Tag: 53-man roster projection

Predicting the Detroit Lions initial practice squad

Predicting the Detroit Lions initial practice squad, which gets formed after 12 p.m. ET on Wednesday

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.

Chargers 53-man roster projection: Who’s in, out ahead of final preseason game

Here’s how we see the Chargers’ roster shaping up ahead of the final preseason game.

The Chargers’ second preseason game against the Rams shed more light on some players and position battles.

Here’s an attempt at predicting the 53-man roster ahead of Los Angeles’ preseason finale against the Cowboys:

Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, QB via trade or sign

I have a hard time believing that the Chargers’ backup quarterback is currently on the roster. Despite performing well as a starter in the final few games of last season when Herbert landed on injured reserve with a finger injury, Easton Stick has struggled all summer. Luis Perez has flashed, but I don’t think he’s ready for the backup role. I see Los Angeles adding someone like Tyler Huntley, Dorian Thompson-Robinson or Taylor Heinicke.

Running back (4): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Jaret Patterson, Kimani Vidal

Nothing changes with the first three running backs from my last projection. Patterson has received most of the reps as the third back throughout the summer. I had Isaiah Spiller over Vidal after the first week of preseason, but that changed after Vidal led the team in rushing against the Rams. There’s no denying that Vidal is a talented player who could contribute in his rookie season.

Wide receiver (6): Josh Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko

No changes to the first five wide receivers listed. But in this projection, I am giving the nod to Fehoko over Brenden Rice. Not only has Fehoko excelled on offense, as a pass-catcher and a blocker, but he’s also flourished on special teams.

Tight end (4): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Donald Parham Jr., Tucker Fisk

Parham has been back on the field after missing some time with an injury early in the summer and has shown what he brings to the table as a receiver. I have Fisk over Stone Smartt and the undrafted free agents Luke Benson and Zach Heins because he showed some real juice as a blocker against the Rams last weekend.

Offensive line (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins, Joe Alt, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Foster Sarell

No changes.

Edge rusher (4): Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree

In my last projection, Chris Rumph II made the roster as the fifth edge rusher. However, he suffered a foot injury in the preseason opener against and has been out since. I think he could end up on the injured reserve to start the season. Tre’Mon Morris-Brash has made his case to make the roster. But ultimately, I think he ends up being a practice squad candidate.

Defensive line (6): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Teair Tart, Justin Eboigbe, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock

I had the Chargers rostering five defensive tackles before. But that changed when they signed Tart, who already flashed his playmaking skills this past weekend.

Linebacker (5): Denzel Perryman, Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Troy Dye

No changes.

Cornerback (6): Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still

No changes.

Safety (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, AJ Finley, Thomas Harper

The fourth safety spot between Harper and JT Woods will be a tough decision for the coaching staff. You can make the case for both players. While Woods has shown improvement and is getting reps at outside cornerback, where I believe he is better suited, Harper has made plenty of plays on defense and special teams to warrant a spot.

Specialists (3): K Cameron Dicker, P J.K. Scott, LS Josh Harris

No changes.

Detroit Lions Podcast: Projecting the final roster and bubble battles

Detroit Lions Podcast: Projecting the final roster and bubble battles ahead of the NFL’s cutdown deadline

The latest live episode of the Detroit Lions Podcast is now available to watch or stream. Recorded on Tuesday night with one week to go until the Lions, like all NFL teams, are required to trim the roster from 90 to 53 players, this episode focuses on the cutdowns.

There are a few bubble battles around the Lions roster, and that includes how many players to keep at one position or another to make the most effective 53-man roster.

Which guys played their way up? Who started camp strong but faded once the preseason fired up? Who is still playing for status in the final preseason game against the Steelers?

All that, some recent injury updates and transactions, and a whole lot more.

The audio-only version of this show is available from your favorite podcast provider.

Chargers 53-man roster projection: Who’s in, out after preseason opener

Here’s how we see the Chargers’ roster shaking out after the first preseason game against the Seahawks.

