The Detroit Lions will say farewell to many names during roster cuts. However, which of these names stand a good chance of returning on the practice squad?
As of this writing, the Detroit Lions have yet to make any roster cuts, but the initial 53-man roster will be determined not far from now. There are the obvious names that will make the roster, such as Jared Goff or Aidan Hutchinson, and there are injury updates to consider, such as DJ Reader coming off the Physically Unable to Perform list or John Cominsky and Emmanuel Moseley likely to be placed on the Injured Reserve for a potential late-season return.
However, the roster bubble is where the intrigue truly lies. Will we see an undrafted rookie like Isaiah Williams or Kingsley Eguakun make the roster? How about veteran depth pieces like Ben Niemann or Ty Summers? While missing out on the roster would be a tough blow for players like these, it might not be the end of their time in Detroit.
An NFL practice squad is composed of 16 players, 17 if you include an International Pathways player (the Lions currently have David Bada in this role, though he suffered an Achilles injury in preseason). Of those players, 10 of them must have two or fewer accrued seasons. A rookie like Eguakun would meet this requirement, while a player like Summers (who has been in the league since 2019) would not. This means having to balance developmental players with veterans, something the Lions will have to weigh in wake of their roster cuts. Do you bring in a young player that needs grooming, or do you sign a veteran that could step in in a pinch?
The practice squad is not just composed of roster cuts either. In 2023, the Lions brought in David Blough, Quinton Bohanna, Daurice Fountain, Raymond Johnson, Zonovan Knight, and Michael Niese to their practice squad from other team’s cuts. Fountain, Knight, and Niese would remain on the roster into 2024. While the Lions will have 16 roster spots, a number of those spots might go to names we don’t know yet.
The 53-man roster has yet to be decided, so we do not have a clear idea of which names with even be candidates for the practice squad. We can, however, make some projections. Jeremy Reisman and Erik Schlitt each made their final 53-man roster predictions on Sunday, their lone difference being the long snapper position with Scott Daly versus Hogan Hatten. Roster projections are rarely right on the money, but with these, we can get a feel for who might be worth bringing back.
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Which players should make the Lions practice squad?
My answer: Let’s go position by position based on Jeremy’s and Erik’s cuts.
Quarterback: Jake Fromm went from a guaranteed cut to a curious one. He played well enough in his limited preseason snaps that he might just warrant a practice squad spot. If Nate Sudfeld does get cut, he is a strong candidate to make the practice squad instead.
Running back: It seems likely that at least one of Jermar Jefferson, Zonovan Knight, and Jake Funk returns on the practice squad. I would wager Jefferson, since he might be the 54th or 55th player on this roster.
Wide receiver: The Lions might opt to clean house after a disappointing summer from this group. Donovan Peoples-Jones is at the forefront of the disappointments, but he is also an experienced veteran with a decent resume. That might be enough to keep him around, though he could be challenged by Fountain or Kaden Davis. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Tom Kennedy, who manages to stick around year after year.
Tight end: If James Mitchell is cut, there is no doubt in my mind that the Lions try to bring him back.
Offensive line: One of Kayode Awosika, Michael Niese, and Kingsley Eguakun will make the roster as a depth interior lineman, but it makes complete sense for the Lions to bring back one or both of the competitors. Looking at tackle, the only candidate is Jamarco Jones, but I would prefer interior depth.
Defensive tackle: I think most of this group is making the roster, so the only question is whether Chris Smith has done enough to stay—he was fairly quiet in camp.
Defensive end: This is where things get interesting. You could make a case for James Houston, Isaac Ukwu, or Mitchell Agude to make the initial roster. The Lions likely do not have room for all of them, but you have to imagine they would love to keep all of them around in some capacity. I think Pat O’Connor could be a sleeper to make the practice squad, while Mathieu Betts lacks the youth, experience, or production to justify a spot, sadly.
Linebacker: Ty Summers is atop my practice squad wish list, as he had a phenomenal preseason stretch with the Lions. Abraham Beauplan also played well and could be considered.
Cornerback: After making the roster last season, the Lions likely want to develop Steven Gilmore. However, he has been thoroughly overtaken by players like Khalil Dorsey and Kindle Vildor on the depth chart. The practice squad seems like a safe bet for Gilmore. None of the other names stand out.
Safety: Loren Strickland is another player that looks like a great practice squad candidate, flexing some flexibility on defense at safety and in the slot, while performing well in both capacities. C.J. Moore might also be considered as insurance on special teams.
Special teams: I do not see the value in keeping a second long snapper. The Lions did sign long snapper Jake McQuaide to the practice squad mid-season last year, but it came on the heels of an injury to Daly, so they never had a healthy snapper on the active and practice squad rosters at the same time.
In total, this is my practice squad estimate:
- RB Jermar Jefferson
- WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
- TE James Mitchell
- OL Kingsley Eguakun
- OL Michael Niese
- DE Isaac Ukwu
- DE Mitchell Agude
- LB Ty Summers
- CB Steven Gilmore
- DB Loren Strickland
I would save the remaining spots for potential signings. In particular, another wide receiver or two would make sense given the lack of depth, as would an offensive tackle. Additionally, I think Fromm could be brought back, but not initially—the Lions might explore some of the waived options first.
Which names should the Lions target for the practice squad, assuming they aren’t on your 53-man roster to begin with? Let us know in the comments below.