Training camp is almost here, and the first real roster squeeze for the Detroit Lions is already taking shape on offense.
This is where the margins get thin. A few jobs look locked, a few others are hanging by a thread, and the rest of the conversation is about who can make enough noise in camp and the preseason to force the issue. On the latest Bubble Watch, the staff is sorting through 15 offensive players who could be fighting for their spots.
At quarterback, the top two jobs are being treated as settled for now. Teddy Bridgewater is not being viewed as a bubble player entering camp, with the belief that Detroit values his mentorship too much to move on. That leaves undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer as the main question at QB3, and only one staffer - Brett Whitefield - currently has him making the 53-man roster.
Running back has a similar feel, at least at the top of the depth chart. Sione Vaki is being treated as an assumed keep, largely because of how valuable he is on special teams.
The only real path to a fourth back right now appears to run through Jacob Saylors, whose special teams work in 2025 could give him a case. Kye Robichaux and Jabari Small are still worth watching, though, and a strong preseason could push either one into the mix.
Wide receiver looks more stable, but not completely closed off. Detroit’s top four receivers are considered safe for the moment, and most of the staff expects the Lions to carry two more: Cedrick Wilson Jr. and second-year receiver Dominic Lovett.
Still, a few voters had the team keeping only five receivers, and Tom Kennedy picked up a vote after his surprise special teams contributions last year. Jackson Meeks did not get a vote, which was a little surprising, though he’s still viewed as more of a work-in-progress as he continues splitting time between tight end and wideout.
Tight end could get interesting if the injury situation drags on. Most of the staff made these projections before Conklin was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list to open training camp, so the picture may still shift.
The severity of the injury he picked up in spring practices hasn’t been revealed, so he could still end up winning the TE3 job. Even so, undrafted rookie Miles Kitselman - one of Detroit’s most well-regarded UDFA additions - earned a vote.
If Conklin misses a chunk of camp, Kitselman, Meeks, or Horton could start drawing more attention.
At offensive tackle, Giovanni Manu appears to be in real danger. Roughly three-fourths of the staff believes his roster spot is in jeopardy, especially now that Larry Borom looks like the preferred OT3. Manu is going to need a clear jump in development to justify keeping a fourth tackle, and right now the staff isn’t convinced.
The interior offensive line is the one area where the votes came back clean. Even with the starting left guard job open and the depth chart getting reshuffled, the entire staff agreed on the roster spots in this group.
Ben Bartch will compete for the left guard job and, at minimum, should be an upgrade over Michael Niese. Juice Scruggs, meanwhile, is the clear favorite to back up at center when camp begins.
In Other News...
Lions Training Camp Just Put Familiar Names On Notice
Training camp is about to give the Lions their first real roster audit of the summer, and the club has already laid out the full group of 90 players who will be in the mix. It is the usual camp blend of veterans, young depth pieces and position-by-position competition, with quarterbacks, skill players, linemen and defensive backs all headed into the same pressure cooker as the team starts sorting out who belongs.
For a roster that is still taking shape, the important part is not just who is on the field but who is fighting for more than a temporary look. Some players are there to get back on track, others are trying to stay in the conversation for the active roster or the 16-man practice squad, and familiar names will have to prove they still fit as camp begins this week. [Read more 🡒]
Penei Sewell Just Added A New Twist To Lions Camp Buzz
Penei Sewell has spent his offseason getting ready for a move back to the left side, and the Lions All-Pro tackle sounded comfortable with the transition as camp chatter builds around the offensive line. He also weighed in on the competition around him, saying it is still too early to draw much from the battle involving Christian Mahogany, Tate Frazier and Trystan Bartch, while also noting he has not yet seen Bartch. Along the way, Sewell kept leaning into the broader leadership role that comes with being one of the anchors of Detroits front.
Sewell also offered a glimpse into the day-to-day side of camp life, including his impression of offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, whom he described as smart and fast-talking with a lot going on in his head. And before the football talk fully took over, Sewell was part of a fan event at Panda Express in Livonia, another reminder that around here even the biggest names on the roster can still end up as the face of a community stop between practice sessions and preseason buildup. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Camp Opens With Major New Concerns In The Secondary
Training camp opened with an early hit to the Lions secondary depth, as Detroit placed safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Tight end Tyler Conklin also landed on PUP, leaving the team to sort through a few health questions right as practices begin and roster spots start to come into focus.
For a defense that has leaned on its back end in recent seasons, the timing matters. Branch is working back from a torn Achilles, Joseph is recovering from a knee injury, and the Lions may spend the preseason evaluating other options if those absences linger. That could push more attention onto the next wave of defensive backs in camp, with Detroit needing answers before the pace picks up and the real decisions start to narrow. [Read more 🡒]