The Detroit Lions are heading into a different kind of week, and it starts Monday night with their first night practice of training camp. More importantly, this is the week when Dan Campbell’s preseason approach appears to change.
Campbell said last week that the Lions are likely to play their starters against the Washington Commanders on Saturday, which would be the first time in several years under him that they’ve gone that route.
“I think more of mine are the questions will be coming next week, when we start getting into the Washington week, because that was kind of where I always targeted like, alright, this may be where we need to play our guys,” Campbell said. “That’ll be the first one is kind of where I was thinking.”
That sets up an obvious debate: which Lions should stay glued to the sideline in preseason action?
For me, the answer starts with caution. The Arizona Cardinals got a reminder this weekend of how quickly preseason can turn on you, with first-round pick Jeremiyah Love reportedly suffering a high-ankle sprain that could cost him the start of the season. That’s exactly the kind of risk that makes me lean toward protecting the most important players.
There’s always the argument that Detroit hasn’t been at its best early in seasons, and that some preseason snaps might help knock off the rust. But with the work these guys already get in training camp, I’m not convinced it makes a meaningful difference.
Still, this roster does have some real decisions left to make, especially along the offensive line and in the secondary. The Lions still haven’t settled on their starting five up front, and spots like safety and nickel cornerback are still up for grabs. Those are the kinds of jobs where timing and chemistry matter, so I’m all for seeing the projected starters there get reps.
As for the stars? I don’t need to see Jared Goff or Jahmyr Gibbs in preseason.
I don’t need Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jamo, Jack Campbell, or Aidan Hutchinson out there either.
Those are the players I’d keep out of it.
For everyone else, there’s a stronger case to be made.
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Lions Final Roster Battle Is Heating Up Around These Sleepers
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That is where a handful of sleepers have started to draw attention, including WR Tay Martin, EDGE Eric ONeill, DT Ben Stille and LB Erick Hunter. Dan Campbell has already acknowledged some of that progress, and the next decision will come down to whether those players can turn encouraging stretches into enough value to stick on the 53-man roster or at least land on the practice squad. [Read more 🡒]
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Cedrick Wilson Jr. is the veteran in the mix who can make this a real competition, especially after drawing praise from Dan Campbell. Wilson brings a longer NFL rsum from stops with the Cowboys, Dolphins and Saints, and he already has the kind of experience that can matter when a team is deciding who can be trusted with regular snaps. If TeSlaa does not clean things up before the regular season, the Lions may have a harder choice there than they expected. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Defensive Bubble Just Got Tougher After Detroits Preseason Opener
Detroits preseason opener did not end in a win, but the defense gave the Lions plenty to like anyway. Even with backups on the field, the group held Cincinnati to 10 points and 125 yards in the first half, a showing that should only sharpen the competition for roster spots as the summer goes on. Dan Campbell has already made it clear this is the kind of camp where every rep matters, and the early work on that side of the ball suggested there will be a real squeeze when decisions start to get serious.
The bubble, though, may be getting even tighter because some of the names who would normally shape the discussion are not going to be available right away. Jimmy Rolder is expected to begin the year on injured reserve, while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are now expected to open on the PUP list, leaving the Lions to sort out a deeper defensive puzzle than usual. For players fighting to stick, that creates both opportunity and pressure, and it makes the next few preseason weeks feel a lot more important than one August game usually does. [Read more 🡒]