One of the bigger chores for new Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is to whittle down the 90-mna roster to the final 53 players who will represent the team in Week 1. The first 10 sessions of training camp have shifted some of the bubble battles in the quest to make the Lions.
Not every roster spot is up for grabs, but there are a few key competitions and positions where uncertainty prevails. Here’s where those battles sit after the first two weeks of Lions training camp.
Backup QB
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Jared Goff is the unquestioned starting QB. And it sure seems like the battle to be Goff’s backup is progressing toward a definitive answer too. Tim Boyle has surged far ahead of David Blough in the training camp sessions. Boyle’s ability to uncork the deep ball, something he struggled with earlier in the summer, outshines Blough’s underappreciated arm. Boyle has generally been more accurate too, though he still throws an unusual amount of worm-burners on short throws.
No. 3 RB
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
This one has progressed just as GM Brad Holmes must have hoped. Seventh-round rookie Jermar Jefferson has quickly proven to be the No. 3 back behind D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. Jefferson’s quick ascension in the passing game, both as a receiver and a blocker, has made this one easy. That’s not to say the battle behind him isn’t interesting or without some legit talent. Dedrick Mills and Michael Warren have each shown well, too. But Jefferson is the clear No. 3 at this point, leaving Mills and Warren to fight it out for the (likely) one practice squad spot devoted to RB.
No. 3 TE
(From left) Lions tight ends Hunter Thedford, Brock Wright and Alize Mack on the field during training camp at the Allen Park facility on Wednesday, July 28, 2021.
The Lions helped clarify this battle a little by waiving undrafted rookie Jake Hausmann. Now it’s down to four men fighting for the third TE spot behind T.J. Hockenson and Darren Fells. The previous front-runner, Alize Mack, has done little to solidify his status. Mack looks sculpted out of modeling clay, but the former Saints prospect hasn’t translated the athletic look to functional football form often enough in the first 10 practices. Brock Wright has improved his chances with some impressive reps in receiving drills. The UDFA from Notre Dame is not a blocker, but the Lions appear to want more of an H-back/move TE who can present a threat as a receiver for the role. That’s Wright. Charlie Taumoepeau has been excellent in special teams drills and is the best blocker of the group, so it’s hard to discount what the second-year player offers. Hunter Thedford, an undrafted rookie from Utah, is a big target who has demonstrated soft hands and also looked promising on special teams. This one is still very much up for grabs, much more than it appeared to be two weeks ago.
The OL backups
Coach Campbell joked the other day that he could just yell “Evan” and see which one gets there first. That’s the state of the reserves on the offensive line. The three guys named Evan — Boehm, Brown and Heim — are locked in a heated battle with Tyrell Crosby, Logan Stenberg, Tommy Kraemer, Drake Jackson, Matt Nelson, Darren Paulo and Dan Skipper for what is likely four spots. Crosby is (likely) the safest based on his starting experience in Detroit. But he’s been banged up and hasn’t excelled the way he was expected to in drills when he was healthy. Nelson has been getting reps at both tackle and guard and continues to get better. He too seems safe based on the volume of reps and attention he gets from OL coach Hank Fraley. After that… Boehm has not looked great since joining the team last week, but he’s new and deserves some slack for that. He’s the most experienced backup center and it shows. Brown can also play center and he’s got a chance to prove himself now that he’s back healthy. Paulo had a very nice practice last Friday, one that stood out on a day where the entire OL outside of starting LT Taylor Decker and C Frank Ragnow had issues. Stenberg’s status remains murky. Campbell talked about Stenberg being “a pup”, and it’s clear the 2020 fourth-round pick has some potential with his power and size. But if his technique doesn’t improve quickly, it’s not going to matter. Stenberg and his former Kentucky teammate Jackson need to show more quite soon to merit stronger consideration to make the final 53.
