Six takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ preseason finale against the Steelers as we head to roster cuts:
The Detroit Lions wrapped up their third and final preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a win, but did their players do enough to separate themselves amid some difficult roster decisions?
The Lions are now entering the cutdown portion of the preseason, and the performances in these pivotal games could be the difference between a spot on the 53-man roster, a spot on the practice squad, and having to find a new team elsewhere. Let’s examine some takeaways before the roster gets trimmed down.
Hendon runs wild
Whether he claims the QB2 spot or not, Hendon Hooker has been highlighting what made him an electric college football player and a valued draft pick. In his first preseason start, Hooker made strides against the Steelers, often quite literally. Hooker finished the game with 114 passing yards and a touchdown pass to Jake Funk, but the number that really pops is his 93 rushing yards.
Hooker is one of the more mobile quarterbacks the Lions have had in recent memory. He presents an enticing project for the future should Jared Goff get hurt, but it also remains to be seen if he will be given the top backup spot right off the bat. Processing and handling himself in the pocket are still works in progress, though the scrambling ability certainly helps alleviate some woes. Elsewhere, Nate Sudfeld did not play in this game (while Jake Fromm did), perhaps hinting that the Lions have seen enough out of him—if that is a good thing or bad thing for Sudfeld’s roster spot remains to be seen. Fromm had a strong showing in his limited snaps, but he is unlikely to unseat Sudfeld.
A rocky performance for the backup OL
Any time a quarterback takes five sacks in a game, it indicates a defensive line overpowering the blockers up front. Hooker was pressured relentlessly in the first half, four of the sacks coming in the first quarter and three of them coming in a row on the first drive. The offensive line did not yield a sack in the second half, but it also came against a second- and third-string defense and Hooker making himself space with his legs.
Colby Sorsdal, in particular, has disappointed this preseason, failing to make the jump many hoped for. Sure, he was moved between guard and tackle this offseason, but he very much looks like a project, and with Giovanni Manu and Christian Mahogany on the roster, do the Lions need more developmental players? Elsewhere, the battle between Kayode Awosika, Michael Niese, and Kingsley Eguakun for an interior depth spot is far from settled, though it is worth noting that a healthy Awosika did not play against Pittsburgh—this does not indicate he is a lock, but it likely indicates they know what they have in him.
The WR room looks set, and not for good reasons
Evaluating the wide receiver group with backup quarterbacks and offensive linemen is rarely easy, but the Lions in particular have struggled to separate out their position battles. Maurice Alexander finished as the leading receiver, but a majority of his damage came once Fromm entered the game. Jalon Calhoun finished second in receiving yards, yet he too did not make a play until the final stages of the game.
The biggest names in the position battle were quiet. Isaiah Williams had just one catch for 17 yards while also contributing to an interception thrown by Hooker. Donovan Peoples-Jones failed to corral any of his three targets, and appeared to be yelled at by Williams for incorrectly lining up. Daurice Fountain had a deep shot that he failed to catch—it was difficult but still makeable, a play that would have really helped his case. Kaden Davis had two catches for 27 yards in a performance that won’t move the needle.
Williams is perhaps the only receiver to have played his way onto the roster this preseason. Every other option has disappointed, and the Lions are left in a tough situation regarding their receiver depth.
The summer of Summers
Linebacker Ty Summers has not been with the Lions for long, but he has stood out in positive ways in his short stint. Summers had arguably the best defensive performance for the Lions against the Steelers, notching himself eight tackles, one-and-a-half sacks, and a special teams tackle to boot:
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 24, 2024
He had a stellar PFF grade of 79.2 last week against the Kansas Chiefs (funnily enough, his second preseason game against the Chiefs) and will likely earn himself another solid grade for this week’s performance.
Had Summers joined the Lions in June or July, I think he would have earned a roster spot. Unfortunately, the Lions are set with their five linebackers of Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin. If the Lions opt for a sixth linebacker, it seems like Ben Niemann has the upper hand, repping early in games alongside Reeves-Maybin. A seventh linebacker would not be out of the realm of possibility for special teams purposes, but it seems like Summers could be a good practice squad option and future call-up.
The Lions have a kickoff problem
Preseason is when teams get to experiment with new rules, and no recent change as been as drastic as the new kickoff rules. However, after three preseason games, the Lions are struggling with the new format.
Jake Bates received two penalties on Saturday when his kickoffs failed to reach the designated landing zone, setting up shop for the Steelers at the 40-yard line. He had a similar penalty earlier in preseason as well. The Lions are clearly trying out a strategy, but Bakes is struggling with it thus far.
When the kickoff does land, the coverage unit is not faring well either. Under the new rule, a touchback puts the ball on the 30-yard line, so the goal of any kick is to limit a return before that spot. On 13 kickoffs in preseason, the Lions have held opposing returners to under 30 yards just four times, not factoring in penalties. Against the New York Giants , Isaiah McKenzie returned one kick to the 34, while Bates’ other kick was short of the landing zone. Against the Chiefs, Bates had six kickoffs with returns to the opposing 27, 29, 35, 38, 47, and 27-yard lines. Against the Steelers, Bates had the aforementioned two penalties, a touchback (that bounced in the landing zone, resulting in the ball being spotted at the 20-yard line), as well as returns to the 25 and 38.
Given the current results, there seems to be little incentive to even allow a kickoff return. Bates is not making the kicks at a consistent rate, and when he is making the kicks, the coverage is not consistently stopping them before the 30-yard line. Just boot it out of the end zone.
Is Bates’ inconsistency worth the longer range?
Bates had his heroics last week against the Chiefs, but a missed extra point hinted at the fear many have had in training camp. Bates has never struggled with leg strength, but if he cannot string together the makeable kicks, how much staying power will he have in the NFL? Bates missed an easy 30-yard field goal against the Steelers and it is frankly inexcusable at this point. Yet later in the game, he drilled a 46 yarder down the middle. The Lions coaching staff will have to decided if his booming kicks outweigh the reliability.
If the game is on the line and you need a 60-yard field goal, Bates is one of the better options you can get. If you need an intermediate kick, however, how much faith do you truly have? Is it worth having a kicker that’s 70 percent on all kicks regardless of range, or would you rather have a kicker that’s reliable within 40 yards and a long shot beyond 50? The Washington Commanders recently released former Lion Riley Patterson, a candidate for the Lions if they desire accuracy over range.
I still think Bates will be the kicker come Week 1, and hopefully he irons out the bad misses, but I think the Lions will keep an eye on the other names that come across the waiver wire—a midseason replacement is not off the table.