Which players will you be keeping a close eye on during the Lions-Chiefs game today?
The Detroit Lions ’ reserve players are going to have their hands full during today’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs , as head coach Andy Reid has made it clear that his plan is to play their starters for the entirety of the first half. Dan Campbell is taking a different approach, and does not plan to play many of his starters. So while it might not look pretty at times, there may not be a better opportunity than this for someone on the bubble looking to build their case for a roster spot.
Cut day is quickly approaching, and every NFL team will be required to trim their rosters down from 90 to 53 players by August 27. Coaches will no doubt be keeping a close eye on each player fighting for a roster spot. Which players will you be keeping tabs on?
Today’s Question of the Day is…
Which Lions player(s) will you be watching the closest against the Chiefs?
My answer: Kaden Davis, Daurice Fountain and the rest of the receiver bunch.
Bonus answer: Hendon Hooker.
Dan Campbell was practically begging for any of his receivers beyond the top guys to step up and break away from the pack. And well, it’s now or never for those guys. Fountain fits the X-receiver profile the Lions need, and has been the guy that has impressed early in camp, while Davis has made a late surge and has been stacking some big plays in consecutive practices.
You can’t forget about Isaiah Williams either, who was the team’s leading receiver against the Giants last week. Donovan Peoples-Jones has had a quiet camp, but he was once thought of as the favorite to win the X-receiver role prior to camp, and the Lions know what they’re getting with him as he was able to step in for some injuries last year.
Tom Kennedy seems like a longshot at this point to make the roster, but you can always count on him to have at least one standout performance in the preseason. On special teams, look out for Maurice Alexander who will be looking to bounce back after a rough performance last week when he muffed two punts and nearly lost one of them.
I’ll also be keeping an eye on Hooker, who will likely be ready to go after clearing concussion protocol this week. The Lions offense seemed to get in more of a rhythm when Hooker was out there last week, and while I loved seeing him truck a dude in the secondary, it might be in his best interest to be a little more careful on the ground moving forward. As of the time of writing this, I do not know which QB will be starting against the Chiefs for the Lions, but I am sure that whatever happens, Hooker will be seeing some stronger competition than he saw going up against third-string opponents last Thursday, and this should be a good test for him.