Tag: 53-man roster

Establishing the 53: Landing on a punter

Examining the Detroit Lions special teamers and debating who and how many players they will keep on the 53-man roster.

It’s never too early to examine and speculate about the Detroit Lions roster. Currently, the Lions have 90-players on their roster, and come September, there will likely be some difficult decisions to make when determining their final 53-players.

Previously, in this series of articles at Lions Wire, I identified the first 50 players in my projection by rounding out the running backs group, declaring a winner in the fullback versus H-back competition, adding an offensive weapon, narrowing down the offensive line, breaking down the defensive line, establishing the top options at linebacker, and sorting the defensive backs. In this piece, I will fill out the final three spots on the projected roster by examining the specialists in the kicking game.

Placekicker

Matt Prater sits alone on the placekicking depth chart with no threat to his roster spot — if there was any doubt. 

Erik’s take: Not only is Prater kicking unopposed, but he is in the final year of his contract and is a real contender for a fall contract extension.

Long snapper

Don Muhlbach will split long snapping duties in camp with undrafted rookie Steve Wirtel, who will be looking to show off his potential for 31 teams in the NFL. But unless Muhlbach suffers an injury, Wirtel won’t knock off Muhlbach for the Lions job.

Wirtel was likely added to the roster for four main reasons. First, Wirtel was on the Lions roster at the Senior Bowl and likely established a solid relationship with the staff. Second, he was widely considered the second-best long snapper in this class — the first was drafted by the Dolphins — and has NFL talent. Third, Muhlbach will turn 39-years-old during training camp and will require rest periods as not to be overworked. And lastly, Muhlbach could retire in the next few years and the Lions could be building the groundwork to bring back Wirtel in the future.

Erik’s take: The goat Muhlbach isn’t going anywhere. 

Punter battle

The Lions have two punters on the roster, Jack Fox and Arryn Siposs. Let’s take a closer look at each to see if either can separate from the other.

Fox went undrafted out of Rice in 2019 and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He played so well during the last years training camp and preseason that the Chiefs initially placed him on the practice squad before eventually moving on when they need more space. The Lions seized the opportunity to sign Fox to their practice squad in early December and when he showed well during practices, they signed him to a futures deal in January.

Fox has a very big leg, averaged 45.5 yards per punt at Rice, and has the ability to flip the field with any kick. Behind the scenes of Allen Park, Fox has been held in such high regard that Dave Birkett of the Free Press suggested the “Fox may be good enough that the Lions don’t need to draft a punter this offseason” — which indeed came to fruition.

While they didn’t draft a punter, immediately following the draft the Lions added Siposs to compete with Fox. The addition of Siposs isn’t just as a camp leg either, he is plenty talented enough to play in the NFL, and he is a bit different than your average rookie punter.

Siposs was drafted by the Saints at age 17 — that’s the St. Kilda Saints of the Australian Football League — where he played Australian rules football professionally for five years before shoulder injuries forced him from the league. In 2017, Siposs pivoted to American football and earned a scholarship to Auburn for the last two years.

A natural athlete, Siposs offers the Lions a different kind of punter. One who is comfortable kicking both traditionally and in creative/unique ways — including punting on the move, cross body, and directionally unique angles.

While training camp will ultimately decide Fox and Siposs fate, each offer Lions new special teams coach Brayden Coombs something special to work with.

Erik’s take: This is a true camp battle but based on the Lions approach this offseason, most indicators point to Fox being in the lead for now. I’m penciling him into my 53-man roster.

Establishing the 53: Projecting the Lions’ DBs

Examining the Detroit Lions defensive backs and project who and how many players they will keep on the 53-man roster.

It’s never too early to examine and speculate about the Detroit Lions roster. Currently, the Lions have 90-players on their roster, and come September, there will likely be some difficult decisions to make when determining their final 53-players.

Previously, in this series of articles at Lions Wire, we rounded out the running backs group, declared a winner in the fullback versus H-back competition, added an offensive weapon, narrowed down the offensive line,  broke down the defensive line, established the top options at linebacker, and in this piece, we will project the Lions’ defensive backs — with 11 spots open on the 53-man roster.

Setting the table

While there are clearly defined starting roles on defense, the defensive backs are grouped together as their positional reserve roles do have some crossover, especially on special teams.

On defense, the Lions deploy five defensive backs in their base set, relying on two outside corners, a JOKER safety, a free safety, with the slot role alternating between a nickel corner or third safety. When they expand to six defensive backs, they typically keep both slot options on the field at the same time. The Lions also have defensive sets that use seven defensive backs in obvious passing situations.

Because of all defensive combinations and the frequency at which they deploy three corners and/or three safeties, it’s important to identify all six players as starters — even if they are not officially identified as such.

Identifying starters at corner

At corner, there has been a two-thirds overhaul among the starters with only Justin Coleman returning. Coleman has the potential to play both inside and out, but he takes roughly 75-percent of his snaps out of the slot.

The Lions were aggressive in landing free agent Desmond Trufant, and after seven years starting for the Falcons, it is assumed he will take a starting role on the outside. Trufant will turn 29-years-old when the season starts and the Lions are likely hoping he can hold down the CB1 role while their top 2020 draft pick acclimates to the league.

Jeff Okudah was drafted third overall for a reason and even general manager Bob Quinn has acknowledged that he is expecting him to start in 2020. Okudah has the talent level to win the CB1 job outright, or make claim to the role by the end of the season.

