Detroit Lions Roster Projection 2.0

With one preseason game now in the books and a couple of Monday morning roster moves, it’s time for another Detroit Lions 53-man roster prediction.

The Lions still have some significant position battles to sort out at certain spots, notably running back and defensive line. This projection presumes special teams is the tie-breaker, which may or may not be correct.

For a different take, check out Erik Schlitt’s roster stack at Detroit Jock City.

Offense

QB – 2

Matthew Stafford

Dan Orlovsky

Jake Rudock (PS)

The only real question here is whether the Lions keep two or three QBs on the 53-man roster. Because of the way the rest of the roster shakes out, and because the top two are veterans, I think it means sixth-round rookie Rudock is bound for the practice squad.

RB – 6

Ameer Abdullah

Theo Riddick

Michael Burton (FB)

Zach Zenner

Dwayne Washington

George Winn

This edition leaves off veteran Stevan Ridley. The thought is Washington and Winn both offer a lot more on special teams. Winn threw the key block which sprung Washington’s long kick return TD. Zenner has impressed enough in camp to overcome Ridley’s experience. The other possibility here is Ridley makes it and Winn gets cut or Washington heads to the practice squad. I still wouldn’t rule out the team signing a power-type RB to fill that role ahead of Zenner.

WR – 5

Golden Tate

Marvin Jones

Anquan Boldin

Jeremy Kerley

Jay Lee

Quinshad Davis (PS)

Jace Billingsley (PS)

Corey Fuller (IR)

The top three are set in stone. After that, to quote Run DMC “it’s tricky”. Kerley di d a lot of great things in the preseason opener, converting several third downs and blocking well. Fans tend to only recall the egregious early drop but the rest of Kerley’s game dramatically outshined TJ Jones. So did Andre Roberts for that matter, but he’s the victim of a numbers game unless he wins the return man slot. In this version, he loses out to Dwayne Washington on that front. Jones won’t make the team just because it drafted him two years ago; he must outplay Kerley, Roberts and the two undrafted rookies. Andre Caldwell was just placed on IR, a fate destined for Corey Fuller as well. If Fuller somehow earns the IR-Designated Return, be very angry.

TE – 3

Eric Ebron

Cole Wick

Andrew Quarless

Brandon Pettigrew (PUP)

Ebron will be ready to go Week 1. Wick has shown enough to make the team as an undrafted rookie, though if Pettigrew were healthy the job woud belong to the veteran. New signee Quarless is suspended for the first two games but is a good enough blocker for the team to ride it out. I strongly believe the No. 2 tight end those first two weeks is still not currently on the roster. None of the depth rookies should make the practice squad, at least initially.

OL – 9

Taylor Decker

Laken Tomlinson

Travis Swanson

Larry Warford

Riley Reiff

Michael Ola

Geoff Schwartz

Graham Glasgow

Joe Dahl

Corey Robinson (PS)

Chase Farris (PS)

The first five are the starters left to right. Ola is the swing tackle, Schwartz the top reserve guard. Rookies Glasgow and Dahl make it on potential, though Glasgow has had a rougher-than-expected summer. Unless the team unexpectedly signs someone, this group is the most set of any on the roster…and that includes the practice squad designees.

Defense

DL – 10

Ziggy Ansah

Haloti Ngata

Tyrunn Walker

Devin Taylor

Stefan Charles

A’Shawn Robinson

Wallace Gilberry

Brandon Copeland

Caraun Reid

Khyri Thornton

Kerry Hyder (PS)

Anthony Zettel (PS)
The deepest position group on the roster has seven surefire spots set. Ansah, Ngata, Walker and Taylor are a massive starting foursome. Charles fills the old Jason Jones role, while Gilberry is the pass rush specialist at end. Robinson will be the third tackle and play a lot.

Copeland can, at least in theory, play some OLB and he also is strong on special teams. Reid was the third tackle last year and while he hasn’t done much this summer it’s hard to see the Lions giving up on him. Thornton earns the last spot with his relentless nastiness inside. Those bottom two (if the team keeps just nine DL) or three spots are still hotly contested. Hyder, Zettel and Wright still have legit chances to win spots. I expect Wright to be traded if he’s not going to make it. Hyder benefits from the change in practice squad rules and sticks in Detroit because of it.

LB – 5

DeAndre Levy

Tahir Whitehead

Josh Bynes

Kyle Van Noy

Antwoine Williams

As long as Levy is healthy, this is the roster. However, the veteran is still not cleared for practice and that’s quite worrisome. If he winds up on PUP or IR-DR, then I think the team keeps six LBs and drops a defensive lineman. Van Noy is the primary beneficiary of Jon Bostic going on IR, though I still don’t think his roster spot is safe. If the team can find an upgrade over him at SAM, they won’t hesitate. Williams looks like a solid run-situation sub. Expect the Lions to play just two LBs more than 70% of the time. They will add at least one player not currently on the roster to the practice squad.

DB – 10

Darius Slay

Nevin Lawson

Glover Quin

Rafael Bush

Quandre Diggs

Miles Killebrew

Darrin Walls

Tavon Wilson

Don Carey

Johnson Bademosi

Alex Carter (PS)

Isaiah Johnson (PS)

Keith Lewis (PS)

The first five listed here will see the lion’s share of the action, with Diggs as a nickel back who can play a lot because he’s such a good tackler out of the slot. Killebrew has the potential to play some OLB in sub packages, a move I think becomes permanent next offseason. Walls is the fourth corner and has played well all summer long. Wilson and Bademosi make it for special teams and versatility; Wilson can play both safety spots while Bademosi can play either CB or safety. That’s true of Carey as well, though it wouldn’t surprise me if the Lions brought in an upgrade at the final spot here.

Alex Carter’s best path to the roster is getting hurt in the next preseason game, as he has not earned it on the practice fields. Crezdon Butler has been better than the 2015 third-rounder at corner.

Specialists – 3

Matt Prater

Sam Martin

Jimmy Landes

There is no real competition for Prater as the kicker or Martin at punter. Devin Bell is a camp leg and knows it, though he has shown enough to stay high on the call list should Prater get hurt or falter. I continue to be fascinated with the long snapper battle, as veteran Don Muhlbach has emphatically outplayed sixth-round rookie Landes by all accounts. I guess the hope is some team is desperate enough to trade a conditional pick for a proven long snapper.