Detroit Lions 53-Man Roster Prediction | Preseason Week 1

One preseason game is in the books, training camp has moved into its next phase, and the first real version of the Detroit Lions’ 53-man roster is beginning to take shape.

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The 16-14 loss to Cincinnati provided the first live evaluation of several roster battles, while injuries to players such as Cade Mays, Jimmy Rolder, Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch continue to change the numbers at several positions.

Sifting through the depth of this roster is not as easy as it has been in seasons past. Changes on the defensive side of the ball—particularly the expected increase in nickel personnel—have changed the value of certain players and helped identify some core pieces. Other roster spots aren’t even close to settled.

This projection isn’t simply about identifying the 53 best players. Special teams, positional versatility, injuries, developmental value and the ability to cover multiple jobs could decide the final five or six spots.

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QUARTERBACK: 2

• Jared Goff

• Josh Dobbs

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• PRACTICE SQUAD: Luke Altmyer

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Goff requires no explanation. Dobbs gets the QB2 job in this projection because the veteran gives the offense experience behind Goff. His previous connection with Drew Petzing also carries value here. However, if Dobbs is willing to take the handshake deal on the veteran practice squad, the Lions wouldn’t have to expose Altmyer to waivers.

Altmyer played most of the Cincinnati game and showed enough poise to remain an interesting developmental quarterback, but the practice squad provides a path to continue developing him without using a third active-roster spot. The risk of exposing him to waivers is real and should be considered.

Let’s see how this plays out over the next two weeks.

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RUNNING BACK: 4

• Jahmyr Gibbs

• Isiah Pacheco

• Sione Vaki

• Jacob Saylors

OUT: Trayveon Williams & Raheem Blackshear

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• PRACTICE SQUAD: Jabari Small

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Gibbs and Pacheco headline the room, while Vaki’s special-teams value gives him another path onto the roster beyond his offensive role. Vaki was back at practice over the weekend, lending to the idea he won’t become a roster stash IR candidate.

Saylors has taken advantage of his opportunity. Against Cincinnati, he strengthened his argument for RB4 with a productive preseason debut and has consistently created plays as injuries ahead of him increased his workload. The ankle injury could reduce the room to three if Saylors is not back before the third preseason game.

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WIDE RECEIVER: 5

• Amon-Ra St. Brown

• Jameson Williams

• Isaac TeSlaa

• Greg Dortch

• Cedric Wilson

OUT: Malik Cunningham — Lucky Jackson — Tarik Black

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• PRACTICE SQUAD: Dominic Lovett & Tay Martin

• VETERAN PRACTICE SQUAD: Tom Kennedy

• IR / SEASON ENDED: Kendrick Law

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The first four spots are straightforward. The debate begins at WR5—or do the Lions keep six? Campbell has kept six receivers on the initial 53-man roster only once, in 2025.

Lovett flashed some of the route-running ability that has made him intriguing against Cincinnati and followed the game with a deep connection from Luke Altmyer during practice. This is honestly one of the hardest calls on the roster, but the ball security issues cannot be ignored.

Martin has been moving in the right direction. Dan Campbell gave him significant praise this past weekend:

“(Martin) makes plays every day. He’s intriguing on offense, but he makes special teams plays every day, and that’s important to us, and he’s not the only one.”

Black has also forced himself into the conversation. Against Cincinnati, he turned a routine reception into a 24-yard touchdown and struck the Paul Bunyan pose after redeeming himself from an earlier penalty that erased a 35-yard gain on a questionable offensive pass-interference call.

Wilson has quietly had a strong camp, highlighted by a one-handed sideline grab, a contested 23-yarder from Josh Dobbs and another 23-yard catch against Cincinnati. He has continued making tough catches in practice and has been more consistent than Martin, Lovett & Black.

I would like to see Wilson take a vet squad role, leaving the roster with another developing receiver, Tay Martin. This competition isn’t finished.

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TIGHT END: 4

• Sam LaPorta

• Brock Wright

• Tyler Conklin

• Jackson Meeks

OUT: Thomas Gordon

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• PRACTICE SQUAD: Zach Horton

The top three are established. The Lions have kept four tight ends on the initial 53-man roster only once under Dan Campbell, in 2022. This season has all the makings of becoming the second.

Meeks has been developing as a hybrid tight end and saw relatively early action against Cincinnati. His receiving ability gives the room something different behind LaPorta, Wright and Conklin, and his preseason work has strengthened his case.

