Tag: Detroit Lions Depth Chart

Breaking down the Lions depth chart vs. Steelers in the preseason finale

Breaking down the Lions depth chart vs. Steelers in the preseason finale and where practice reps don’t match what’s listed

The final offseason depth chart is now out for the Detroit Lions. This week’s unofficial edition of the Lions roster and how it stacks up was prepped for the final preseason game, Saturday’s home date with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ford Field.

The starters are pretty well-established on both sides of the ball, and it’s almost certain none of them will see the field against Pittsburgh. Behind that first line, there are a few interesting placements.

It starts at wide receiver, where Donovan Peoples-Jones is listed on the third team offense. Tom Kennedy, Daurice Fountain and Maurice Alexander are all on the second unit ahead of Peoples-Jones, who was expected to earn the No. 4 WR job at the start of training camp.

Kaden Davis, who scored an impressive touchdown in the exhibition win over the Chiefs, is behind Peoples-Jones on the fourth line. Undrafted rookies Isaiah Williams and Jalon Calhoun are listed ahead of Davis, though practice reps throughout the week would place Davis over the entire second-team line at wide receiver. The same is true for Williams, who saw some first-team reps in Tuesday’s session.

Injuries have really shaken up the practice participation for the offensive line lately, with starting RG Kevin Zeitler and reserve tackles Dan Skipper and Giovanni Manu missing practices, plus rookie guard Christian Mahogany still inactive on the non-football illness list. Seeing Skipper listed as the second-team left tackle over Jamarco Jones could be an indication the team still sees Skipper that highly. That’s one to watch in the Steelers game.

Defensively, the depth chart here looks very representative of what we’ve seen in practice when the Lions are in a base nickel package. When they go three LBs, it’s Amik Robertson (or Ennis Rakestraw) in the slot who comes off and Derrick Barnes playing the SAM role. Mitchell Agude has quickly ascended to the second line at SAM while also getting reps that are consistent with Isaac Ukwu and James Houston at end.

One point of contention comes on special teams, specifically the return specialists. Kalif Raymond is the first-team punt returner, but I’ve not seen Peoples-Jones even queue up for reps at punt returner behind him. It’s Isaiah Williams and Maurice Alexander, in that order.

Kick returner also features Williams, Alexander and rookie RB Sione Vaki all getting substantially more reps than either Craig Reynolds or Khalil Dorsey. That’s one of the biggest remaining battles–seeing who earns the jobs (there are two full-time now) as the kick returners.

Lions losing John Cominsky is more impactful than people think

The Lions losing DL John Cominsky to injury is more impactful than people think, and Russell Brown explains why

During the Tuesday morning practice this week, the Detroit Lions had multiple players suffer injuries. Rookie CB Ennis Rakestraw suffered an apparent foot injury, and offensive guard Netane Muti went down with a left shoulder injury. Lastly, they lost defensive end John Cominsky for the season due to a torn MCL.

There’s some hope that Cominsky could return in 5 or 6 months. If all goes right this season, the Lions could be in a playoff push so the return of Cominsky could be very beneficial for this Lions defense. However, losing him for the season is going to be more impactful than people think.

Last year during the off-season, the Lions were faced with a decision of keeping Cominsky or letting him walk. During that time, I went over the pros and cons of bringing him back to Detroit. In that article, I mentioned Cominsky as being a “glue guy” for the team. Specifically for the defense.

The Lions have a young defensive front with Alim McNeill, Aidan Hutchinson, Levi Onwuzurike and others. With that, they needed a veteran to lead them and turn to when the going got tough and that player was Cominsky. In 2022, he played in 14 games and started 8 of those games. He had 44 total pressures and over 550 defensive snaps played that season.

Cominsky may not light up the stat sheet, but his versatility will be missed. He can play anywhere along the defensive line. For the most part, he looks best suited to play as a 4i-technique for Detroit, but he can bump into the inside shoulder of a guard when needed.

Move onto last season and it was still a strong showing for Cominsky. He was in the top 10 for defensive snaps with 569 snaps played. Replacing the way he plays on those snaps will be tough to do for the Lions defense.

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His play style fits the identity of the Dan Campbell led Lions. He’s got that tough mentality and is just a grinder in the trenches. His ability to take on blocks and fight pressure with pressure is very beneficial to how the Lions linebackers can play freely. It leaves those backers clean as they scrape over the top or attack downhill to stop the run.