Erik’s take: Okudah, Trufant, and Coleman are clear Day 1 starters.

CB depth battle

After the trio above, the next notable name at corner is Amani Oruwariye. Oruwariye flashed skills in training camp, showed development throughout the year and should be considered the top reserve option. He is an outside corner only — and that’s probably not changing — but there is a need for a reliable third option at this spot.

Challenging Oruwariye on the outside will be Darryl Roberts — a two-year starter with the Jets — and third-year undrafted corner Mike Ford. Both players have plenty of speed and can contribute on multiple special teams units. Roberts has the experience edge, while Ford has shown the ability to step up when his number was called for the Lions in the past.

The options in the slot are not as strong with special teamers Jamal Agnew and free agent Tony McRae challenging to backup Coleman. The need here isn’t as pressing due to the third safety, but the Lions would benefit from at least one of these players stepping up their ability to play on defense.

Erik’s take: Lock Oruwariye in here based on upside alone, but beyond that, special teams will likely be the deciding factor.

Identifying starters at safety

Tracy Walker’s star is shining brighter with every passing day and he plays one of the most critical spots in the Lions’ scheme: the JOKER safety role. The JOKER is the most flexible player on the field, and Walker will split his time between the box (linebacker level), over the slot (covering tight ends, slot receivers, and running backs), and at deep safety.

Walker is reliable as a deep safety valve, but he can be most impactful when he lines up closer to the line of scrimmage — which is why the Lions traded for Duron Harmon.

Harmon will take over the single-high free safety role and will be the first natural centerfielder the Lions have had since Glover Quin. His experience — and success — in the scheme makes him an instant starter, and his ability to flex between positions will allow him and Walker to disguise coverage intentions.

The battle for the third safety role (the old Tavon Wilson role) will come down to second-year safety Will Harris and free agent acquisition Jayron Kearse.

Harris was drafted in the third round of the 2019 draft with the intention of developing him into this role. Last year he cross-trained at all three safety spots but was noticeably more successful when lining up over the slot and in the box. He should be the front runner for the job, but Kearse’s skill set offers a new range of skills. Kearse is big (6-4, 216), long (34.25″ arm length), and can cover, which will make him very appealing when the Lions want to play matchup football.

Erik’s take: Walker and Harmon are locked in starters, while Harris should get the early nod for the third-safety role based on his scheme experience.

Safety depth battle

Kearse should be an easy addition to the trio above, giving them four players they should feel comfortable putting on the field.

Beyond those four, the group is rounded out with four undrafted players: C.J. Moore in 2019 and three more added this offseason in Jalen Elliott, Jeremiah Dinson, and Bobby Price.

If the Lions keep a fifth safety, which one will likely come down to how they perform on special teams.

Erik’s take: Kearse is in. A fifth safety is still an option. 

Special teams battles

With 11 spots open for defensive backs, we have filled eight of them with four corners and four safeties — leaving three spots remaining.

After being benched in Week 2, Agnew bounced back in a big way, scoring touchdowns on both a punt and kick returns, the only player to do that in the NFL last season. He will be challenged by fifth-round pick, Jason Huntley — who had five kick return touchdowns in college — but Agnew has been a weapon on special teams and, at this time, should be expected to secure a spot on the 53.

That leaves the Lions with two spots remaining — and no gunners.

When the Lions signed McRae, I specifically broke down how that impacted the gunner competition. To summarize my conclusion, McRae’s relationship with new special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs should give him a leg up for one of the gunner roles, leaving Dee Virgin, Moore, and Ford battling it out for the final spot. Roberts — who wasn’t on the roster when I wrote the article — should also be in consideration here. Elliott, Dinson, and Price will also get a shot in camp but until I see them compete in person I can’t consider them options.

Based on the information available to me at this time, the final gunner role will likely come down to Virgin, Moore, Ford, and Roberts. Any of these four could make a push for a spot, but Virgin and Moore — the Lions’ starting gunners last year — lack Roberts and Ford’s ability to contribute on defense, which could be a difference-maker.

Erik’s take: The final three spots go to Agnew, McRae, and Ford for now, but all of their roles are in jeopardy come training camp.

Conclusion

In this projection, the Lions wrap up their defense with 11 players, who will play in the following roles:

  • Outside corners: Okudah, Trufant, Oruwariye, Ford
  • Nickel/dime corners: Coleman, Agnew, McRae
  • Position versatile safeties: Walker, Harmon, Harris, Kearse
  • Kick/punt returner: Agnew
  • Gunner: McRae, Ford
  • 4-phase special teams contributors: Kearse, Harris

Establishing the 53: breaking down the LB group

Examining the Detroit Lions linebackers and debating who and how many players they will keep on the 53-man roster.

It’s never too early to examine and speculate about the Detroit Lions roster. Currently, the Lions have 90-players on their roster, and come September, there will likely be some difficult decisions to make when determining their final 53-players.

Previously, in this series of articles at Lions Wire, we rounded out the running backs group, declared a winner in the fullback versus H-back competition, added an offensive weapon, narrowed down the offensive line, broke down the defensive line, and in this piece, look at the linebackers.

Setting the table

The Lions don’t use their linebackers like traditional 43 or 34 base players, instead opting to use traits from both schemes and asking their linebackers to be fluid in moving between positions.

In the Lions base defense, they deploy three linebackers on most downs. In the picture below, Jarrad Davis (40) is the MIKE, Christian Jones (52) is the WILL, and Devon Kennard (42) is the JACK.

