ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions went winless in the preseason, capped off with a 27-17 loss on Friday night to the Indianapolis Colts. Now the focus will turn immediately to the roster.
They have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to whittle their 80-man roster to 53 players. Here is my final projection of how those cuts will shake out.
Quarterback (3)
In: Jared Goff, Tim Boyle, David Blough
Out: None
Change: None
Breakdown: It’s impossible to project what the Lions will do here until the results come back on Boyle’s injured throwing thumb. He did play one more series after suffering the injury, and it was his best series of the preseason — completing six of seven passes on the drive and connecting with Quintez Cephus on a 15-yard touchdown strike — so perhaps the injury is no big deal and won’t affect the club’s plans to have him back up Goff in two weeks against San Francisco. Then again, the injury was serious enough that the medical staff couldn’t get the bleeding to stop and Dan Campbell said after the game he could be out for “a little bit.” Again, too early to say much either way. But between that injury and the general threat of COVID knocking out a quarterback at any given time, here’s betting Blough makes the team either way.
Running back (5)
In: D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, Jermar Jefferson, Godwin Igwebuike, Jason Cabinda (FB)
Out: Dedrick Mills, Craig Reynolds
Change: Igwebuike in
Breakdown: Jefferson has been RB3 since camp opened, and nothing has changed that thinking. But the gap has closed, not through any fault of his own. He started against Indianapolis and was effective again, including weaving through traffic for 7 yards on Detroit’s second series, then bouncing another run outside and hurdling a defensive back on his way into the red zone.
The thing is, the guys behind him have been good too. Igwebuike is especially intriguing. He made the move from safety just a few days before the start of training camp, an impossible ask, and yet Igwebuike has been up for it. He’s gotten better every single week, including popping for 13 yards on one carry against the Colts, then using a tremendous second effort to plow into the end zone for Detroit’s final touchdown.
When I asked Dan Campbell which players helped their roster case on Friday night, he said: “I mean, I think Godwin showed up again. He was battling for a job, and I think he certainly is waving a massive flag out there, like, ‘Look at me.’ And I get it. I thought he really stepped up and did some good things.”
Sure sounds like a guy’s who in, doesn’t it? That decision won’t be made until this weekend, but when those tough roster calls are made, it’ll help that Igwebuike can play in a variety of special teams roles, including handling kickoff returns on Friday night.
Receiver (5)
In: Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, Quintez Cephus
Out: Victor Bolden, Damion Ratley, Geronimo Allison, Sage Surratt, Javon McKinley
Change: Kennedy out
Breakdown: One of the great mysteries of the preseason finale: Why wasn’t Tom Kennedy featured more? Campbell said going into the game the final receiver job was among the few still up for grabs, yet Kennedy — the team’s leading receiver heading into the night — didn’t have much of a role at all. Is that because Detroit had already ruled him out? Perhaps he had already won a job? Or maybe Detroit just wanted to hide him, hoping to squeeze him through waivers and onto the practice squad? It’s really tough to read that situation.
In the end, I gave Kennedy’s roster spot to Igwebuike, who offers more versatility on special teams.
Tight end (3)
In: T.J. Hockenson, Darren Fells, Alize Mack
Out: Brock Wright
Change: None
Breakdown: Nothing that happened Friday night has changed my thinking here. Hockenson and Fells are the 1-2, and Mack is probably the No. 3, although he hasn’t exactly done a lot to win the job. It’s possible the Lions will scour the waiver wire for more depth at tight end.
Offensive line (9)
In: LT Taylor Decker, LG Jonah Jackson, C Frank Ragnow, RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai, RT Penei Sewell, G/T Tyrell Crosby, G/T Matt Nelson, G Logan Stenberg, C/G Evan Brown
Out: T Dan Skipper, OT Darrin Paulo, G Tommy Kraemer, G Evan Heim
Change: None
Breakdown: Sewell will continue to start despite getting worked at one point or another in all three exhibitions. The real problem is on the bench, where Stenberg left the preseason finale with an injury after getting rolled up on by Colts safety Ibraheim Campbell. Stenberg was finally showing signs of development too, and was Detroit’s only reliable backup at guard. If his injury will impact his availability for the regular season, Detroit may have to hit the waiver wire to find another option.
Defensive line (10)
In: EDGE Trey Flowers, EDGE Romeo Okwara, DL Michael Brockers, DT Alim McNeill, DL Da’Shawn Hand, DT Nick Williams, DT Levi Onwuzurike, DT Kevin Strong, EDGE Julian Okwara, EDGE Austin Bryant
Suspended: DT Jashon Cornell
Out: EDGE Charles Harris, DT John Penisini, DT Bruce Hector, DT Miles Brown, DT Michael Barnett
Change: None
Breakdown: The Lions added defensive tackles like Brockers, Onwuzurike and McNeill this offseason, plus returned guys like Williams and Hand. That should have made things easy here, yet standout preseasons from Strong and Hector have really muddied the waters. Strong added three tackles against Indy, including two for loss and a sack,. Throw in Hector’s five tackles, and the decision here is more difficult than expected. It’s possible a more established player such as Williams could be in trouble. Then again, the Hand injury could change the club’s thinking.
Linebacker (5)
In: Jamie Collins, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Anthony Pittman
Out: Jahlani Tavai, Tavante Beckett
Injured: Shaun Dion Hamilton (IR)
Change: None
Breakdown: Tavai has been on the roster bubble for a while now, and I just don’t think he’s done enough in the preseason to save himself. He’s simply not good enough, especially in pass coverage, to be trusted in this scheme. Pittman has some of the same limitations defensively, but offers way more on special teams. That should help him eke onto the roster as one of the last guys in.
Secondary (10)
In: CB Jeff Okudah, CB Amani Oruwariye, CB Mike Ford, CB Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB Corn Elder, CB A.J. Parker, S Tracy Walker, S Will Harris, S Dean Marlowe, S C.J. Moore
Out: CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, S/CB Bobby Price, CB Jerry Jacobs, S Jalen Elliott, S Alijah Holder
Change: Elder in, Robey-Coleman out
Breakdown: The most heated job battle is in the slot, where the Lions signed Elder in March, then turned to Ford in July, before signing Robey-Coleman in August, only to turn to Parker in recent weeks as the No. 1 guy. The undrafted rookie enjoyed another solid night against Indy too, breaking up a pass in the end zone before generating a stop in the open field on third down in the red zone. But Elder made things interesting by coming up with one of the biggest defensive plays of the night, picking a Brett Hundley pass off the turf for Detroit’s only interception of the preseason. Was that enough to give Elder a look on the 53? Or too little too late?
Specialists (3)
In: P Jack Fox, K Randy Bullock, LS Scott Daly
Out: K Zane Gonzalez
Change: None
Breakdown: I’ll just be honest with you. I have no idea what to make of the Lions benching Randy Bullock for Zane Gonzalez in the preseason finale. Perhaps Bullock had already locked in the job, and Detroit just didn’t want to risk injury or whatever. Or perhaps the club remains dissatisfied with his ups and downs in camp, and wanted to give Gonzalez a legit audition for the job — in which case, he did nothing to lose the gig, making his only field-goal attempt from 28 yards and converting both extra points. Here’s betting Bullock’s body of work will be enough for him to win a roster spot, though any sign of trouble in the regular season will lead to Detroit looking elsewhere.