With just five days left until the Detroit Lions kick off their 2026 season, they've got some roster decisions to make. They currently have 52 of their available 53 roster spots filled, and it sounds like they plan on filling that last spot ahead of Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints.
Of course, the Lions were likely waiting to announce which player would be taking that final roster spot, but head coach Dan Campbell accidentally let it slip in his practice availability that Tom Kennedy would be getting the nod for a roster spot ahead of Week 1.
"Tom Kennedy's playing in this game...oh [expletive], I let it out."
It's unclear whether he'll be signed outright to the roster, or elevated from the PS.
Kennedy will likely be utilized the most on special teams as a return option for Detroit, with Sione Vaki likely to split reps with Jacob Saylors at RB2. It'd be nice to see that be the plan, especially to avoid wearing Jahmyr Gibbs down too much so early in the year.
Lions' 53rd roster spot to be filled by Tom Kennedy
Kennedy was waived following the preseason and training camp, but he refuses to fade away and out of the Lions' grasp. He was immediately snatched back up by the team for their practice squad, and it sounds like he'll be added to the 53-man roster shortly.
Last season, Kennedy played six games with Detroit, and put together three punt return attempts for 50 total yards. On kickoffs, he had 16 attempts and picked up 447 total yards, with his longest run being a 42-yard return against the Dallas Cowboys last year.
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Following the teams' surprising release of Greg Dortch following camp and preseason, it makes sense that they want to bring Kennedy up to fill in for Vaki on special teams. He showed flashes of great work last season as a returner, but didn't get much burn in the preseason with Detroit's special teams unit.
Still, Kennedy remains a mainstay with the Lions as he's about to hit his fifth season with the team, and will be starting the year on the official roster rather than with the taxi squad.
"Those role players are big. They're the ones that kind of, they're a little bit of that glue that binds those premier players togheter. Those little spots of guys that we've got a job for...I like it. It's what makes teams," said Campbell about players like Kennedy headed into this year.
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