The MIKE and WILL are off-the-ball players, with the JACK typically living at the line-of-scrimmage. While this is their base set, the Lions will lineup — and pass rush/cover — their linebackers in a variety of ways, as deception is part of the scheme.

For more detailed looks at how the linebackers are used in this scheme, please take a look at my film study: explaining how the Lions LB roles changed in 2019, and how adding Jamie Collins in free agency points to the linebacker positions being positionally fluid moving forward.

Natural JACK LBs

As mentioned in the Collins article, the adding of Collins and releasing of Kennard point to a shift in how the JACK linebacker spot is used. Instead of having a dedicated player at the position, the Lions appear to be leaning towards rotating off-the-ball linebackers and natural JACK linebackers here and in other roles.

In the last two drafts, the Lions have selected two JACK linebackers: Austin Bryant (in the fourth round in 2019) and Julian Okwara (third round in 2020) — both look like strong options for the final 53-man roster.

In addition to JACK, Bryant’s secondary position is as a down defensive end, while Okwara’s secondary position will likely be off-the-ball, with the goal of turning him into the next Jamie Collins. Both players were injured last season — Bryant with the Lions and Okwara at Notre Dame — and it points to them being rotational players in 2020 while they gain experience.

Erik’s take: With high developmental ceilings, both Okwara and Bryant should make the 53 with ease.

Who else can play JACK?

Anthony Pittman has also been a player primarily used at JACK, but at 225-pounds it’s hard to feel confident with him holding up there on a regular basis. He has also been cross-trained at the off-the-ball linebacker spots.

In college, both Jamie Collins and Christian Jones were pass-rushing linebackers and while they have transitioned to more off-the-ball roles in the NFL, they are also capable of rotating through the JACK position making them very valuable players in this scheme.

Jahlani Tavai and Reggie Ragland are also capable of rushing off the edge but they’re better suited as at the line-of-scrimmage run stuffers rather than pass rushers.

Jarrad Davis, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Miles Killebrew, Jason Cabinda, Christian Sam, and Elijah Lee are more traditional off-the-ball linebackers and are not considered players who can play at the JACK spot unless they expand their games.

Starter battle

With no dedicated JACK, I am anticipating the Lions to use three off-the-ball linebackers as their base starting unit, with plenty of rotation through all spots. There are four primary contenders for those spots.

Collins — who saw 80.7-percent of snaps in New England last year — was the Lions’ big-ticket free agent this offseason and should be considered a lock for a starting role. His contract backs that up, as it averages ($10 million) nearly triple any other Lions linebacker’s salary. For example, even Collins’ lower cap hit of $6.3 million in 2020 is a stone’s throw away from total cap hits of  Davis, Jones, and Tavai, which equals $7.4 million.

Last year Davis (57.3-percent of snaps) and Jones (53.3-percent) were the technical off-the-ball starters, but Tavai also saw starter levels snaps (52.2-percent). A similar rotation of these three in 2020 wouldn’t be overly surprising.

Erik’s take: Personally I think Tavai makes a leap in 2020 and earns a starting role, next to Collins and Davis, while Jones will come off the bench but still see a starters levels of snaps. 

Reserves LBs vs Special teamers

With Bryant, Okwara, Collins, Tavai, Davis, and Jones securing the top spots, that only leaves one or two spots for a reserve linebacker.

The first player that should be considered is Ragland. His ability to be positionally fluid is a big plus, but he has always been a part-time player in the NFL. With the Chiefs, he saw only 21.3-percent of their defensive snaps in 2019, 49.4-percent in 2018, and 29.3-percent in 2017. His $962,500 cap hit doubles down on the fact that the Lions only see him as a reserve player as well. There is a contingent of Lions fans who would rather see Ragland get a shot over Davis but I don’t believe that to be a realistic option at this stage.

His primary competition is special teams’ demon Reeves-Maybin. He is not nearly as good a fit in the scheme as Ragland, but Reeves-Maybin is among the elite special teams’ players in the league — PFF gave him a 90.0 special teams grade in 2019 — and that will go a very long way with this organization.

Killebrew is even more limited than Reeves-Maybin in what he can do on defense, but he is also among the best special teams players on the roster. It’s also worth noting that his new contract carries a $1.05 million cap hit in 2020, which is slightly higher than both Ragland and Reeves-Maybin ($978,273). Elijah Lee has similar PFF special teams grades to Killebrew and will also be competition for this role.

Like Ragland, Cabinda and Sam are great scheme fits but offer more on special teams. They will need to take big strides in their game to make the 53,  but the practice squad is a likely landing for at least one of them.

Erik’s take: With defensive positions at a premium, reserves need to play multiple roles, including special teams, so give me Reeves-Maybin as my top option in this group. 

Conclusion

With Collins, Tavai, Davis, Jones, and Okwara rotating through three spots, along with Bryant and Reeves-Maybin holding down key roles, the Lions linebacker corps is improved from last season.

Ragland will likely be one of the final cuts, but as long as Davis is on the roster, Ragland will likely get pushed off it. Killebrew will also be a difficult cut, but he is somewhat redundant with safety Jayron Kearse, who seems like a safe bet for the 53. Additionally, expect one or two from the linebacker group to be kept on the practice squad for developmental purposes.

Establishing the 53: Rounding out the Lions’ DL

Examining the Detroit Lions defensive linemen and debating who and how many players they will keep on the 53-man roster.

