Detroit Lions: 53-man roster projection prior to preseason finale
Less than two weeks before opening day against the Arizona Cardinals, SideLion Report projects the Detroit Lions’ initial 53-man roster. Some selections may surprise you.
With just one exhibition game remaining before the start of the regular season, the Detroit Lions’ undoubtedly have a clear vision of which 53 players they will carry into Week 1. Still, their final tuneup tonight on the road against the Cleveland Browns will offer a chance for handful of bubble players to show that they are worth retaining.
Starters are almost universally rested in the preseason finale in the NFL, and the Lions are likely to adhere to that practice. Most roster slots are sewn up at this juncture. Yet, almost every year, one or two players use this final shot to get over the hump and secure one of the final available spots.
Who will head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn select in a pivotal season for both men? What tough decisions will have to be made? Take a look at our latest roster projection, starting with the most critical position:
Quarterback:
In: (2) Matthew Stafford, Tom Savage
Out: Josh Johnson, Luis Perez, David Fales (released on August 27th), James Williams
Rationale: Stafford looked sharp in the Lions’ preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills last week, quieting any concerns about lingering back issues or his rocky training camp performance. While it remains to be seen how quickly and effectively he can adapt to his fourth offensive scheme in 11 professional seasons, he will be supported by his strongest cast of skill position players in years.
Behind him is where it gets sticky. A flurry of activity has surrounded the Lions’ backup quarterback situation all summer. One final preseason tilt may not be enough for Detroit to decide on the right option, but it’s essentially all that’s left for their evaluations before Saturday’s cuts.
Savage was the presumptive leader for the majority of the offseason, thanks to his experience, arm strength and his relationship with quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan from their days together with the Houston Texans. After he suffered a head injury in the Lions’ preseason opener, the situation became much cloudier.
With Savage unable to suit up, Johnson joined Fales in the rotation on August 10th. He hasn’t looked great in two preseason contests learning the offense in an expedited fashion, but the Lions thought enough of Johnson to cut Fales this week, after he was unable to make much progress in three preseason contests.
Perez was signed on August 26, after a stint in the now defunct Alliance of American Football. He seems like a prime candidate for the practice squad, as the Lions prefer to keep at least one passer there during the season.
Ultimately, as is the case with the majority of NFL starting quarterbacks, the Lions are cooked if Stafford misses any significant time. What counts the most is having a reliable, heady and professional peer in the quarterback room to help prepare Stafford on a weekly basis, and keep things from going completely sideways if called upon in a pinch. That was supposed to be Savage, and it still could be if he returns to action tonight and plays well.
Here, we assume that Savage retakes the pole position for the backup spot after returning to practice this week. For those advocating for three signal-callers, it’s highly unlikely; the Lions haven’t opened the season with three quarterbacks on the roster since 2014.