The Lions have added a lot of backup talent at the EDGE position this offseason. Are there too many cooks in the kitchen?
The Detroit Lions have turned over every rock when it comes to upgrading the talent at EDGE this offseason. They’ve signed free agent Marcus Davenport, snagged Mathieu Betts from the Canadian Football League, and are expecting James Houston, Josh Paschal, and Levi Onwuzurike (who has situationally played on the edge at OTAs) to enter 2024 in good health following injury-riddled 2023 seasons for both. That’s a lot of options to add to the incumbents. Is it too many options?
Question of the day: Who will be the odd man out at EDGE in 2024?
Right now, in addition to the aforementioned, the Lions have Aidan Hutchinson and John Cominksy, the latter of whom spends a good amount of time playing on the interior as well. Let’s look at this by process of elimination.
The least likely out of everyone to make the roster is Mathieu Betts. He’s a wild card who could pay off big time, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for anything. Beyond him, Marcus Davenport seems to be the least guaranteed to deliver. Davenport has yet to grow out of his shell since the Saints moved up to draft him in 2018, and 2023 was his quietest season yet, with just seven tackles and two sacks in four games for Minnesota.
The Lions, presumably as the Saints and Vikings did, are taking a flyer on Davenport’s upside. However, given his injury history and the fact that he’s entering a new scheme, absolutely nothing is a guarantee.
I hate to say this, but I’d also put John Cominsky firmly on the bubble entering 2024. He’s a year into a two-year extension signed following the 2022 season, but Cominsky saw a much smaller role in 2023 than he did in 2022 despite a lingering need for defensive line talent in Detroit. That doesn’t bode well, and the coaching staff may ultimately let him go in favor of a fresh face.
My answer: Ultimately, I think the most likely to go is Betts, but with a caveat. I think the Lions will surely try to retain him on the practice squad if they do cut him. This front office has to know that Betts will have a learning curve as he transitions from the CFL, and may want to give him a longer window. Beyond that, I think Cominsky would be the next to go, with Marcus Davenport offering more of a pure edge rusher skillset. I’d be a lot more surprised to see either of them stick
This is all fairly premature, and we’ll have to see how things shake out through training camp.
Who do you think will be the odd man out at EDGE? Vote below and let us know your thoughts in the comments.