It’s never too early to examine and speculate about the Detroit Lions roster. Currently, the Lions have 90-players on their roster, and come September, there will likely be some difficult decisions to make when determining their final 53-players.

Previously, in this series of articles at Lions Wire, we rounded out the running backs group, declared a winner in the fullback versus H-back competition, added an offensive weapon, narrowed down the offensive line, and in this piece, we will shift to the other side of the ball and focus on the Lions defensive line — projecting who and how many will make the 53-man roster.

Setting the table

The Lions defensive line primarily operates out of a three-man front, deploying a down defensive end (the DDE lines up on the offensive tackles outside shoulder, but will also shift inside to the 3-technique), a nose tackle (the NT splits time evenly between the 1- and 3-technique) and a defensive tackle (the DT lines up from the 3- to the 5-technique). In this set, the Lions will also line up a pass-rushing JACK linebacker opposite the DDE — for this exercise, the JACK will be discussed further in a linebacker article.

Because this is a hybrid front, the Lions will also operate with four defensive linemen, substituting a back-7 player (linebacker or defensive back) in favor of a big defensive end (BDE). The BDE will line up at the 7- or 9-technique (outside the tight end) in four-man fronts but will also rotate through at DT in three-man fronts.

For a frame of reference, last year the starters at these spots were:

  • DDE = Trey Flowers
  • NT = Damon Harrison
  • DT = A’Shawn Robinson
  • BDE = Da’Shawn Hand

Identifying starters

Despite losing two starters on the defensive line, the Lions front-four starters for 2020 are clear. Flowers will resume his role at DDE, Hand returns to his role at BDE/DT, while Harrison and Robinson were replaced in free agency by Danny Shelton at NT and Nick Williams at DT.

In three-man sets, expect Hand and Williams to rotate through the DT spot equally, regardless of who technically starts.

Erik’s take: You can write these four names in pen on your depth chart.

DDE reserve battle

After seeing over 53-percent of snaps last season, Romeo Okwara appears destined to resume the reserve DDE once again in 2020.

Jonathan Wynn runs third on the depth chart here but unless an injury happens the odds are against him. Add in the fact that JACK linebacker Austin Bryant can also flex to the DDE position and Wynn’s most optimistic outlook could be the practice squad.

Erik’s take: Okwara in, Wynn to the practice squad.

DT/BDE reserve battle

Last season the Lions kept four players at DT/BDE — Robinson (who has been replaced by Williams), Hand, Mike Daniels (who is still a free agent), and Kevin Strong. One of the reasons the Lions rolled with four players was due to Hand’s injury, but if he is healthy heading into this season, they may elect to keep only three players at this spot.

Strong returns to the roster, and as things sit right now, he appears to be the front runner for the third DT role. His primary competition will be seventh-rounder Jashon Cornell, a converted DE who shined last season at Ohio State after pushing inside to the 3-technique. Frank Herron, who was added to the Lions roster for the final month of the season, rounds out the group but he is staring at an uphill battle.

Erik’s take: Strong gets the nod in this projection, but he’ll be looking over his shoulder at Cornell who is headed to the practice squad. Herron is out.

NT reserve battle

Like at DT, this is another three-person battle between a returner, a draft pick, and a late addition to the roster.

After going undrafted in 2018, John Atkins has seen action each of the last two years, playing in 14 games and starting six down the stretch last season. His primary competition will be sixth-round pick John Penisini who has received a tremendous amount of praise for his upside in this type of NT role. Olive Sagapolu received a futures deal with the Lions last January, but like Herron, he lost his leverage once the Lions drafted a player at his position.

Erik’s take: Penisini is a perfect fit for this role and my gut feeling is he passes Atkins in the final weeks of the preseason, earning a spot on the 53. Atkins could push Strong for a deep reserve role but he’s more than likely headed to the practice squad. Sagapolu is out.

Conclusion

No real big surprises here, and while things can definitely shakeup during camp amongst the reserves, here’s where the depth chart stands in this projection:

  • DDE: Flowers, Okwara
  • NT: Shelton, Penisini
  • DT/BDE: Hand, Williams, Strong

Establishing the 53: Rounding out the Lions’ OL

Examining the Detroit Lions offensive linemen and debating who and how many players they will keep on the 53-man roster.

We are a long way from NFL training camps and even further from the regular season, but it’s never too early to examine and speculate about the Detroit Lions roster. Currently, the Lions have 90-players on their roster, and come September, there will likely be some difficult decisions to make when determining their final 53-players.

Previously, in this series of articles at Lions Wire, we rounded out the running backs group, declared a winner in the fullback versus H-back competition, added an offensive weapon, and in this piece, we will explore the Lions offensive line — projecting who and how many will make the 53-man roster.

Setting the table

Heading into training camp the Lions typically carry 15 offensive linemen so they can roll three offensive line combinations through practices. When it comes time to reduce the roster to 53 players, the Lions have historically kept nine or 10 on the active roster, and then had seven active on game days.

The thought process for who fills those spots roughly breaks down like this: five starters, a swing tackle, a player capable of playing guard and center, a reserve with a high floor, another with a high ceiling, and a potential luxury developmental option.

Returning OL starters

The Lions return three starters on the offensive line — left tackle Taylor Decker, left guard Joe Dahl, and center Frank Ragnow.

