited to join the pathway program two years ago and was on the Rams’ practice squad during their 2021 Super Bowl run.
He’s 23 years old, 6 feet 7 and 300 pounds.
As an IPP player, Pircher will stay with the Lions through training camp. If he does not make the 53-man roster, the Lions can carry him as an extra developmental player on their practice squad through the regular season.
The NFL allocated eight players through its IPP program this year to teams in the NFC North and AFC West.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.