The biggest argument for keeping Meeks is twofold. First, there is considerable upside because he remains very early in his development at the position. Second—and potentially more important—is Drew Petzing’s scheme.

The offense will likely use three-tight-end personnel more than just occasionally. With the possibility of injury and some uncertainty surrounding Conklin, Meeks gives the roster enough depth to explore the full menu of Petzing’s multiple-tight-end packages.

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OFFENSIVE LINE: 9

• Penei Sewell

• Christian Mahogany

• Juice Scruggs

• Tate Ratledge

• Blake Miller

BACKUPS:

• Larry Borom — RT/LT

• Miles Frazier — T/G

• Ben Bartch — RG/LG

• Michael Niese — C

OUT: Devin Cochran — Melvin Priestly — Colby Sorsdal

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• PRACTICE SQUAD: Mason Miller & Seth McLaughlin

• IR TO RETURN: Cade Mays — Week 8/9 projection

• RESERVE/NFI: Giovanni Manu

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Mays’ fractured wrist completely changed the interior-line conversation. His injury gave McLaughlin first-team center opportunities, but Scruggs has returned and Ratledge is now also getting work at center. That directly affects whether the roster needs to carry another dedicated center.

Borom provides veteran tackle insurance. Frazier can cover multiple positions, and Bartch remains part of the interior competition. This offensive line is in the best position it has been in for quite some time when it comes to functional depth.

Borom and Frazier can cover virtually every position outside of center. Ratledge is now getting center reps as well, which leads me to believe the Lions would rather create additional positional versatility and potentially save a roster spot for another area—such as the secondary or defensive line.

I realize Niese isn’t the sexy pick, but let me explain.

He has been in the system, has regular-season experience and provides another interior option at a time when center has suddenly become one of the most important depth questions on the roster.

Here’s my pivot.

Niese is eligible for the veteran practice squad. If he were willing to take the handshake deal, that could solve two problems at once. Niese would remain available as a likely elevation if Scruggs went down, while McLaughlin could continue developing.

Niese is unlikely to start—or potentially even play—unless injuries hit. Using the veteran practice-squad designation could give the 53 additional flexibility elsewhere.

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WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR MY TAKE ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE

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BENGALS TRAVEL DAY

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DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINE: 5

• Alim McNeill

• Tyleik Williams

• Levi Onwuzurike

• Chris Smith

• Skyler Gill-Howard

OUT: Tyre West

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• PRACTICE SQUAD: Mekhi Wingo

• VETERAN PRACTICE SQUAD: Myles Adams

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I wouldn’t want to be in Dan Campbell’s shoes. This defensive line class has some very good problems with depth, and players that you want to see develop over the next 2-3 seasons.

Speaking of such players, Gill-Howard helped himself against Cincinnati. The rookie produced disruptive plays and showed the athleticism that has made him an intriguing developmental interior defender. Right now, he’s my final decision to make the 53. This defense doesnt have another 280+ pound defensive tackle that can run a 4.65 seconds forty—a legit sideline to sideline DT is insane!

Dan Campbell mentioned Levi Onwuzurike over the weekend:

“Yeah, I like Levi. I feel like Levi’s had a good camp. Um, you know, he... Levi, as we all know, man, he’s coming off a ton of injuries, man. But uh, it’s nice to have two ACLs. He would tell you that, uh, it helps him move a lot better. He’s got a lot more power.”

Onwuzurike is one of those players where you have to accept some risk with the reward. When he’s healthy, he can be dominant. On a defensive front that shouldn’t require him to play more than roughly half the defensive snaps, his value can increase substantially. The injury risk is legitimate, but the grimy interior work he provides is not easy to replace.

Chris Smith represents almost the opposite roster argument. His value isn’t built around splash plays. Campbell has praised his reliability, assignment discipline and willingness to handle the dirty work.

“It’s a nasty job and it’s not for everybody.”

“He just does everything right.”

“He takes three guys on.”

Wingo is a lock for my practice squad projection. I don’t believe the Lions are ready to give up on him, but unless Gill-Howard falls flat over the next couple of weeks, it may be extremely difficult for Wingo to latch onto the initial 53. He needs to stack good practices and produce in the final two preseason games.

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EDGE: 5

• Aidan Hutchinson

• D.J. Wonnum

• Tyler Lacy

• Derrick Moore

• Ahmed Hassanein

OUT: Eric O’Neill & Ben Stille

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• PRACTICE SQUAD: Anthony Lucas

• INJURY SETTLEMENT: Payton Turner

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Hassanein went from an interesting developmental edge to one of the biggest stories of the preseason opener. He sacked Joe Burrow on his first snap, later produced a strip-sack and continued a camp in which his energy and development have repeatedly drawn attention.

