Detroit Lions vs. Oakland Raiders: Five Things to Watch
By Alex Reno
Aug 31, 2013; Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers wide receiver Devonte Mathis (82) runs after a catch as William & Mary Tribe safety Jerome Couplin (4) defends during the third quarter at Milan Puskar Stadium. The West Virginia Mountaineers won 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Will the Young Safeties Continue There Success?
Heading into the preseason the Lions looked pretty thin at the safety position. Glover Quin and James Ihedigbo are the glorified starters, but the burning question has been who will back them up?
Don Carey is expected to pose as the main backup safety for the Lions after signing a contract extension earlier this year, but he’s already having a rough start to camp.
DeJon Gomes is a savvy veteran and seems to be a favorite to claim one of the final roster spots, contributing both at safety and also on special teams.
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Two other players that have been receiving plenty of praise as of late are Jerome Couplin and Isa Abdul-Quddus.
Abdul-Quddus had a spectacular performance against the Browns last week and picked off a poorly thrown pass from Tyler Thigpen late in the fourth quarter. He also had a team high six tackles with one tackle for a loss.
Couplin is an undrafted free agent that goes by the nickname ‘The Osprey’. He’s a solid tackler and is known for his big hits.
Both Couplin and Abdul-Quddus will likely receive more snaps against the Raiders and battle it out for the final roster spot (depending on how many safeties the Lions keep). If they continue to look as good as they did against Cleveland, then I’d feel a lot better about our safety depth.