Last season, Cominsky played in 16 games and he started 11 of those games. He finished the season with 36 tackles, 16 QB pressures and two sacks (per PlayerProfiler). We’ll see how the Lions replace Cominsky but I’d have to guess this opens the door players such as Mathieu Betts, Kyle Peko, Mekhi Wingo and Brodric Martin. Hopefully, the Lions depth on the defensive line can help fill the void.

Lions sign kicker Jake Bates to a two-year deal

Lions sign Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates to a two-year deal

Days after signing a contract with the Detroit Lions, the details of Jake Bates contract has been revealed. It’s been reported that Bates signs a two-year deal worth $1.98 million dollars. This deal with the Lions includes a $100,000 signing bonus and $150,000 total guaranteed.

In his lone season with the Michigan Panthers in the UFL, Bates went 17-for-22 on field goals this year. His ability to kick from long range is what put him on the radar of teams across the NFL.

On field goals that were between 40-49 yards, he was 7-for-7 and on field goals that were 50+ yards, he was 6-for-10. His longest field goal of the season was 64 yards and that was the longest field goal of the season in the UFL.

By adding Bates to the roster, the Lions continue to do what they said they were going to do and that was add competition to every position on the field.

Update: The Lions waived undrafted rookie kicker James Turner from the roster while adding Bates.

 

Three underrated defenders for the Lions defense

Three underrated defenders for the Lions defense that could shine in 2024, from Lions Wire’s Russell Brown

With the Detroit Lions and several other teams having mini-camps and off-season workouts over the last few weeks, it opens the door for predictions on each teams roster.

For the Lions, there’s a belief that their team has gotten better this off-season. I would agree with that, specifically with their defense. By adding Ennis Rakestraw and Terrion Arnold, they appear to have a long-term plan at cornerback for the first time in a long time.

Those aren’t the only two players the Lions have added to their defense. There are several other defenders that they’ve drafted and signed or traded for in free agency. Let’s take a look at three defenders that are underrated right now but they could have a huge impact this season for the Lions!

DL Mekhi Wingo

Drafted in the 6th round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Wingo adds depth to the Lions revamped defensive line. Despite being undersized as an interior defensive lineman, Wingo provides power and versatility for the Lions.

At the Scouting Combine, Wingo put up 225 pounds a total of 25 times and it shows on tape with his ability to bull-rush offensive lineman. Additionally, he played in multiple spots along the LSU defensive front. In his 22 games played for the Tigers, he was able to compile 71 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.

Even though Wingo may not contribute right away, there could be an opportunity for him to have a serious role later in the season for Detroit. There’s some uncertainty on what role Levi Onwuzurike will have but he’s also dealt with injuries early in his career. In addition to his injuries, the health of D.J. Reader could be a factor as he’s dealt with consecutive seasons with torn quads.

Lastly, what type of season will the Lions get from Brodric Martin? He arrived at camp this year in shape and looks much stronger from his rookie season. Meanwhile, he appears to be motivated by Lions veterans of Alim McNeill and D.J. Reader. But if an injury occurs or a player’s conditioning comes into question, I could see a path for Wingo to carve out a role this season.

After all, the Lions lost Benito Jones to the Miami Dolphins in free agency and he played 567 defensive snaps (51.92%) last season. Even though he probably won’t eat up all those snaps, there could be more contribution from Wingo than originally expected. With that, he could be one of the more underrated defenders on the Lions roster.

CB Amik Robertson

Adding to the list of underrated players, we could see a scenario where Amik Robertson rarely leaves the field for Detroit. Signed on a two-year deal, Robertson brings experience and an aggressive style of play to the Lions defense that will be coveted.

Last season, he started in 12 games for the Raiders and he played 675 defensive snaps (59.58%). Over the last two seasons, he’s started 19 games and has only allowed 78 receptions during that span.

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Much of the reasoning to why Robertson may rarely leave the field is due to my thought of the Lions playing more nickel and dime packages than they have in the past. They have more depth in their secondary than year’s past but they’ve also got two rookie cornerbacks that could ease into their roles. Especially Ennis Rakestraw Jr., who was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

In addition to this, the Lions defensive snap leader a season ago was Cameron Sutton with 1,077 snaps (98.6%). Sure, they traded for cornerback Carlton Davis but if there’s any type of injury to Davis, that makes Robertson that much more valuable. Look for him to be overlooked but don’t be surprised if he has strong contributions to the defense.

