The Lions got more than a preseason win over the Commanders on Saturday. They may have also taken a big step toward sorting out the back end of their roster.
Preseason games can fool you if you let them, but Detroit entered 2026 with real openings to fill through rookie talent and low-cost free agents. In Week 2, a handful of those players showed enough to make a strong case for themselves, and three names in particular stood out as possible roster locks.
Skyler Gill-Howard was impossible to miss when he found a crease. He finished with a quarterback hit and a tackle for loss, and he kept showing up around the ball with a style that never really lets a play breathe. The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy summed it up perfectly with: “Skyler Gill-Howard every other play pic.twitter.com/zPKl0QKulP”
Gill-Howard has been winning those preseason battles against bigger offensive linemen with a mix of strength and quickness that doesn’t quite match his size. He also flashed the same relentlessness in Detroit’s Week 1 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and that kind of effort matters. Even with the Lions’ tackle room in good shape, he’s making a real argument as a backup worth keeping around for blitz looks and third-down work.
Trayveon Williams also helped himself. He looked hard to stop against Washington and finished with one of Detroit’s two touchdowns, part of a 10-carry, 36-yard day. His path got even clearer after Jabari Small, who had been getting more reps early in the game, entered concussion protocol following the win, according to Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers.
That opens the door for Williams to climb the running back depth chart while the RB2 battle continues. Jacob Saylors still seems out in front, but Williams has positioned himself as useful insurance and a special teams option.
Then there’s Jackson Meeks, who has spent the offseason turning into exactly the kind of multipurpose piece the Lions seem to want. Detroit has worked him at tight end because of his frame and blocking ability, and he’s also been in the mix to handle gunner duties on special teams. Against the Commanders, he showed why that plan exists at all.
Meeks caught four passes for 33 yards and forced a fumble in the fourth quarter while covering a punt return, sealing the win for Detroit. With Grant Stuard gone in free agency, he could fill an important role on special teams. And with Sam LaPorta’s injury status still unsettled, Meeks also has a shot to compete for TE2 duties and potentially see starting snaps early in the year.
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Kyler Gordon is the most intriguing name in the group because of his versatility, while Roschon Johnson could appeal as a physical back with room to fit into a rotation. Jamree Kromah is more of a developmental flier, but those are the kinds of low-cost bets teams often make in late August. Nothing is guaranteed, and it all depends on how Chicago sorts out its final roster, but Detroit has enough familiarity with Ben Johnsons new home to keep an eye on what shakes loose. [Read more 🡒]
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Dan Campbell acknowledged the situation, and now the competition appears to be narrowed to Juice Scruggs, Seth McLaughlin and Tate Ratledge. For a team that values continuity up front, every practice rep at center carries extra weight, and injuries only make the evaluation more complicated. The Lions still have options, but the path to a dependable answer in the middle looks a little less straightforward than it did a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookie DT Is Flashing But One Issue Still Threatens His Role
Skyler Gill-Howard made a strong impression in the Lions preseason win over Washington, flashing the kind of disruptive presence that can turn a rookie into a quick favorite around camp. The defensive tackle earned the highest PFF grade among Detroit defenders who played at least 20 snaps, and his best moment came on a tackle for loss against the Commanders. Dan Campbell singled out his relentlessness and effort, the kind of traits that tend to travel well from August into the regular season.
Gill-Howard has already shown enough juice to make the conversation interesting, especially as a situational pass rusher with a path toward early snaps. But he also knows there is still work to do as he adjusts to the NFL, and he pointed specifically to run defense as an area he needs to sharpen. For a young lineman trying to carve out a role on Detroits front, that part of the evaluation still matters, because the flashes are real but the margin for error at defensive tackle is never very wide. [Read more 🡒]