With training camp coming up, some established Detroit Lions could be in trouble. Who could be a surprise cut come September? Here are three names to watch.
The Detroit Lions are essentially in a dead period right now, two weeks removed from offseason training activities (OTAs) and a month away from the start of training camp.
In the meantime, here are three Lions who have played big roles on the team, but may find themselves playing elsewhere in the fall.
Miles Killebrew, Strong Safety
There was a lot of hype surrounding Miles Killebrew going into the 2017 season. Entering his sophomore year many expected the former fourth-round pick to make a jump in performance and continue the increase in playing time he saw at the end of his rookie season.
Killebrew did exactly that from the get-go, sealing the deal in Week One with a pick-six in the fourth quarter against Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals. He continued to shine, but not for long.
By Week Six Killebrew lost his starting role, and he only continued to slide from there.
In Week 12, starting strong safety Tavon Wilson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury that left a hole many expected Killebrew to fill. Instead, the team experimented with moving nickel cornerback Quandre Diggs to safety, where he thrived as Killebrew watched from the sidelines.
For those hoping Killebrew might turn it around this season, early reports out of Allen Park aren’t promising.
Miles Killebrew got tons of reps at safety with Glover Quin not here and Tavon Wilson in a red jersey. It did not go well at all. Was beat twice for touchdowns, plus another two times where the ball was dropped.
— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) May 24, 2018
It became clear last year that the coaching staff didn’t trust Killebrew in coverage, and he’s not giving the new staff much reason to either. With no clear-cut role in Matt Patricia’s defense, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Killebrew found himself out of a job by the end of training camp.