Detroit Lions: Initial 53-man set, but roster far from finalized

The Detroit Lions established a 53-man roster prior to Saturday’s deadline, but a flurry of moves since then shows that it remains a work in progress.

A large portion of the Detroit Lions’ roster seemed set long before this past Saturday’s cutdown deadline. However, after a number of subsequent transactions, one thing is clear; the Lions’ current 53-man lineup remains fluid.

One need look no further than Detroit’s current quarterback room to understand the shifting nature of the Lions’ roster. Josh Johnson, just weeks after being signed in the wake of presumptive backup Tom Savage’s head injury, seems to have won the job after an impressive preseason. However, in a strange development late last week, the Lions exchanged a future draft pick for another quarterback, David Blough, formerly of the Cleveland Browns. The same David Blough that they had intercepted twice just days before in their preseason finale.

As such, the Lions wound up keeping three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster, the first time they’ve done that since 2014. Granted, the Lions have spent years searching for a consistent backup for incumbent starter Matthew Stafford. Do they really think that Blough could be it? They didn’t acquire him just to cut him days later, did they?

Whether they decide to keep Blough on the roster throughout the season, or even through this week will undoubtedly have an effect on the rest of the personnel leading up to their Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Keeping three quarterbacks means that other position groups have to be downsized.

Elsewhere, the Lions also decided to cut not one, but two tight ends, (Logan Thomas and rookie Isaac Nauta) leaving them with just two (Jesse James and rookie T.J. Hockenson) on the roster by end of Sunday. This was due to the team’s waiver claim acquisition of running back J.D. McKissic, who was cut loose earlier by the Seattle Seahawks. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero did report on Sunday however, that the Lions intend to resign Thomas. Huh?

The only way for Thomas to rejoin the team, would be for them to create a roster spot by releasing another player, or tagging a player on the roster with a specific injury designation. The latter seems more likely, and that player wouldn’t count against the team’s 53 until they return. Should they be placed on Injured Reserve/Designated to Return, they would have to miss a full six weeks of practice and games. Who would that be?

The most likely choice would seem to be rookie edge defender Austin Bryant, who hasn’t appeared on the field since suffering an arm injury early in training camp. Should the Lions place him on IR, either season-ending or with a chance to return, it would create a space for them to bring back Thomas.

If this is the Lions’ plan, it’s a strange but necessary one. The NFL permits two players per season to be activated from injured reserve or the non-football injury list if they suffered the ailment after reporting to training camp. They also must be on the preliminary 53-man roster, and placed on the appropriate reserve list after 4:00 p.m. EST the day after the final roster cutdowns. Nothing is certain yet, but this could be Bryant’s fate in his rookie year.

So while the Lions begin their preparations for their Week 1 matchup against the Cardinals, one thing is for certain; the roster could still undergo several changes in the coming days. It also underscores the fact that the Lions, along with the rest of the NFL, promise to have a shifting lineup throughout the year.

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