Decker and Ragnow are foundation builders and locked in starters. Dahl exceeded expectations in his first year as a starter but will still have to fight to keep his starting job with new blood in town. His positional versatility — he can both guard spots and center — should keep him around even if he is demoted.

Here’s a look at the Lions OL so far:

Left Tackle Left Guard Center Right Guard Right Tackle
Taylor Decker Joe Dahl Frank Ragnow

Erik’s take: I could see Dahl staying put or switching to right guard depending on who else wins a starting job.

Challenging for a starting role

Halapoulivaati Vaitai was one of the Lions top targets in free agency because of his upside and ability to play both tackle spots and inside at guard. Based on how the roster is constructed I am expecting him to step into the open starting spot at right tackle — his best position — barring a surprise push from Tyrell Crosby.

Because of his Vaitai-like positional versatility, Crosby has settled into the Lions’ third offensive tackle spot, and while many will dismiss him as a reserve only, he has started seven games (one at left tackle and six at right tackle) over the last two seasons. Crosby’s ability to step into a starting role at any time and keep the offense on track is a critical role.

The Lions drafted back-to-back guards in the third — Jonah Jackson, IOL — and fourth — Logan Stenberg, LG — rounds. Both will assuredly be given a shot to start, cross-trained at all three interior spots, and it would be surprising if both weren’t locks for the roster. It’s too early to know if either Jackson or Stenberg has a leg up on the starting right guard role, but based on draft selection, let’s give the nod to Jackson for now.

Let’s update the OL depth chart:

Left Tackle Left Guard Center Right Guard Right Tackle
Starters Taylor Decker Joe Dahl Frank Ragnow Jonah Jackson Hal Vaitai
2nd string Tyrell Crosby Logan Stenberg

Erik’s take: I’ll be hard-pressed to take any of these seven out of any of my roster predictions moving forward.

Returning linemen

So far, we have filled the following spots on the checklist: five starters, a swing tackle (Crosby), and a player with a high ceiling (Stenberg). We are still looking for a player capable of playing guard and center, a reserve with a high floor, and a potential luxury developmental option.

Of the remaining eight linemen, Kenny Wiggins has the biggest resume with the Lions. Over the last two seasons, he has been active for 30 games, started 10 games in 2018, and was part of the guard rotation all of last season, starting three games. On paper, Wiggins looks like a front runner for the roster, but his 2020 contract puts that thought on hold. The two years he was heavily involved, Wiggins averaged $2.5 million per year, while this season he only got a one-year $1.05 million vet minimum deal.

The next most notable returning lineman was Oday Aboushi, who was active in seven games last season, starting two. Like Wiggins, Aboushi signed a vet minimum deal with slightly more guaranteed.

The third lineman who spent the entire season on the Lions active roster in 2019 was UDFA rookie guard/center Beau Benzschawel, but he failed to see a single snap on offense. The fact that the Lions kept Benzschawel on the active roster all season with no intention of playing him speaks to how highly they value his upside.

Right tackle Dan Skipper was on the Lions active roster for a week in November and two weeks in December, technically making him a returner but three games hardly assures him anything at this stage.

Matt Nelson, another 2019 UDFA, spent the season on the Lions practice squad adjusting to the offensive side of the ball after playing on the defensive line at Iowa. It would be surprising to see him make a jump to the 53 at this stage in his development, but stranger things have happened.

Let’s update the OL depth chart again:

Left Tackle Left Guard Center Right Guard Right Tackle
Starters Taylor Decker Joe Dahl Frank Ragnow Jonah Jackson Hal Vaitai
2nd string Tyrell Crosby Logan Stenberg Beau Benzschawel Kenny Wiggins Dan Skipper
3rd string Matt Nelson Oday Aboushi

Erik’s take: Benzschawel’s ability to play both guard and center will be a big advantage but he will have to beat out guard/tackle veterans in Wiggins and Aboushi — something he couldn’t do last season.

New additions, plenty of experience

Caleb Benenoch is a right guard/tackle option who was claimed by the Lions with two weeks remaining in the 2019 season but never saw the field in Detroit. However, he did start 22 games over the previous four seasons (mostly at right guard) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Joshua Garnett was a first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 and started 11 games for them at right guard as a rookie. He didn’t see the field in 2017, was only active seven games in 2018, and out of the league in 2019, before signing a futures deal with the Lions in January.

Rusell Bodine started 74 games at center over five years (four seasons with Cincinnati and one in Buffalo) but was out of the league in 2019. Like Garnett, he appears to be a player the Lions are willing to test the waters on and see if they have anything left.

Left Tackle Left Guard Center Right Guard Right Tackle
Starters Taylor Decker Joe Dahl Frank Ragnow Jonah Jackson Hal Vaitai
2nd string Tyrell Crosby Logan Stenberg Beau Benzschawel Kenny Wiggins Dan Skipper
3rd string Matt Nelson Oday Aboushi Russell Bodine Joshua Garnett Caleb Benenoch

Erik’s take: At this stage of their careers are any of these three more than name players only?

Narrowing the field

After the initial seven players, the final two/three spots will come down to a few specific battles. We can narrow the field of players based on what we have seen from them in previous years.

Nelson may have upside but nothing at this point indicates he’s ready to step up beyond the practice squad at this time.

Bodine and Garnett weren’t in the league last season, so can they beat out the other five who were on the roster at different points last year? Probably not.

Benenoch and Skipper were only added last season after the Lions suffered injuries and with a healthy group of guard/tackles ahead of them would they be preferred options? Again, probably not.