The Chargers played their first preseason game this past Saturday, giving players on the bubble an opportunity to impress Jim Harbaugh and the rest of the coaching staff.

Who improved their odds of making the team? Here’s how we see the roster shaking out ahead of this week:

Quarterbacks (2): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick

Herbert’s injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot has raised some concerns. It will be two weeks in the walking boot on Aug. 15. He is expected to be ready for the season opener against the Raiders, but his status by then remains to be seen. Stick’s play against the Seahawks wasn’t inspiring, and it hasn’t this entire summer. But the Chargers don’t have a better option on the roster. Luis Perez, who has only been on the roster for a week, could push him for the job if he continues to show promise.

Running backs (4): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Jaret Patterson, Isaiah Spiller

Kimani Vidal not being included may come as a surprise. Vidal did not play this past weekend, likely due to the fact that he’s been dealing with an injury that kept him sidelined during the joint practice with the Rams. Patterson received the bulk of the carries on Saturday, and he got reps with the first-team offense in camp. Spiller gets the nod because of his special teams skills.

Wide receivers (6): Josh Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, Derius Davis, Brenden Rice

This has been my projection for this positional room since before the start of camp, and I feel confident this is how it will play out. Rice played the second-most snaps on Saturday.

Tight ends (4): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Stone Smartt, Luke Benson

I’ve had Donald Parham listed in my projections, but considering how much he’s been injured, it’s hard to see him making the roster. When all is said and done, I could see the team rolling with three tight ends, but I have Benson earning a spot. He’s made some plays this summer and would supply the offense with a reliable lead blocker.

Offensive line (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins, Joe Alt, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Foster Sarell

No changes from my last projection with the exception of the battle between Alex Leatherwood and Sarell. I recently had Leatherwood, but he struggled, allowing six pressures on 20 pass-blocking snaps. Sarell played well at both tackle spots and right guard.

Edge rusher (5): Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree, Chris Rumph II

Initially, I had the Chargers only keeping four edge rushers. But Rumph has stood out this summer, both as a pass rusher and run defender. In addition to the depth he would provide, Rumph is a core special teamer. Watch out for Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, who had a solid showing against Seattle.

Defensive line (5): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Justin Eboigbe, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock

Chris Hinton has flashed this summer enough to warrant a spot, which is why they could elect to roster six defensive tackles. But for now, I have them sticking with five.

Linebacker (5): Denzel Perryman, Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Troy Dye

No changes.

Cornerback (6): Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still

No changes.

Safety (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, AJ Finley, JT Woods

Tony Jefferson was in my previous projections, but he’s been playing with the third-team defense in camp. Finley has played his way into the third safety spot. Woods showed signs of development this past weekend against the Seahawks.

Specialists (3): K Cameron Dicker, P J.K. Scott, LS Josh Harris

No changes.

Chargers 53-man roster projection before training camp

Predicting how the Chargers roster will shape up prior to the start of training camp.

The Chargers begin training camp next week, July 24, to prepare for the start of the 2024 season under Jim Harbaugh’s new regime.

There, roster spots will be won and lost at The Bolt in El Segundo, CA.

That said, here is my very early prediction for the team’s Week 1 roster.

Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick

Misses the cut: Max Duggan, Casey Bauman

Running back (5): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Kimani Vidal, Isaiah Spiller, Ben Mason (FB)

Misses the cut: Elijah Dotson, Jaret Patterson

Wide receiver (6): Josh Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, Derius Davis, Brenden Rice

Misses the cut: Cornelius Johnson, Simi Fehoko, Jaelen Gill, Leon Johnson, Jaylen Johnson, Praise Olatoke

Tight end (4): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Donald Parham Jr., Zach Heins

Misses the cut: Stone Smartt, Luke Benson

Offensive line (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins, Joe Alt, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Alex Leatherwood

Misses the cut: Foster Sarell, Karsen Barnhart, Brent Liang, Willis Patrick, Tyler McLellan, Bucky Williams

