3 veterans who won't be on the Detroit Lions roster come Week 1

2. TE Shane Zylstra

The Lions' drafting of Sam LaPorta bumps all the incumbents down a spot on the depth chart automatically, even if LaPorta isn't formally anointed as the No. 1 tight end heading into Week 1. Maybe someone gets bumped off the roster entirely.

The coaching staff seems to really like Brock Wright, and the potential of second-year man James Mitchell means he's sticking around barring something completely unforeseen. So that leaves Zylstra to be pushed firmly toward the roster bubble, and he deserves that status.

Zylstra had a pop-up three touchdown game in an otherwise dismal (to put it mildly) performance by the Lions against the Carolina Panthers late last season. But in the other games he has suited up for in his NFL career, combined, he has one touchdown (also last season) and nine catches for 68 yards. That's barely a roster-worthy resume, on any team.

As a nod to keeping more options open for using two tight ends some times, and with a little extra nod to Jameson Williams' six-game suspension in that regard, the Lions may choose to keep four tight ends on the final 53-man roster heading into the season. But the fourth does not necessarily have to be Zylstra, as other teams make their own cuts and other options open up.

Zylstra can probably be let go and brought back to the Lions' practice squad, if they want him. But his place on the active roster has been absolutely tenuous since LaPorta was drafted, and training camp stands to tip him all the way off.