Conclusion

If we revsit our checklist, we were looking for a player capable of playing guard and center, a reserve with a high floor, and a potential luxury developmental option.

After narrowing the field, we are left with only Benzschawel, Wiggins, and Aboushi to choose from.

The next question becomes, will the Lions keep two or three more offensive linemen? For my money, the Lions need as many spots as possible for offensive skill players and that means they will only keep two more linemen — nine total.

I can’t get away from how the Lions handled Benzschawel last season and my gut says they love his upside, but has he developed enough to beat out high floor veterans Wiggins and Aboushi?

Erik’s prediction: Wiggins was the Lions top interior reserve last offseason and I expect him to return to form and claim the OG3 or 4 job. And for the final spot, I have nothing to base it on other than gut, but give me Benzschawel and his upside to round out the offensive line.

Final 53 projected depth chart:

Left Tackle Left Guard Center Right Guard Right Tackle
Starters Taylor Decker Joe Dahl Frank Ragnow Jonah Jackson Hal Vaitai
2nd string Tyrell Crosby Logan Stenberg Beau Benzschawel Kenny Wiggins Crosby/Wiggins

 

Which Broncos UDFA has the best chance to make the roster?

Which undrafted free agent has the best chance to make the Broncos’ 53-man roster?

From Rod Smith to Chris Harris to Shaq Barrett to Phillip Lindsay, the Denver Broncos have a strong history of signing undrafted free agent gems.

This year, the Broncos signed seven UDFAs: WR Zimari Manning, QB Riley Neal, WR Kendall Hinton, RB LeVante Bellamy, OT Hunter Watts, CB Essang Bassey and DB Douglas Coleman III.

Of those players, who has the best chance to make the 53-man roster?

Let’s start by discussing who has the hardest road to the active roster.

Neal is likely just a camp arm and it will be hard for him to even land on the practice squad. Manning and Hinton will be part of a crowded wide receiver room so they will face long odds to make the team.

Watts seems like an ideal candidate to serve on the practice squad as a rookie. Denver usually has several offensive linemen on the PS each year.

That leaves, Bassey, Coleman and Bellamy.

Bellamy could make the team if Royce Freeman is traded. If Freeman makes the team, though, the Broncos seem unlikely to carry four RBs.

Coleman will have a shot to make the roster as Denver’s fourth-string safety. He’ll be a player to watch for this summer.

Bassey, who was one of the top UDFAs available this year, appears to be the most likely UDFA to make the Broncos’ roster this season. Bassey received a large signing bonus and he plays cornerback, a position where Denver could use more depth.

If only one UDFA makes the Broncos’ roster, it’ll probably be Bassey.

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Establishing the 53: Keeping a 6th WR vs a 4th TE

Examining the Detroit Lions pass-catching options and debating the value of keeping a sixth wide receiver versus a fourth tight end.

We are a long way from NFL training camps and even further from the regular season, but it’s never too early to examine and speculate about the Detroit Lions roster. Currently, the Lions have 90-players on their roster, and come September, there will likely be some difficult decisions to make when determining their final 53-players.

Previously, in this series of articles at Lions Wire, we rounded out the running backs group, declared a winner in the fullback versus H-back competition, and in this piece, we will explore the value of keeping a sixth wide receiver versus a fourth tight end.

Returning WR and TE starters

The Lions return all three wide receiver starters — Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola — and all three are expected to keep there starting spots.

At tight end, Jesse James technically started last season but T.J. Hockenson saw more snaps in 2019, despite missing the final five games of the season. Both return as the Lions top two tight ends, regardless of who starts.

Erik’s prediction: Based on contracts, roles, and talent, all five easily make the 53-man roster.

Key role players

He only played 127 snaps over nine games, but Marvin Hall was the vertical speed option the Lions offense had been searching for all last offseason. The Lions didn’t add another player with a skill set similar to Hall this offseason, indicating he is likely to return to his WR4/5 role.

Like Hall, the Lions don’t have another player like fifth-round pick Quintez Cephus on their roster. An inside-out option who will likely find success in the NFL as a big slot, there was a reason he was targeted in last month’s draft.

In a previous Establishing the 53 article, I laid out my reasoning for keeping Isaac Nauta as a third tight end/H-back option over Nick Bawden, citing positional versatility and health as difference makers.

Erik’s prediction: Hall, Cephus, and Nauta push the Lions pass-catching count to five wide receivers and three tight ends on the 53. Likely leaving, at most, one more skill player that could be added.

In the mix at WR6

With five receivers already locked in, the Lions final six rostered receivers — Geronimo Allison, Chris Lacy, Travis Fulgham, Tom Kennedy, Victor Bolden, and Geremy Davis — will be competing for the sixth wide receiver role. At this point in the offseason, you can probably cut these options in half, leaving the top-3 as realistic competitors.

Lacy and Fulgham battled all camp for a final spot on the roster with Lacy winning out, but only lasting two games on the active roster. He would join Fulgham on the practice squad for the majority of the year, but eventually, both were promoted to the active roster late in the season.

Allison was the Lions’ most notable free-agent wide receiver added this offseason, and like Cephus, he has inside-out potential, but they win in very different ways. His four years of NFL experience gives him a massive edge over Lacy and Fulgham.

Erik’s prediction: Allison is in the lead for the WR6 role but I am not ready to place him on the 53 just yet.

