The Detroit Lions trimmed two defensive linemen from the picture on the eve of their season opener, parting ways with Levi Onwuzurike from the active roster and rookie Tyre West from the practice squad just 48 hours before facing the New Orleans Saints.
Onwuzurike’s situation is the bigger one to watch. The former second-round pick has dealt with multiple injuries and hasn’t matched expectations over the first five years of his career. He spent much of training camp on the roster bubble, yet still made Detroit’s initial 53-man roster.
That may not be the final word. Onwuzurike missed all of last season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, and there’s still a path for him to return.
If a player is on the Week 1 53-man roster, the contract becomes fully guaranteed, so this could be a roster move designed to manage that. He also could end up back on the practice squad, or back on the active roster if the front office wants to keep him in the organization.
Separately, Dan Campbell addressed another topic that has been hanging over the Lions: travel plans for Germany. After the Los Angeles Rams’ sluggish showing against the San Francisco 49ers, there has been speculation about whether Detroit might change course and head overseas earlier. Right now, the team plans to arrive only a couple of days before kickoff against the New England Patriots.
Asked Friday who the Lions consulted while making those travel decisions, Campbell said, “We've put in a lot of work with a lot of specialists. Our crew talks to a lot of people.
Man, I've basically been over there a number of times, three different times, and that wasn't Germany, but it was England and it's not that far off," said Campbell. "So, I've got a pretty good idea of what both of them are like.
You go out there for a week, you go out two days early.
"And ultimately, man, the team that is ready to go is ready to go and you’ve got the most energy and you're locked in. But my thoughts, because I know that's coming up with Germany, is we play this game and then we're just going to go to Germany, so we're ready.”
In Other News...
Lions Part Of A Bills Gameday Twist Detroit Fans Will Notice
Before the Lions kick off at Highmark Stadium on Sept. 13, the pregame scene will carry a distinctly cross-border flavor. The Bills announced they will play both the American and Canadian national anthems, with Aulii Cravalho handling the U.S. anthem and the Barenaked Ladies performing the Canadian one, a small but notable nod to the audience Buffalo has long tried to reach north of the border.
It also fits with the Bills broader push to deepen ties with Canadian fans, including an expanded radio network now reaching three major Canadian markets. For Detroit, it is just another wrinkle in a road trip that already comes with plenty of attention, because the atmosphere around this game is shaping up to be about more than what happens once the opening whistle finally sounds. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Are Taking A Real Gamble With One Starting Spot
The Lions are heading into Week 1 with an open question on the left side of their offensive line, and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing says the team plans to keep leaning into it. Christian Mahogany and Ben Bartch are set to share the work at left guard as Detroit tries to sort out who fits best in the spot, with the competition framed less as a setback than as a chance to sharpen the depth chart before the season settles in.
Petzing stressed that the rotation is part of the process and is expected to keep going unless something breaks down. For Detroit, it is a calculated gamble at one of the most important spots up front, because the Lions are still trying to determine whether they already have the answer on the roster or whether the job will eventually belong to one player alone. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Still Have One Unsettled Jared Goff Problem
The Lions added Josh Dobbs as their new backup quarterback after Teddy Bridgewater retired, and the move made plenty of sense given Dobbs previous connection to offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. It also reflected a reality Detroit has been living with behind Jared Goff: the room is still thin, with undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer as the only other quarterback on the roster.
Jeremy Fowler has now pointed to another name that fits the same general profile, suggesting Jacoby Brissett could surface as a trade candidate. Brissett is with the Cardinals and also knows Petzing, which makes the fit easy to see from Detroits side, even if the path to getting him is still the part that has not been settled. [Read more 🡒]