Lacy has been listed as a defensive tackle on several depth charts and 53-man projections. There is one major problem—the Lions don’t appear to view him that way exclusively. Their unofficial depth chart ahead of the Bengals game listed him at EDGE.

Lacy is a versatile weapon for this defensive front. He gives the group something different because his size allows him to operate as a bigger end while still kicking inside when necessary. That flexibility could allow Campbell and Kelvin Sheppard to go lighter at either EDGE or defensive tackle because Lacy can cover responsibilities in both rooms.

Anthony Lucas entered camp with legitimate buzz after flashing in the spring, and his 6-foot-5, 265-pound frame gives Detroit developmental upside at EDGE. He played 50 defensive snaps against Cincinnati and showed flashes, but not enough to jump the current rotation. I still have him just outside the 53 and headed for the practice squad.

Eric O’Neill was relatively quiet early in camp but made a stronger push against Cincinnati, playing 38 defensive snaps and creating disruption off the edge. He has closed some ground in the competition, but I still have him outside the 53 unless he stacks another strong performance over the final two preseason games.

Payton Turner may require a short term injury settlement to maximize the IR to return options (2) on cut day, depending on what the plan is with Rolder.

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LINEBACKER: 6

• Jack Campbell

• Derrick Barnes

• Devin White

• Trevor Nowaske

• Malcolm Rodriguez

• Damone Clark

OUT: Troy Reeder & Amen Ogbongbemiga

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• PRACTICE SQUAD: Erick Hunter

• VETERAN PRACTICE SQUAD: Joe Bachie

• IR TO RETURN: Jimmy Rolder

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This may be one of the more difficult rooms to evaluate purely because of the style of defense Kelvin Sheppard appears prepared to run in 2026. You can make a legitimate argument for carrying only five linebackers if the plan is to play significantly more nickel than traditional 4-3 base personnel.

Jimmy Rolder’s injury appears to be trending in the right direction. He has been working with trainers off to the side, but with only two weeks remaining in the preseason, the Lions may choose to give him a slower recovery path with an IR stash.

White should leapfrog Rodriguez and Clark for one of the primary linebacker roles. He has been one of the strongest performers in camp, while Campbell has praised his speed, intelligence and physical downhill play. I don’t believe Rolder’s injury was the only reason White was added. During his first media session his statement lends credibility to the idea that White was already on Brad Holmes’ radar during free agency.

“We talked early in free agency and said we wanted to revisit it. So it was always kind of on the radar.”

Special-teams utility heavily favors Nowaske and Clark securing roster spots. Nowaske looked roster-ready against Cincinnati and handled green-dot responsibilities. That leaves Bachie and Ogbongbemiga facing uphill battles despite strong camp days and preseason production.

Hunter will be a difficult cut, having produced throughout camp—drawing praise for his development and special-teams work. The decision may ultimately come down to veteran-practice-squad flexibility and whether exposing Hunter to waivers creates a risk Detroit isn’t willing to take.

If the Lions decide they have to keep Hunter—Clark or Rodriguez becomes the logical candidate to move toward the veteran practice squad. Clark has been a four-phase special-teams contributor, with his best season coming in 2025. Rodriguez, meanwhile, is coming off his weakest season in Detroit.

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SECONDARY: 10

This may be the most competitive room on the defense. The first preseason game also gave us our first meaningful glimpse of what to expect schematically during the regular season.

The opening outside corners were Nick Whiteside and Ennis Rakestraw, with Christian Izien receiving the early nickel work.

When Rakestraw left with an injury, Roger McCreary replaced him outside. Later, Izien shifted to safety while Keith Abney handled significant nickel work. I felt this was an important roster-construction test.

Sheppard wasn’t simply evaluating individual cornerbacks. He was testing whether several defensive backs could handle multiple jobs without forcing the defense to substitute personnel.

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OUTSIDE CORNERBACK: 5

• D.J. Reed

• Rock Ya-Sin

• Ennis Rakestraw

• Nick Whiteside

• Keith Abney

OUT: Aamaris Brown & Ryan Cooper Jr.

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• VETERAN PRACTICE SQUAD: Khalil Dorsey

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Many fans and pundits believe this unit is weak—I tend to disagree. I would love to see a true lockdown corner emerge in Detroit. With all due respect to Reed, that player is not on this roster. The long-term answer may still be a couple of seasons away.