The wild card

A tight end in name only, Hunter Bryant (6-2, 240 pounds) is basically an oversized wide receiver who is a YAC (yards-after-catch) monster in the slot. Defenses will struggle to match up with him and Bryant has the potential to be a true wildcard in this offense.

Bryant gets knocked for his blocking — and rightfully so — but there is a foundation there, and with proper coaching, he should be able to improve his technique.

Erik’s prediction: If Bryant can prove his worth on special teams, he could lock up this final skill player spot early in training camp.

Conclusion

If the Lions are able to keep a WR6 or TE4, in my mind it will likely come down to Allison versus Bryant. Allison’s experience, ability to line up at multiple spots on the field, and contribute on special teams will be very appealing to the Lions, but Bryant’s upside may be too good to pass up.

At this point on the roster, the Lions are looking at a player who would likely see five to eight snaps a game, and would ideally someone who can give them an advantage every time they see the field.

Erik’s prediction: I’ll take the matchup nightmare, give me Bryant on the 53.

Establishing the 53: Weighing the options of keeping a FB vs an H-B

Examining the Detroit Lions roster, specifically the fullbacks and H-backs, and determining which has the best chance to make the 53-man roster.

We are a long way from NFL training camps and even further from the regular season, but it’s never too early to examine and speculate about the Detroit Lions roster. Currently, the Lions have 90-players on their roster, and come September, there will likely be some difficult decisions to make when determining their final 53-players.

Previously, in this new series of articles at Lions Wire, we rounded out the running backs group, and in this piece, we will take a deeper look at the players who complement them — the fullbacks and H-backs.

What happened in 2019?

After missing his rookie season will a torn ACL, Nick Bawden appeared to be a man with a purpose during training camp. Goal-line carries, swing passes, button hooks, and of course lead blocking, Bawden was deployed in several situations, especially near the goal line. Surprisingly, all of that disappeared — save lead blocking — once the regular season rolled around.

Bawden saw 125 snaps on offense, had zero rushing attempts, four receptions for 17 yards, and graded out (per Pro Football Focus) as a well above average pass blocker and underperforming run blocker.

In Week 11, Bawden went down with another knee injury, was placed on injured reserve, and was replaced in the lineup with rookie tight end/H-back Isaac Nauta.

Nauta would go on to see 41 offensive snaps over the final six games — 34 came as an H-back –, he recorded two receptions for 13 yards, graded out (per PFF) as an above-average pass blocker and was average as a run blocker.

At-a-glance comparison:

Games played Off. snaps per gm Rec per gm Yards per rec Pass Protection Run blocking
Bawden 10 12.5 0.4 4.25 Well above average Below average
Nauta 6 6.83 0.33 6.5 Above average Average

Bawden was the Lions’ first choice last season and when he saw that field he slightly outproduced Nauta in each category, save the most important — run blocking. Nauta didn’t light the world on fire as a run blocker either though and he was below Bawden in most of the above categories, but he deserves some leeway as he was a rookie and playing out of his natural tight end position.

Special teams

The numbers on special teams also slightly favor Bawden. He played in all four phases — kick coverage, kick blocking, punt coverage, and punt blocking — and averaged 17.8 special teams snaps per game.

Nauta averaged 13.7 special teams snap over his six games, and while he started out participating in all four phases, his numbers are lower than Bawden’s mostly because he was removed from the kick-off coverage unit over the final four games.

From a performance perspective, both were close in their PFF grades with Bawden getting the slight edge.

Conclusion

This will likely be one of the closer battles in training camp and could easily come down to overall team philosophies on offense and special teams. Do they want a bruising lead blocker or a positional flexible option?

Based on what we saw in 2019, Bawden appears to be the preferred option and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if he opens up camp with an impactful role. The main factor keeping him from being locked into the roster is he is a fullback only on offense, and he has had two significant knee injuries in as many years.

Meanwhile, Nauta has been fully available, showed he has the potential to fill two roles on offense — as a third (blocking) tight end and H-B –, as well as a contributor on special teams, and it’s reasonable to expect his game to grow as he develops in his sophomore season.

At the end of the day, this is a specialty position (7-12 offensive snaps a game) and in order to fill it, you need to be one of two things: flexible enough to fill more than just one role, and/or elite at what you do.

Bawden may be better at what he does than Nauta is right now, but because he is limited in his roles, he needs to be exceptional at them — which, save pass pro, he is not at this time.

Erik’s prediction: Unless Bawden enters camp and blows it up, Nauta’s position flexibility and availability likely carries an advantage at that’s why he gets my nod for the 53, sending Bawden to the practice squad.

Establishing the 53: Rounding out the Lions’ backfield

Examining the Detroit Lions running backs room to determine how many players from this group could make the 53-man roster.

We are a long way from NFL training camps and even further from the regular season, but it’s never to early to examine and speculate about the Detroit Lions roster. Currently, the Lions have 90-players on their roster, and come September, there will likely be some difficult decisions to make when determining their final 53-players.

This article is the first in a new series of articles at Lions Wire called “establishing the 53”, where we will be examining a Lions’ position group, predicting the Lions’ strategy, and projecting the players who have an inside track for the regular-season roster.

In this piece, we will take a deeper look at the Lions’ running backs.

Easy decisions at the top of the RB group

The Lions have a clear 1-2 punch combo at the top of their running backs group after returning starter Kerryon Johnson and drafting D’Andre Swift in the second-round (pick 35 overall). The only debate involving these two will be over which one starts.

