Detroit Lions 53-man roster projection after the 2023 NFL Draft
Running Backs (5)
David Montgomery
Jahmyr Gibbs
Mohamed Ibrahim
Craig Reynolds
Jason Cabinda (FB)
Montgomery and Gibbs are the top two backs, and Cabinda is a core special teamer and a team leader. That makes them locks. After that, it’s up in the air.
Ibrahim, the undrafted free agent out of Minnesota who the Lions gave $100,000 in guaranteed money to, is in line to push Reynolds and Jermar Jefferson for a 53-man roster spot. Overtaking Jefferson should be no trouble, but Reynolds sticks as the RB4.
Wide Receivers (6)
Amon-Ra St. Brown
Jameson Williams
Josh Reynolds
Marvin Jones
Kalif Raymond
Antoine Green
Williams’ six-game suspension means he won’t technically be on the 53-man active roster heading into the season, so someone like Tom Kennedy may stick there early in the season. I’ve got the seventh-round rookie Green beating out undrafted rookie Chase Cota for the WR6 spot.
Tight Ends (3)
Sam LaPorta
Brock Wright
James Mitchell
LaPorta could be the Lions’ No. 1 tight end right out of the gate. The team seems to like Wright a lot, and Mitchell carries a lot of potential into his second NFL season. Shane Zylstra becomes the odd-man out.
Offensive Line (9)
C Frank Ragnow
OT Taylor Decker
OT Penei Sewell
OG Graham Glasgow
OG Jonah Jackson
OT Matt Nelson
OG Halapoulivaati Vaitai
OT Colby Sorsdal
OG Kayode Awosika