In a broad sense, NFL preseason finales are boring. Most key players don't play, though in the new era with three preseason games that varies by team. The Detroit Lions have played very few key players in their first two preseason games, and none will play Friday night against the Carolina Panthers in the preseason finale.
But on the other hand, as Pro Football Talk mentioned, the last preseason game can be a springboard to a solid career track for players who were off the radar up until then. Others who are more notable could be usurped, and lose a roster spot, to players like that.
The Lions are not immune to making surprise cuts. In the first year of the Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell regime, wide receiver Breshad Perriman was cut before Week 1 despite being a notable (of course notable is relative, in the first year of a rebuild) free agent signing. He hadn't had a good camp or preseason, so getting down to it cutting bait was easy. But it was an eye-opener, if only based on name and what was then considered a real dearth of talent at wide receiver. Some may say this year's situation at wide receiver, beyond Amon-Ra St. Brown, is not that far from similar.
Heading into the 2023 preseason finale, apart from how interesting it will or won't be for casual fans to watch, these four players could be surprise cuts for the Lions.
4 potential surprise roster cuts for the Detroit Lions
4. CB Will Harris
It feels like Harris is inked into a spot on the 53-man roster, since he has been bumped down the pecking order in a now-loaded Lions' secondary. If he ends up playing a lot of defensive snaps this year, anywhere close to like he did the last two years (he led the team in defensive snap in 2021, and played two-thirds of the defensive snaps over the 15 games he played last year), things will have gone way off the rails with injuries. Now lined up to be a core special teamer, that's a more ideal role.
Then we have Dan Campbell's comments from early in training camp, citing Harris as a true pro who allows him to "sleep good at night." It's clear this coaching staff values Harris highly, but that value rooted in intangibles, experience and nominal versatility more than his actual talent level. Simply, despite finding a better home as a slot corner after starting his career as a safety, opposing offenses will put a bullseye on him if he's on the field.
Undrafted free agents Starling Thomas and Steven Gilmore are pushing for roster spots at cornerback for the Lions, and second-year man Chase Lucas is making a late push of his own. Khalil Dorsey has emerged as a late darkhorse too.
Harris could have a faint bit of trade value as final cuts approach. But if the Lions part with him, a cut that would land as surprising for many is probably more likely.
3. FB Jason Cabinda
Cabinda hasn been on the roster bubble all offseason, and he has not done himself any favors by not looking good when taking the field as a fullback this preseason. With the Lions' rarely using a fullback, his value is wholly rooted in special teams, intangibles as a leader and being an example for this teammates with his great work in the Detroit community.
If the Lions want to keep a little-used blocker type who can play a lot of special teams, it could very well be a fourth tight end (Darrell Daniels?) over Cabinda.
Cabinda stands to be a tough cut for the Lions' staff. But his actual football skill pushes him to the brink of being cut, and he may sneakily (or not so sneakily) need a good showing against the Panthers to change that.
2. DE Romeo Okwara
Sheerly due to the value attached to those who can get after the quarterback, Okwara has inherent trade value if the Lions don't keep him. His level of preseason action (91 total defensive snaps over the first two games) could be as much about his needing to play coming of an Achilles' tear as putting him on display for a possible trade.
But it's also been clear this preseason that Okwara's previous burst off the edge has eroded, as easily expected coming off his major injury that required a second surgery. How much he plays against the Panthers will be worth noting, and it could be a sign of his status on the 53-man roster.
If the Lions are open to trading the elder Okwara and have let it be known but the offers just aren't coming, a bold move to outright cut him by next Tuesday isn't out of the question.
1. RB Craig Reynolds
Reynolds notably played every snap in the first half of the second preseason game against the Jaguars, which seemed like a sign he's a lock for the No. 3 running back job. He didn't get much going on the ground though, compared to Benny Snell (three carries for 15 yards) and less so Jermar Jefferson. I made the case earlier this week, however tentatively, that Reynolds getting the work he did against Jacksonville was a possible showcase for a trade after he had been injured and missed the first preseason game.
Even after his notable showing against the Jaguars, John Maakaron of SI.com suggested Reynolds' status was still tenuous heading into the final week of the preseason. Reports on the ground said Reynolds did well in an intense scrimmage on Tuesday this week, so that seems to be an ideal response to that question--to whatever extent it exists.
Reynolds' competition for the RB3 spot has been dropping off, from Justin Jackson's sudden retirement to Mohamed Ibrahim being injured and waived. But he should get ample run again against Carolina in the preseason finale, likely as the Lions' starting running back, and he may need a good performance to fully lock in his spot on the roster.
It may come down to how many true running backs (leaving aside the decision on Cabinda) the Lions keep on the final 53. But while it seems Reynolds is a stone-cold lock to make it, there's a path to him being a surprise cut that should not be ignored.
Honorable Mention Potential Surprise Cut: DT Levi Onwuzurike