Updated Lions 53-man roster projection after two weeks of training camp
Detroit Lions training camp will wrap the second week of action on Saturday. It’s a good point to recalibrate the depth chart and reevaluate the 53-man roster projection.
There are a few changes to the prediction after 10 days of practice. Injuries have caused some unfortunate shifts, as have on-field performances — positive and negative. There are some leanings here that reflect what I’ve seen and heard in training camp, too.
Quarterbacks - 3
Starter: Jared Goff
Reserves: Nate Sudfeld, Hendon Hooker
The change here is that I think Hooker can make the initial 53-man roster. He’s looked very healthy in his work with trainers during and after practices; you’d never know he was barely nine months out from knee surgery. It might be a case of the Lions keeping him, then putting him on I.R. immediately to go waiver-wire surfing after the roster cutdowns.
Running backs - 5
Wide receivers - 6*
Tight ends - 3
Starter: Sam LaPorta
Reserves: Brock Wright, James Mitchell
The injury to Shane Zylstra largely ended any drama here.
Offensive line - 9
Starters: LT Taylor Decker, LG Jonah Jackson, C Frank Ragnow, RG Graham Glasgow, RT Penei Sewell
Reserves: OT Matt Nelson, C Ross Pierschbacher, OL Colby Sorsdal, OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai
The only change here is swapping Glasgow into the starting spot and moving Vaitai down to a reserve role. Glasgow looks healthy again, while Vaitai continues to sputter with injuries. If Vaitai doesn’t make it, and that’s a possibility, the choice between versatile veteran Germain Ifedi and much-improved second-year OT Obinna Eze will be an interesting one.
Defensive tackles - 3
EDGE - 6
Starters: Aidan Hutchinson, Charles Harris
Reserves: Josh Paschal, John Cominsky, James Houston, Romeo Okwara
No change at all here from the previous projection. No reason to change anything.
Linebackers - 5
Starters: Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell
Reserves: Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, Jalen Reeves-Maybin
The only change here is dropping Anthony Pittman and keeping just five. Pure conjecture on my part that the Lions will value keeping an extra running back in the special team role that Pittman has capably occupied in recent years. Reeves-Maybin has repped ahead of Pittman in LB drills, so he gets the edge.
UDFA Trevor Nowaske still has a shot at usurping that final spot if he thrives in preseason. And he might…
Cornerbacks - 5
Starters: Cam Sutton, Jerry Jacobs, C.J. Gardner-Johnson (slot)
Reserves: Will Harris, Starling Thomas
PUP: Emmanuel Moseley
Moseley is again the wild card with his ongoing knee issue. He’s still not activated from the PUP and hasn’t taken a single practice rep with Detroit’s defense.
Harris and Brian Branch (now listed at safety) are both capable of playing any DB spot, which gives the positional flexibility to keep one less reserve.
For the final spot, I opted to keep Thomas over fellow UDFA rookie Steven Gilmore based on athletic potential. That spot is certainly up for further competition.
Safeties - 5
Starters: Tracy Walker, Kerby Joseph
Reserves: Brian Branch, Saivion Smith, Ifeatu Melifonwu
The top three are locked in, and there will be packages where Walker, Joseph and Branch are all on the field together. Branch has been excellent in Joseph’s “robber” safety role when he’s not playing in the slot.
Smith has solidified his roster spot in camp in my opinion, both on defense and in special teams. Melifonwu is No. 53 of 53 and shouldn’t feel safe to make it.
Specialists - 3
Kicker: Riley Patterson
Punter: Jack Fox
Long snapper: Jake McQuaide
Fox as the punter is the only established position. Camp competitions are ongoing at kicker and long snapper, with both spots very much undecided heading into the preseason.