Erik’s prediction: Johnson and Swift make the 53, Johnson starts Week 1

1st down thumper

While K.Johnson and Swift are capable of playing on all three downs, the Lions want to rely on an early-down thumper, and the fact that they didn’t add one in the offseason, speaks volumes about how they feel about Bo Scarbrough. Unless his production falls off a cliff in the pre-season, the smart money is on him beginning the regular season as RB3.

Wes Hills will also challenge for this role but he is still rough around the edges and was outperformed by Scarbrough in 2019. He has NFL potential and his talent is worth continuing to develop but he may need more time.

Erik’s prediction: Scarbrough makes the 53, Hills to the practice squad

Will the Lions keep four or five RBs?

If the Lions only keep four running backs there will be a strong camp battle between last year’s sixth-round draft pick Ty Johnson and this year’s fifth-round draft pick Jason Huntley.

Let’s take a look at their athletic profiles:

Height Weight 40-yard-dash Burst score
Ty Johnson 5106 213 4.4 120.15
Jason Huntley 5084 182 4.4 132.65

Both can burn up the turf, catch passes, and are capable kick returners — something an RB4/5 needs to be able to do to make the back end of a roster.

The first big advantage for T. Johnson has over Huntley is his deceptive size. He has proven he can hold up in the NFL, his year experience (63 rushes and 24 receptions) cannot be undervalued, and his improvement as the season progressed is worth noting.

Meanwhile, Huntley is roughly the same size at J.D. McKissic but faster and more explosive. Huntley can step right into the role McKissic has last season as a jitterbug runner with dynamic pass-catching skills out of the backfield (he had 134 career catches at NMST), while also legitimately challenging Jamal Agnew for kick return duties (he had five kick off returns for touchdowns in college).

Erik’s prediction: Lions keep five backs, both T. Johnson and Huntley make the 53

Erik’s Reasoning

Five backs may seem like a lot but you don’t draft four running backs in three years — two in the second-round at that — unless you plan on using them. The Lions are also a team desperate to establish the run, have injury concerns with several of their top options, and Swift/Huntley’s elite pass-catching skills will allow the Lions to potentially go with fewer bodies at other offensive skill positions.

Chiefs UDFA DE Tershawn Wharton ready to show NFL he belongs

A Division II football standout, Tershawn Wharton is out to earn a spot on the Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster.

The Kansas City Chiefs have brought in many undrafted free agents to fill out their 90-man offseason roster, but none are as intriguing as defensive end Tershawn Wharton. A record-setting performer at Division II Missouri S&T, Wharton’s stats jump off the page with 58 tackles for loss and 35.5 sacks in his career.

Meeting with the Chiefs’ media on Wednesday, Wharton admitted that he wasn’t always the player that he is today.

“I feel like coming out of high school I wasn’t overlooked; I was kind of undersized,” Wharton told reporters in a conference call. “Nobody knew the potential that I had. I feel like it was an opportunity that I just took and ran with.”

Even with his performance in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, Wharton making it to the NFL is a rarity. He credits his opportunity at the East-West Shrine Game for helping to put him on the map.

“I think it was very challenging coming from a small school,” Wharton said. “I was lucky enough that I was one of the players that got put into the East-West Shrine Game from a smaller school. Coming out of Division II you’ve got to dominate at that level to be seen. I was able to do that and then going to the East-West Shrine Game and just showing that I’m capable of playing with the upper-level guys at the Division I schools.”

Wharton was a bit surprised to get the invite to the All-Star Game, but in the end, he was very pleased with his experience.

“Very surprising,” Wharton said. “Coming from S&T not too many people have been in the bowl games like that. I wasn’t even aware of those types of games until my senior year and my coaches told me they were looking into me and asking about me. The coaching [at the East-West Shrine Bowl] was very well done, just hearing it from a different group. At S&T I was taught by the same coach for a long time, so I think it really helped out. I just wish I had more time with a coach at that level.”

The eagerness to learn is something that comes easily to Wharton. He’s a hard worker both on and off the field. He believes that work ethic is what helps him find such success on the field.

“I think as a player I like to work hard on the field as much as I like to work hard anywhere else,” Wharton said. “Those stats come from just grinding out and fighting through everything. As far as on the field, no one knows what is going to come. I feel like I have a lot of learning to do to become a better player at the next level.”

Wharton also prides himself on being a very coachable player. He’s not someone that you’ll find freelancing often, but instead, he sticks to the coaching plan and practices what his coaches preach. In the limited interactions that he’s had so far with Chiefs defensive line coach Brendan Daly thus far, Wharton has come away impressed with Daly’s coaching style.

“So far with what he’s been teaching me, I think I’m going to like him a lot,” Wharton said. “He’s very to the point and he’s willing to help you and teach you. So far I think it’ll be good and I’m ready to get on the field with him. I like his energy a lot.”

Wharton grew up just four hours away from Kansas City in University City, Missouri. He was a Rams fan growing up, but don’t hold that against him. The vicinity to home played a part in his decision to join the Chiefs, mainly because he wants his family to be able to witness his journey.

“Signing to a team that close to my hometown is good for my family,” Wharton said. “They’ll be able to see me play, and all my friends and family are still there. A lot of people want to live this out so I can play for them as well.”

Wharton has a tough road ahead of him toward making the Chiefs’ 53-man NFL roster, but he’s already beaten the odds by getting to this moment. Don’t count him out when it comes to proving his doubters wrong in the next step of his journey.