The defensive identity has changed, but the underlying philosophy remains familiar: Do your job. This group is scrappy and aggressive. Playing together—and understanding where the help is coming from—will be central to its success.

Whiteside has climbed from the bottom of the depth chart into first-team opportunities and has repeatedly been one of the biggest risers of camp.

Abney also had a standout preseason opener—he was everywhere. He recovered a critical fumble in the red zone and finished with five tackles. When he delivered a clean, violent open-field tackle that de-cleated a Bengals ball carrier, he immediately separated himself.

Dorsey would be a difficult cut because his special-teams work has been spectacular. But I’m willing to hedge on getting him onto the veteran practice squad rather than risk losing a young player such as Abney or Whiteside.

And then there’s Rakestraw. I don’t believe he struggled against Cincinnati to the degree some people want you to believe. He’s been sticky in camp against two of the best receivers in football, and I like his chances against the rest of the field.

If you trust PFF for everything, save yourself some time and stop reading my breakdowns. PFF can provide useful statistics—their grading system is flawed.

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NICKEL CORNERBACK: 2

• Roger McCreary

• Christian Izien

McCreary entered camp as the natural veteran candidate in the slot. Izien’s biggest advantage is versatility. He has legitimate NFL experience at both nickel and safety, making him particularly valuable while Branch and Joseph remain unavailable.

With Abney also getting increased work inside, the defense has several players capable of handling slot responsibilities. That versatility allows Detroit to carry only two players in this specific roster bucket without leaving the defense short on actual nickel options.

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SAFETY: 3

• Chuck Clark

• Avonte Maddox

• Thomas Harper

ASSUMED ROSTER PLACEMENTS

• PRACTICE SQUAD: Dan Jackson

• RESERVE/PUP: Kerby Joseph & Brian Branch

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This room is being shaped almost entirely by health and versatility. The primary reason for carrying only three safeties on the initial 53 is the versatility already built into the secondary and the expected eventual returns of Joseph and Branch.

Clark gives the defense veteran communication and starting experience. He has played extremely well in camp, producing takeaways without many negative plays.

Harper continues to push for a starting role opposite Clark. He played well against Cincinnati and has continued rotating into first-team situations throughout camp. His special-teams value strengthens the argument further. Harper played 264 special-teams snaps during his first NFL season with the Raiders in 2024 and another 47 for Detroit in 2025.

Izien is interchangeable at multiple positions. He was brought in to compete for safety, slot and nickel responsibilities and has legitimate NFL experience at each. He played 657 slot snaps in 2023, then 308 snaps at free safety and another 205 in the slot with Tampa Bay in 2024. He is also a valuable special-teams player, having been heavily involved in that phase throughout his first three seasons.

Maddox provides another layer of versatility and veteran leadership. Most of his career has been spent handling slot responsibilities, but Detroit gave him his largest workload at free safety last season with 248 snaps.

Unless another position creates additional space, I don’t see a path for Dan Jackson onto the initial 53-man roster. His limited NFL experience should make exposing him to waivers a more acceptable risk than sacrificing one of the veterans who can cover several jobs immediately.

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SPECIALISTS: 3

There is no reason to manufacture drama here.

• Jake Bates — K

• Jack Fox — P

• Hogan Hatten — LS

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ROCK’S READ

This roster is loaded with good players. I do believe there is a possibility the Lions decide to run with four receivers to create a roster spot for another position. With Gibbs entering 2026 as a viable receiving weapon, it almost makes too much sense.

The handshake deals will be critical for this roster to maintain the playmakers who have proven they belong—on both sides of the ball.

Another major sticking point for me: I don’t see the necessity of carrying McLaughlin or Niese if Ratledge is getting center reps. That could open another roster spot for a seventh linebacker or an 11th defensive back. There may also be a case for keeping an 11th defensive lineman.

Then there is the eventual probability that Brad and Dan settle on 51 players, leaving the window open to bring back players who were cut. The Lions have good problems.

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RECOMMENDED READS

• Training Camp Day 2 Observations

• Training Camp Day 1 Observations

• Detroit Lions Roster Shakeup Day 1

• Brutal Test For Lions Safety Room

• Brad Holmes Mastering Of The NFL Draft

• NFC North Index Rankings

• Detroit Lions minicamp 13 stories

• Brad Holmes plays it smart

• The Detroit Lions have something

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