When putting together an NFL roster, it’s always good to have a blueprint to follow. For Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn, it is very clear that he sticks to his system.
I looked back at every roster of Quinn’s time at the helm of the Lions and broke down all of them by position and style of player to better understand his process of roster building.
Now that we’ve put together what Quinn’s offense will likely look like for Week 1, it’s time to predict the defense:
EDGE Rusher
Quinn’s defenses under both coach Matt Patricia and former-coach Jim Caldwell utilized two types of pass rushers. First, you have your prototypical defensive end. This player has a bigger frame and has their hand in the dirt at the line of scrimmage. Aside from pass-rushing, their job is to set the edge against the run.
The other type of player is the JACK linebacker, whose primary job is also to get to the quarterback, but could drop back in coverage if needed. This player is usually around the same height as the down defensive end but is generally slimmer and faster.
Quinn has more often than not kept five edge defenders on his rosters, but right now the Lions have just four. At defensive end, they have starter Trey Flowers and rotational pass rusher Romeo Okwara. At JACK, there is third-round draft pick Julian Okwara and second-year Austin Bryant. There are several other linebackers who can fill this role as well, but the younger Okwara brother and Bryant are likely to be solely used at this position.
Prediction: Flowers, Okwara, Okwara, Bryant
Interior Defensive Line
At defensive tackle, Quinn tries to keep three types of players in mind when building his 53-man rosters. In the middle of the line, there’s always a big-bodied, run-stuffing nose tackle. In years past, this has been the job of Damon Harrison. With Harrison gone, free agent signing Danny Shelton will assume the role. To back him up, John Penisini remains the only option with the release of Olive Sagapolu and John Atkins opting out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The next two types of players are the three-technique (3T) and five-technique (5T). The 5T role is a player that is usually a little undersized for the defensive tackle position and plays more like a big-bodied defensive end. In this case, Da’Shawn Hand appears to be the clear-cut starter there.
The 3T position lines up between the guard and center, and is your prototypical defensive tackle. Newly-signed Nick Williams will take on the starting role there.
Quinn’s tendencies with the defensive line point to him keeping five players at the defensive tackle position. Shelton and Penisini appear to be set as the respective starter and backup nose tackles. That means that behind Hand and Williams are several players vying for just one backup spot.
Frank Herron, Kevin Strong, and Kevin Wilkins all are young and inexperienced players who could play either spot. Strong may have the upper hand, as he has the most experience with the defense and flashed some serious potential as an undrafted rookie in 2019.
Prediction: Shelton, Hand, Williams, Penisini, Strong
Linebacker
Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to the linebacker position, and this group brings a lot of it.
At the top of the positional depth chart, we can lock in Jamie Collins, Jahlani Tavai, and Jarrad Davis. Quinn has never kept more than five linebackers on his roster with Patricia as coach, so the Lions will have some tough calls to makeover those final two spots.
On one hand, they have some veteran players who could be key contributors in several roles. Christian Jones, who received a two-year contract extension in November, would be the best fit as a veteran backup, but don’t count out Reggie Ragland, who turned his career around with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019.
Though those two would be beneficial to the defense for the 2020 season, we know that Quinn values a player’s ability to contribute on special teams as well.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who has been a career special teamer in Detroit, is reportedly having a stellar training camp as could find himself a rotational role on defense as well. Miles Killebrew, a former strong safety, is another key special teams player who has been able to stick around on the roster for his abilities as a gunner.
The Lions also have young players with plenty of upside such as Anthony Pittman, Jason Cabinda, and Elijah Lee, who could all get some reps on defense and help out on special teams. Detroit’s front office clearly sees something in Pittman, as he was stashed away on the practice squad for most of the 2019 season and then elevated to the active roster in Week 17. Cabinda has been working out at both linebacker and fullback during training camp, and Lee spent most of his career on San Francisco’s practice squad and could turn out to be a key special teams player.
Prediction: Collins, Tavai, Davis, Jones, Reeves-Maybin
Cornerback
After losing both of their starting outside cornerbacks from 2019 over the course of the offseason, the Lions drafted Jeff Okudah with their third-overall pick and signed free agent Desmond Trufant, a seven-year starter for the Atlanta Falcons. Add on Justin Coleman in the slot, and you’re looking at Detroit’s top three players at the position.
Behind them are Amani Oruwariye and Mike Ford; young, physical cornerbacks who have proven themselves as reserve players. Ford also has special teams experience, which helps his case for a roster spot even more. Veteran Darryl Roberts is also throwing his hat into the ring for a backup role after starting for the New York Jets in 2019.
Coming to Detroit alongside special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs is Tony McRae, who has been a standout in Cincinnati as a gunner on punt and kick returns. Detroit also brought back another key player on special teams, Dee Virgin.
Two of the aforementioned players will be the odd men out, as Detroit tends to have six cornerbacks on their roster.
Prediction: Okudah, Trufant, Coleman, Oruwariye, Ford, McRae
Safety
Ever since Patricia took over in Detroit, the Lions have seen an increase in multiple-safety sets and varied uses from the safety position. It is no longer as simple as having a free safety and strong safety, but instead looking at what unique skill set each individual player has for specific defensive situations.
Because of this, the Lions need to keep five safeties. Versatility and special teams contributions appear to be the biggest factors for who stays and who gets cut.
Detroit has a young and up-and-coming player in Tracy Walker as one of their starters, and they recently traded with the Patriots for Duron Harmon.
Behind them, Will Harris’s job seems secure as the primary backup and third safety.
So who will take the two open roster spots?
After a quietly good rookie season, C.J. Moore returns to Detroit, vying for a role on special teams. Last season, he was a stalwart in that role, playing 69 percent of the Lions’ special teams snaps.
Free agent acquisition Jayron Kearse, who will face a suspension for the first three weeks of the season, is another player who could contribute heavily on special teams.
Also in the mix are undrafted rookies Jalen Elliott and Bobby Price, who may be able to benefit from Kearse’s suspension.
Prediction: Walker, Harmon, Harris, Kearse, Moore