EDGE Marcus Davenport

Now this one may be a stretch but if Marcus Davenport can stay healthy, he should be able to produce at a relatively high level for Detroit. After all, he’s not the first defensive end the Lions have spent a one-year contract on for them to earn another contract with the team.

John Cominksy and Charles Harris are perfect examples of that.

While the Lions have since moved on from Charles Harris, he did play 292 defensive snaps (26.74%) last season. Meanwhile, John Cominsky played 569 defensive snaps (52.11%) last season. If healthy, it wouldn’t be surprising if Cominsky and Davenport split those snaps.

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For Davenport, he only played 118 snaps last season and was placed on injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain in week 6. If there’s anyway he can tap into the player that he used to be, we’ll see a defensive end that plays well laterally but is also able to turn speed-to-power consistently.

When he’s able to do that, the results are there. From 2018 to 2021, he compiled 21 total sacks. We should all remain hopeful that Davenport can become that player once again. Especially since he’ll be paired with defensive end Aidan Hutchinson for most of this season.

 

Sorting out the Lions linebacker room after addition of Ben Niemann

Sorting out the Detroit Lions linebacker depth chart after addition of Ben Niemann and release of Steele Chambers

The Detroit Lions officially added free agent linebacker Ben Niemann to the roster. The 28-year-old joins the Detroit LB corps in time for the final OTAs before the extended break into training camp in late July.

The Lions released undrafted rookie linebacker Steele Chambers to make room for Niemann. That move gives a pretty good indication of how the Lions view their newcomer and his role. It also makes for a good time to refresh the view of Detroit’s linebacker depth chart.

Starters

This probably deserves an asterisk because the Lions might be morphing back to playing three linebackers in the base defense more often than they have the past few seasons with Aaron Glenn as the defensive coordinator. They’ve shown that look more in minicamp and OTAs than at any other time since Glenn took over the defense, but it’s important to note that it’s still primarily just two off-ball linebackers in the vast majority of sets.

Alex Anzalone is coming off his best season, setting career highs in tackles (129), sacks (3), PDs (6), QB hits (12) and TFLs (7). He is also the emotional leader and nerve center of the defense.

Jack Campbell has moved up into the first-team reps next to Anzalone when No. 34 plays and in Anzalone’s spot when the veteran didn’t participate in OTAs. The Lions are clearly grooming him for a full-time starting role in his second season after an up-and-down rookie campaign.

Derrick Barnes started with Anzalone last year, and he could still get starting reps as an off-ball LB. However, Barnes has been doing more of the SAM role this spring. In Detroit’s defense, that’s much more of a pass-rush role than a more reactionary and coverage role than Barnes has played. This is closer to the role he played collegiately at Purdue before morphing into an off-ball LB his first three seasons in Detroit.

This move could have a couple of root causes, both of which can be true but also coincidental.

Campbell could be ready for a bigger role and/or (likely both) the Lions are seeing how much more he can do in his second season. Barnes was also an adept pass rusher in college, and that could be a reflection that the team sees a bigger overall need for the defense than off-ball LB depth. That would keep an experienced Barnes on the field in more situations if some of the edge rushers (Marcus Davenport, James Houston, Mitchell Agude, Josh Paschal, Mathieu Betts) aren’t bringing the heat as well as hoped.

Reserves

Malcolm Rodriguez jumps right into the inside backer role in drills with the second-team defense. He has his limitations in range and coverage, but the fan favorite “Rodrigo” is a very good smart defender and good open-field tackler. He can be one of the best reserve backers in the league, and Rodriguez also proved he can capably fill in as the team’s fullback last season too.

Jalen Reeves-Maybin is primarily known for his special teams play, but the veteran proved he could handle business as a defensive reserve, too. His speed in the open field and quick reactions worked in coverage packages, and that could continue more in 2024. Reeves-Maybin and Rodriguez are omnipresent on special teams units, where Reeves-Maybin served as a captain and Rodriguez played extensively. That will continue in 2024 with the new kickoff rules.

Competing

Any remaining roster space at LB figures to be devoted exclusively to special teams. It’s the role Anthony Pittman played in Detroit for the last few seasons. Pittman is now with the Washington Commanders.

This is where Niemann fits in. He’s got over 80 NFL games under his belt, including 21 starts across six seasons. Fans of the Chiefs and Cardinals will opine that Niemann was much more capable on special teams than in actually playing linebacker. He did not have a defensive snap with the Broncos last season.

