With a much more competitive roster this year, there will be some tough decisions for Brad Holmes to make. Who could be a surprising cut for the Lions in 2024?
Every year when NFL teams start to whittle down their roster and establish their 53-man roster, there are some pretty surprising cuts made by each team. And with the Detroit Lions having a roster that is much more competitive than we’re accustomed to seeing, there may be even more tough decisions for general manager Brad Holmes to make than ever before.
Today’s Question of the Day is…
Who could be a surprise cut for the Detroit Lions this year?
Let’s start at running back. The Lions have their top two guys set with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery and it will be interesting if the team decides to keep more than four running backs on the roster. I think with his special teams acumen and his ability to catch the football at a high level despite his inexperience, rookie Sione Vaki feels like the next safest choice, even though he will probably be the Lions’ fourth RB on the depth chart.
The next spot would be between Craig Reynolds, Zonovan Knight, Jermar Jefferson, and Jake Funk. The surprise cut here would be Reynolds. Though I believe he has a leg up due to his special teams skills and his performance when called upon last year, it’s not too far out of the realm of possibilities that Knight outperforms him in training camp this year and earns a spot.
Next, the tight end group should also be an intriguing competition to watch. Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright are locks as your No. 1 and No. 2 TEs, but beyond that, it’s anyone’s game. James Mitchell, Shane Zylstra, Parker Hesse, and Sean McKeon currently round out the rest of the group, and I think at this point you have to give the edge to Mitchell and Zylstra based on experience with the team. However, Hesse and McKeon both have NFL experience on previous teams and could challenge one of Mitchell or Zylstra if the Lions decide to keep four TEs.
On defense, I’m looking at the defensive line, and I see two potential surprises. John Cominsky is a guy who may have been asked to do too much in his tenure with the Lions thus far. Despite playing more snaps in 2023, his production declined, and while I don’t see a current player on the roster that would likely unseat his role as a depth DE with his type of size, I wouldn’t say he’s a complete lock to make the roster this year either. On the interior line, keep an eye out for Levi Onwuzurike. It’s now or never for the former second-round draft pick who hasn’t been able to stay healthy or make much of an impact thus far.
Let’s hear from you. Do you see any surprise cuts happening with the Lions? Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments below.