Detroit Lions Roster Bubble: Defensive Tackle

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

During training camp and the preseason, fans get a real look at which players are likely to stay with the team and which are on their way out, be it through their production alone or through their production commensurate to their paycheck.

It’s a long ways away, but with all the talk centered on a single free agent for Detroit I felt it was time to take a look at the position as a whole and who is on the Detroit Lions roster bubble.

The Roster as it Stands

Nick Fairley, Free Agent
Andre Fluellen, Free Agent
C.J. Mosley, Free Agent
Roy Philon, Entering 2nd year (Futures deal)
Xavier Proctor, Entering 3rd year (Futures deal)
Caraun Reid, Entering 2nd year (5th round pick)
Ndamukong Suh, Free Agent

You may notice a trend above, and it’s a somewhat unsettling one.  The Lions have only three defensive tackles under contract for 2015 as it stands right now, and two of them were undrafted free agents who have never seen a regular season snap.  That’s obviously not ideal, and the team is in a curious position where they have seven players at the same position who are conceivably on the Detroit Lions roster bubble.  Who stays and who goes?  It’s time to look at it objectively.

Next: Nick Fairley