Edge rusher (4): Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree

Misses the cut: Chris Rumph II, Ty Shelby, Andrew Farmer,

Interior defensive line (5): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Justin Eboigbe, Otito Ogbonnia, Chris Hinton

Misses the cut: CJ Okoye, Jerrod Clark

Linebacker (5): Denzel Perryman, Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Troy Dye

Misses the cut: Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, Shane Lee

Cornerback (6): Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Cam Hart, Tarheeb Still

Misses the cut: Chris Wilcox, Matt Hankins

Safety (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, Tony Jefferson, Akeem Dent

Misses the cut: AJ Finley, JT Woods

Specialists (3): Cameron Dicker (K), JK Scott (P), Josh Harris (LS)

Falcons 53-man roster projection following 2024 NFL draft

Projecting the #Falcons 53-man roster following the 2024 NFL draft

Whenever a new head coach takes over in the NFL, there’s bound to be significant roster turnover. The Atlanta Falcons have already made some big changes under head coach Raheem Morris in both free agency and the draft.

The quarterback room has been revamped as the team looks to return to the playoffs following a six-year postseason drought. Aside from first-round pick Michael Penix, the Falcons added seven other players in the draft and 10 undrafted free agents.

Since the team is unlikely to do anything major before training camp, we took a first stab at projecting Atlanta’s initial 53-man roster for 2024:

Predicting the 22 remaining Detroit Lions roster cutdowns

The Detroit Lions have 75 players on the active roster as of noon Monday and have to be down to 53 by 4 p.m. Tuesday

It’s almost time for the Detroit Lions initial 53-man roster to be set for the 2023 regular season. The team has already trimmed several players from the 90-man preseason limit, but there are more cutdowns to be made.

As of 12 p.m. ET on Monday, the Lions have 75 players still on the active roster. That leaves 22 more players to be removed from the active roster before 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Note that CB Emmanuel Moseley and QB Hendon Hooker are not currently on the active roster, so they don’t factor in. WR Jameson Williams begins serving his suspension after the cutdowns, so he’s not involved either. 

Video: Detroit Lions Podcast predicts the 53-man roster and more

Video: Detroit Lions Podcast predicts the 53-man roster and wraps up the preseason

A special weekend edition of the Detroit Lions Podcast is now available for streaming or download. This show, recorded live on Saturday, puts a bow on the Lions preseason and spins forward to the task of getting down to 53 players.

The first part of the show covers Friday night’s triumph in Carolina in the final exhibition game. Which players stood out and which ones faltered a little? There is also a discussion on the injuries from the game.

Then comes the 53-man roster projection. Position by position, who makes it and who does not? There is a focus on team constitution; the concept of keeping a sixth WR or a fifth RB and the ripple effects that would have at other positions, as an example.

5 hardest decisions to project from the Lions 53-man roster cutdown

Here are the five toughest cuts or decisions to project for the Lions final 53-man roster

The Lions held the final significant practices before Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline this week. With Friday’s preseason finale in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers the final chance to win or lose roster spots, the team is very close to finalizing the 53-man roster.

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There isn’t a ton of drama over the constitution of most of the roster. However, there are a few final spots up for grabs. They make for very difficult decisions for head coach Dan Campbell, GM Brad Holmes and the Lions braintrust.

Here are the five toughest cuts or decisions to project for the Lions’ final 53-man roster.

Updated 53-man roster projection after the Lions 2nd preseason game

With one preseason game left and a little over a week before roster cutdown day, here’s the current projection for how that initial 53-man roster will look for Detroit.

Roster cutdowns around the NFL come in just over a week. The Detroit Lions, like all NFL teams, will have to get down to an initial 53-man roster from the current 90. With just one roster cutdown this year, it builds the dram of who makes it and who does not.

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With one preseason game left and a little over a week before roster cutdown day, here’s the current projection for how that initial 53-man roster will look for Detroit.