3 Detroit Lions players who might not make it to the end of the season on the roster

1. DT Isaiah Buggs

Buggs' issues go back all the way to Week 1, when he was a healthy scratch and Dan Campbell had this to say about it.

"We base everything off the tape, period,” “I’ve spoken to Buggs, and that stays between us. But yeah, we feel like the guys (that are) the best prepared to go this week for this game, those are the guys that will be up.”

That benching had roots in Buggs not showing up for voluntary offseason work when most of the team did so.

But it was apparently a practice performance situation too. Buggs was inactive again in Week 2, then he played in Weeks 3-7. He has played in just one of the last five games, with one absence due to an illness. As Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports outlined recently, the perception some fans have that Buggs would be helpful to the Lions' defensive line/pass rush is simply not proven at all by his performance this season.

On Wednesday, on the general topic of how the team will replace the injured McNeill, Campbell was asked what Buggs needs to do to get back on the field this week. It was hardly a ringing endorsement, let alone any kind of confirmation Buggs will be active against the Bears on Sunday.

"Just be reliable. Reliable, dependable, do your job. Be consistent,” Campbell said.

Buggs' time as a Lion is in its waning weeks anyway. There's no way he's back next season at this point, with minimal consequence to cut ties one year into his two-year deal.

But the way it's going, Buggs may get one last shot on the field Sunday. Then the Lions may just bite the proverbial bullet on the money he's owed over the rest of this season, and move on. Buggs might even ask for his release if the Lions aren't going to play him, so he can move on too.