One of the duties for the Detroit Lions and GM Brad Holmes is to assemble the team’s practice squad. Roster cutdowns to the initial 53-man roster left the Lions with only 52 players, so that complicates predicting who all makes Detroit’s initial practice squad.
The Lions are allowed up to 16 players on the practice squad. Six of those can be veterans with at least four years of experience, players who were not subject to waivers after the roster cutdowns.
We already know one of those six will be former Broncos WR Tim Patrick. At least four vets the Lions released on Tuesday make great candidates to return:
DT Kyle Peko
DL Pat O’Connor
LB Ty Summers
OT Jamarco Jones
That would leave one opening for a veteran who wasn’t with the Lions during the preseason. It could also be where QB Nate Sudfeld fits if the Lions want him back in the building, or another LB like Abraham Beauplan or Joel Iyiegbuniwe. I don’t see Donovan Peoples-Jones or Daurice Fountain returning, though the latter does have some potential to join the Lions practice squad.
Barring waiver claims from another team, which tend to pluck a little less than one player per team on average, here are the 10 younger players the Lions figure to focus on keeping on the practice squad:
OLB Mitchell Agude
WR/RS Maurice Alexander
OL Jake Burton
OL Kingsley Eguakun
QB Jake Fromm
RB Jermar Jefferson
WR Tom Kennedy
DL Chris Smith
EDGE Isaac Ukwu
TE Shane Zylstra
Fromm is an interesting one, because if the Lions bring Sudfeld back in any capacity, it makes no sense to also use a spot on Fromm. But the way head coach Dan Campbell talked about Fromm after his highly impressive preseason outing, the door appears open to keeping the younger QB with demonstrated better composure and accuracy.
The Lions also have a decision to make at running back. Jefferson, Zonovan Knight and Jake Funk all are worthy of keeping on the practice squad, but it’s difficult to see them keeping more than one. Jefferson gets the tentative nod based on his longevity.
Given all the tight ends waived around the league on Tuesday, I do expect Zylstra to clear waivers and return to Detroit. Cornerback Steven Gilmore could be back, too.