4 Detroit Lions players who could lose their job to a rookie

3. OT Matt Nelson

Nelson has some value as the Lions extra tackle, but when he had start several games at right tackle in 2021 he was overmatched and never good enough. That he was even brought back, after not being tendered a contract as a restricted free agent, was a little surprising.

There's an angle out there, from Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, that Halapoulivaati Vaitai may be vulnerable to losing his starting job at right guard, with mention of rookie Colby Sorsdal.

"Vaitai should be the favorite if he’s healthy, but his recovery and rust could play factors,” “The Lions also signed Graham Glasgow, who spent his first four seasons in Detroit, and used a fifth-round pick on William & Mary lineman Colby Sorsdal."

- Kristopher Knox

Sorsdal's NFL future is at guard, and he's definitely a candidate to be the starting right guard for the Lions down the road as Vaitai enters what should be his last year on the team. But if he pushed for it right away, it would be a surprise.

But based on pure roster numbers, Sorsdal would theoretically have a bit of position utility as a backup offensive lineman that Nelson does not. Another team would surely snap up Sorsdal if the Lions tried to sneak him through at roster cutdown and get him back to the practice squad.

Nelson is simply not an NFL-caliber offensive lineman, and any idea he's still a raw player after moving over from defensive line has to be set aside. Sorsdal is coming for someone's 53-man roster spot, and Nelson is that guy.