5 Detroit Lions players who could lose their 53-man roster spot to Tim Patrick

1. EDGE James Houston

This dead horse is getting another beating. Houston barely won, or actually didn't really win, a spot on the Lions' 53-man roster. He has also been an exception to Campbell's doctrine that essentially says "the more you can do", with the plan to make him into a SAM linebacker scrapped during the preseason.

Houston was a healthy scratch in Week 1, which invited questions about his already tenuous status on the 53-man roster. Heading into Week 2, Campbell talked around the idea of Houston being able to offer enough to be in uniform on game days.

Later in the week, Campbell outright didn't mention Houston as someone who could help fill the void left by the likely absence of Marcus Davenport against the Buccaneers.

Houston was in uniform in Week 2, but you're excused if you blinked and missed it when he was on the field. He played three defensive snaps, and zero special teams snaps.

Houston can no longer live off his eight-sack breakout from late in his rookie season and keep a spot on the Lions' roster. He's probably better off elsewhere, and it's pretty clear his time in Detroit is coming towards an end. Creating a roster spot for Patrick looks like a convenient way to move on here, perhaps very, very soon.