The Detroit Lions built their practice squad with more than just depth in mind. They stocked it with players who can be thrown into the fire if the season demands it, and that matters after last year’s injuries pushed practice squad call-ups into regular duty. The “Legion of Whom” became a real thing because so much of the secondary ended up coming from outside the 53-man roster.
With Week 1 approaching, four names stand out as the most obvious candidates to get elevated sooner rather than later.
Tom Kennedy is back again, and once again he starts on the practice squad. The wide receiver didn’t see much preseason action, as the Lions focused on other players for special teams work, including Jacob Saylors, Tay Martin, and possibly Sione Vaki.
Kennedy did show some juice as a returner last year, but Detroit chose to carry only four receivers into Week 1 - for now. That room is thin, and Kennedy looks like the kind of move the Lions could make if Martin doesn’t hold up as a returner or gunner.
It would be less about Isaac TeSlaa and more about adding another piece to special teams.
Nick Whiteside is another name that feels ready to pop back up. He and Greg Dortch were the two most surprising cuts on cutdown day, but Whiteside ended up in a better spot for Detroit after going unclaimed and returning to the practice squad.
He opened camp as a real contender for the CB2 job, then slid behind Rock Ya-Sin and eventually Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Even so, he remains a strong defensive insurance policy if injuries hit the secondary again.
He also knows defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard well enough from his 2025 starts to be a true plug-and-play option.
Mason Miller may be the most intriguing emergency call-up of the bunch. He looked better than expected in brief preseason snaps at center, enough to make you wonder whether Detroit would keep him on the 53-man roster as Juice Scruggs’ backup.
Instead, the Lions waived him and brought him back on the practice squad as a swing guard who can also handle center. Behind Scruggs, the depth chart is bare, and that gets even shakier with Cade Mays out for a few weeks.
Tate Ratledge can work at center if needed, but Miller looks like the cleaner contingency plan.
Then there’s Joe Bachie, who feels tailor-made for special teams work if Detroit needs another body. Dan Campbell praised him before the team let him go, saying:
"(He's) exactly what he was when he was coming out. Smart.
Just a smart, crafty, all out linebacker, Can play all the spots as needed, (can play) special teams, and he has picked up where he left off from when I remember him. That's what he's been in this league.
He's walked in the door and he's got a great grasp of this defense right now."
With Devin White added this offseason and already locked into a role on the 53-man roster, Bachie’s clearest path is through special teams. If Detroit needs him, he can fill that lane, and that alone could make him a valuable early-season call-up.
In Other News...
Lions Have A Real RB2 Debate Behind Jahmyr Gibbs
Jahmyr Gibbs still sits at the top of Detroits backfield pecking order, but the conversation around the Lions depth chart has shifted to the kind of RB2 debate that can matter later in the season. With Isiah Pacheco moved to injured reserve, attention has turned to which reserve back will be positioned for the larger share of the snaps behind Gibbs, and the choices are drawing support for different reasons.
Sione Vaki has earned a strong reputation in practice, especially for his pass protection, while Jacob Saylors has put himself on the radar with a preseason that caught the eye of fans and analysts alike. The split in opinion is the interesting part for Detroit, because the coaching staffs view and the public buzz do not always line up, and this is one of those roster questions that may not be settled until the Lions actually need it. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Real Concern About Their Bills Trip
The trip to Buffalo has picked up an unexpected wrinkle for Detroit, with the Bills re-sodding the field at Highmark Stadium ahead of the home opener after poor turf conditions drew heavy scrutiny. What was supposed to be a straightforward early-season road test has turned into a conversation about the surface itself, after a sod expert called it the worst he has seen in the NFL and agronomists raised questions about whether a new grass field can be installed in time.
The Bills are still projecting confidence that the field will clear NFL standards once it is inspected, but that assurance does not do much to quiet the concern around a game that already carries plenty of weight for both teams. For the Lions, the issue is not just the usual challenge of playing in Buffalo, it is the added uncertainty of what kind of playing surface will be waiting when they get there. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Holmes' Trade History Says Plenty About Detroit's CB2 Rumors
Brad Holmes left the door open just enough to keep the conversation going, but his track record tells a clearer story about how the Lions usually operate. After roster cuts, the Detroit general manager said he was satisfied with the cornerback room, even as the uncertainty around Terrion Arnold has kept the CB2 discussion alive. That combination has fueled outside chatter about whether Detroit might chase help at the position, with Joey Porter Jr. of the Steelers becoming a popular name in the speculation.
Still, Holmes has rarely treated draft capital like something to spend lightly, and that caution matters here. He has already acknowledged how difficult in-season trades can be, and his tendency to protect high picks makes a deal like this feel like a long shot unless the market changes quickly. For a team trying to keep its defense steady without sacrificing future flexibility, the real question is not whether the need exists but whether Holmes would ever pay the price to address it. [Read more 🡒]