Wide receiver depth
After Tyrell Williams, the Lions wideout corps remains incredibly uncertain. About the only other players who seem truly safe to make the roster are fourth-round rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond, and that’s in part because Raymond is running away with the return specialist gig. Quintez Cephus should be on the final roster, but where he fits remains a mystery. He could be anything from the No. 2 outside receiver to the backup slot. St. Brown is in the same boat but ahead on both counts. Breshad Perriman remains an enigma. He can make the exceptional catch and reliably gets open on deep routes, but he also drops too many easy throws and has proven poor on contested catches and shorter routes. In terms of competing against the other WRs currently in Lions camp, Perriman is safe. But there are going to be wideouts from other teams who are made available later this month who should be threats to his status. As for the undrafted rookies, it’s been an underwhelming camp thus far for Sage Surratt and Javon McKinley. Journeyman Victor Bolden has been the best of the rest.
Off-ball LB reserves
There are (likely) three spots behind Jamie Collins and Alex Anzalone as off-ball linebackers. There are five viable candidates for those spots. Rookie Derrick Barnes is all but assured of one of the spots, though his inactivity while he deals with a hamstring issue isn’t helping. It’s opened the door for more reps for Anthony Pittman, Shaun Dion Hamilton and Jahlani Tavai. Right now, that’s the perceived pecking order. Pittman has looked great throughout camp and Campbell recently sang his praises. Hamilton is the best in coverage situations — better than the starters most of the time. Tavai and his reshaped physique are trying hard but there are too many reps where he’s just a half-count later than he needs to be. Jalen Reeves-Maybin has some serious ground to make up after coming off the reserve/COVID-19 list. His long tenure with the Lions doesn’t mean anything to the new coaching staff.
Slot CB
What was presumed to be Corn Elder’s job to lose is now up in the air. And it hasn’t been so much that Elder is losing the slot CB gig as it is that Mike Ford is taking it away from him. Elder hasn’t been great in his first two weeks in Detroit. Ford is faster and more ebullient, a trait that DBs coach Aubrey Pleasant clearly appreciates. Ford has been getting most of the first-team reps throughout camp. That Elder, who has almost exclusively played in the slot in his four-year NFL career, is taking reps outside is a sign. Then there’s undrafted rookie A.J. Parker. He got first-team reps ahead of Elder in relief of Ford late last week and performed very well in them, too. Detroit is also bringing in veteran slot CB Nickell Robey-Coleman for a visit too. Read as: Elder’s roster spot is on thin ice.
EDGE
Both Romeo Okwara and Trey Flowers seem to be adapting well to playing as stand-up pass rushers in Aaron Glenn’s defensive scheme. Based on his tour de force performance in Friday’s practice, Julian Okwara is a safe bet to be the No. 3 man in the rotation. After that trio, it’s still open season for what looks like one spot. Austin Bryant is healthy and that gives him a great chance, but his chronic injury issues make him a dicey proposition. Veteran Charles Harris flashes here and there but has really struggled in team drills against the run outside of one stellar rep last Tuesday. Many expected Jashon Cornell to also be in this mix, but he’s played as a hand-in-dirt DE almost exclusively. Keep in mind that both Collins and Barnes have ample experience playing in the rush OLB role in their respective careers.
DT depth
The final 1-2 DT spots change almost daily. In fact, the Lions have imported two more competitors since the last practice by signing Michael Barnett and P.J. Johnson over the weekend. They join Kevin Strong, Miles Brown, Bruce Hector and Jashon Cornell in chasing one likely roster spot. Give the current edge to Strong, who is once again thriving in training camp as he does every summer. Cornell looks great physically after missing his rookie season, and his ability to slide all over the line is eye-catching. Keep in mind Cornell is suspended for the first three games to start the season, so the Lions might punt on this decision until the end of September.
Kicker
(AP Photo)
Randy Bullock vs. Matthew Wright in the quest to replace longtime kicker Matt Prater hasn’t been much of a battle. Bullock has proven superior. The issue for Bullock is outside competition. Bullock has had his struggles, including a lousy performance in Saturday’s display in Ford Field. His track record with the Bengals and other teams doesn’t ensure Bullock of anything.
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