The Detroit Lions signed former Green Bay Packers receiver Jeremy Ross to their practice squad Tuesday.

They made room for him by releasing receiver Charles Hawkins, who had signed with the team Sept. 25.

Detroit is thin at receiver right now, with Nate Burleson (forearm) and Calvin Johnson (knee) missing Sunday's game against Green Bay with injuries and Patrick Edwards still trying to shake a high ankle sprain.

Ross played three games for the Packers this season, as well as five games last year. He had one catch for 8 yards in that time.

He was used mostly on special teams, where he returned nine kicks and six punts the past two years. He averaged 20.5 yards per punt return (with a long of 58 yards) and 17.9 yards on kick returns (long of 44).

But Ross also made a pair of mistakes, muffing a punt in a playoff loss against San Francisco last season and fumbling a kickoff this season against Cincinnati.

He was released a day later.