4 potential surprise cuts for the Detroit Lions

Heading toward the preseason finale the final cut down to 53 players next Tuesday, here are four potential surprise cuts for the Detroit Lions.

Tuesday’s roster trim from 85 to 80 players was fairly uneventful for the Detroit Lions, with four players going on the NFI or PUP lists and just one outright cut (linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton).

But next Tuesday’s final roster cutdown, all the way to 53 players, will be different. Head coach Dan Campbell has acknowledged how tough it will be, while also noting that 8-10 jobs are available heading into Sunday’s preseason finale against the Pitttsburgh Steelers.

Last year at final cuts, the Lions then-new regime showed they were not afraid to make a surprising cut when wide receiver Breshad Perriman had not been up to par during camp and the preseason. This year, a surprising cut or two is not out of the question.

Here are four potential surprise cuts for the Lions when the dust settles on the final preseason game.

4. LB Alex Anzalone

Anzalone was simply not good last season, and the only reasons he’s a starter now are three-fold.

1-The Lions coaching staff likes him
2-He wore the “green dot” last year, relaying the defensive calls on the field
3-The Lions didn’t heavily invest in linebacker additions this offseason

Rookie linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez is making it hard for the Lions to keep him from winning a starting job. Most thoughts out there say Rodriguez would start alongside Anzalone. I say he could or should replace Anzalone, and there’s a (however unlikely) angle where Anzalone loses a starting job and a roster spot in Detroit via one fair swoop.