With Chambers now gone, the only other true off-ball LB on the roster is undrafted rookie DaRon Gilbert, a 218-pound Northern Illinois product who essentially played the same college role that Lions slot DB Brian Branch did at Alabama.

Biggest key matchup for the Lions vs. the Chiefs

Biggest key matchup for the Lions vs. the Chiefs in the NFL Week 1

Tonight the NFL season officially kicks off with the Detroit Lions versus the Kansas City Chiefs. With the Chiefs set to defend their crown as Super Bowl champions, the Lions look to play spoiler and show the world they’re the real deal. That’s the expectation for the Detroit Lions as we head into this season opener.

Win the division and make the playoffs or bust.

Some would even say that the Lions have to not only win their division for the first time since 1993 but they’ve also got to win a playoff game. The expectations are at an all-time high and it’s a weird feeling for fans like myself.

Needless to say, it’s exciting and all signs are pointing to the Lions being a better football team than they were in the past. They’ve just got to execute and all of this should come to fruition.

For their first game of the season against the Chiefs, all eyes will be on the health of tight end Travis Kelce. About as productive and consistent as you can be for a tight end in the NFL, Kelce has proven that he’s the best player at his position. Over the last seven seasons, he’s posted over 1,000 yards receiving and has over 100+ receptions in three of those seasons.

But the attention won’t be on the production we get from Kelce in this game. In fact, it’s all surrounding around his health. He’s currently battling a bad bone bruise on his knee and it’s forced swelling around his knee. This has put his status in serious doubt for the game.

It remains to be seen if Kelce will play or not tonight. If he does, I’d expect plenty of situations where the Lions lock defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson on him. If not him, I’d expect the Lions to bring rookie Brian Branch into the box and have him matchup against Kelce.

However, there’s a much bigger matchup that needs more attention. That matchup is how Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson does against the Kansas City Chiefs new offensive tackles. For the Chiefs, they have new left tackle Donovan Smith and new right tackle Jawaan Taylor.

While Smith and Taylor are more than feasible, they’re much different players than the previous tackles Orlando Brown and Andrew Wylie. We’ll see how it goes for both Smith and Taylor but it’s always interesting how a player does in a new scheme with new players around them.

Last season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Donovan Smith finished with a PFF Grade of 58.1 while giving up a total of 6 sacks. His 12 penalties were tied for 4th most in the NFL last season. As for his new teammate, Jawaan Taylor, he had given up 5 sacks last season. This earned him a PFF Grade of 58.7 overall.

So while Smith and Taylor aren’t great, they’re not terrible either. They’re feasible. But the Lions have Aidan Hutchinson and he could needs to start his sophomore season in the NFL the same way he ended his rookie season.

That would be red hot.

Last season, Hutch had four tackles, 0.5 sacks and an interception in a 41-10 victory in week 17 over the Chicago Bears. This set up the Lions game of the year with an end of the season tilt in week 18 against the Green Bay Packers.

With their backs against the wall in Lambeau Field, the Lions emerged victorious with a 20-16 win over Green Bay. In the win, Hutch ended up with four tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks.

It was a statement win for Detroit. Meanwhile, it was a statement made by Hutchinson. He ended his rookie season on a high note and helped his team get a much needed win on the road in Green Bay. With that, he showed that when he loads the stat sheet and gets after the quarterback, the Lions end up winning the game.

In seven games last season, Hutchinson recorded a sack or a half sack and in six of those games, the Lions ended up winning the game. The only game they lost was when they fell 24-6 to the Dallas Cowboys. Other than that, the Lions came out victorious.

While it’ll be tough to bring Patrick Mahomes down, anything is possible. For Mahomes, he’s been sacked a total of 121 times in his 80 game career. The most he’s been sacked in one game in his career was five times in 2018 against the Arizona Cardinals. It’ll be tough to bring him down five times tonight but if they can find ways to pressure him or keep him contained in the pocket, the Lions defense could do enough to hold on for a victory.

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Helping with that pressure and containment on the planet’s best quarterback is Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Keep tabs on what he does on every snap. From where he’s aligned to how he wins during his pass-rush. His presence could be felt from the very first play of the game. Hutch was viewed as the best draft prospect on a plethora of draft boards during the 2022 NFL Draft. Tonight he gets to prove that last season was no fluke and that everyone was right with their assessment on the talented defensive end.

2023 NFL Draft: 3 receivers that could replace DJ Chark for the Lions

3 receivers that could replace DJ Chark for the Lions

As time passed during free agency, it felt like like there was a chance that D.J. Chark was going to resign with the Detroit Lions. Unfortunately, he ended up signing a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers.

That leaves some uncertainty for the Lions at wide receiver. While they have a very good receiver in Amon-Ra St.Brown, there’s still some questions behind him on the depth chart. Josh Reynolds is a good enough WR3 in the NFL but we don’t really know what Jameson Williams is going to be yet. He could be great or he could not be but at this point, it’s hard to say.

That said, there could be a sneaky need for the Lions at wide receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at one receiver for each day of the 2023 NFL Draft that could interest the Detroit Lions.

Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU 

There’s much to be desired when it comes to the skill set of Quentin Johnston from TCU. He’s a bigger receiver that could translate to being a true ‘X’ receiver in the NFL. That might surprise some as Johnston didn’t always play like one at TCU.

On tape, there were times that Johnston showed his ability to run vertically down the field. In the process, there were times he would track the ball perfectly and make some spectacular catches. He does struggle with physicality from the opposition when he’s running his routes.

However, there’s a lot to like with the explosiveness and after the catch ability that Johnston has. Oddly enough, his 6’2″ and 208 pound frame is an 81.3% match to D.J. Chark, per Mockdraftable. During the 2018 NFL Draft, Chark checked into the Combine 6’2″ and 199 pounds while also posting a 40″ vertical.

While likely to be a first round pick, there’s a chance that the Lions could consider drafting Johnston with the 18th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They could very well turn to him to be a replacement for Chark and more due to his more rounded skill set.

Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee 

On day two of the 2023 NFL Draft, there’s going to be a very intriguing receiver being heavily talked about for just about every team. That player is Cedric Tillman from Tennessee. The preferred Volunteer receiver on my board and potentially the best true ‘X’ receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Tillman is 6’3″ and 213 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.54 seconds. While he doesn’t have blazing speed, that time is still good for a player of that size. But he doesn’t need speed to win.

He uses his frame consistently to box out defenders in jump ball situations and it allows him to have a bigger catch radius than most receivers. Meanwhile, he’s got the overall strength to withstand any type of contact from the opposition.

During 2022, he battled through an ankle injury but if fully healthy, he can certainly become the Lions next ‘X’ receiver next season. With 3 picks on day two of the 2023 NFL Draft, Lions fans should keep close tabs on Cedric Tillman from Tennessee.

Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, West Virginia 

If the Lions pass on a wide receiver on the first and second day of the 2023 NFL Draft, you would have to imagine that they would look for one on day three. While the wide receiver position runs deep and the Lions could look for a specific type of receiver, I’d have to think this next one would provide plenty of intrigue.

At the Scouting Combine, Bryce Ford-Wheaton did wonders for his draft stock. He checked in at 6’4″ and 221 pounds while posting a 41″ vertical and running the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds. Showcasing that type of speed and explosiveness should certainly shoot him up draft boards.

On the field, Ford-Wheaton isn’t a great separator but makes some great adjustments to the football. His frame allows him to win in contested catch situations and he’s got the ability to consistently run vertically down the field. During his career at West Virginia, he finished with 143 receptions for 1867 yards and 15 touchdowns.

With the Lions lacking a bigger receiver for contested catches or back shoulder throws, there could be plenty of intrigue with this prospect. Adding depth with the potential of starting is what the Lions have done well on day three of the draft. They could do that by selecting Bryce Ford-Wheaton out of West Virginia.

2023 Detroit Lions defensive depth chart prediction

Predicting the Detroit Lions depth chart after the first week of free agency signings

Plenty of things can change between now and the start of the regular season for the Detroit Lions. We still have free agency happening and we’re quickly approaching the 2023 NFL Draft.

In a surprising move on Sunday night, the Detroit Lions landed a big fish from the free agency pool. They signed defensive back Chauncey Garnder-Johnson to a one-year contract. While they lost DeShon Elliot earlier in free agency, they easily replace him with the league leader in interceptions last season.

With so many different moves happening on the defensive side of the football, I thought it was best that we peek at the Lions’ new-look defense. Here’s how the depth chart should be if the season started today for the Detroit Lions.

2023 Lions offensive depth chart prediction after the first week of free agency