2024 Detroit Lions 53-man roster projection: Pre-training camp edition

Detroit Lions 2024 training camp practices begin this week, which means it’s time to release the next part of our 53-man roster projections.

As is tradition, Jeremy Reisman and I are teaming up on this article to provide a balanced look at roster lineups coming out of the summer break. We’ll get together to discuss roster lineups, fight for our favorite players, and compromise where we can. We’ll jointly publish updated versions of our 53-man roster projections throughout training camp, then each of us will publish our own projections as the cutdown comes around.

let’s start.

Note: Asterisk

Indicates that the player is new

Quarterback (2)
Jared Goff
Hendon Hooker

Nate SudfeldEric Most indications coming out of spring training were that Sudfeld had the edge in competing for the QB2 spot, but consistency has always been his biggest enemy, and that became evident just two weeks into training camp last year. Hooker figures heavily into the Lions’ future plans. andHe has improved and grown as a player

He still has work to do to instill confidence that he can be a bona fide QB2, but with six weeks of practice to hone his skills, we think he can get there.

Additionally, the Lions could always try to make a move to secure Sudfeld on the practice squad, giving them the option to promote Hooker if he needs a bit more time.

Running Back (4)
Jameel Gibbs
David Montgomery
Craig Reynolds
Sione Vaki*
Zonovan Knight
Jamar Jefferson

Jake Funk Jeremy:

This wasn’t a particularly tough position group. The top two and Vaki are roster locks, so the question is how many running backs the Lions will keep. Four seems like the minimum given the new kickoff rules, but a fifth would be very hard to justify given the other roster competition. So Reynolds earned the final spot because he’s both a decent rusher and a proven special teams player.

Wide Receiver (5)
Amon Ra Saint Brown
Jameson Williams
Antoine Green
Kaliph Raymond
Donovan Peoples Jones
Maurice Alexander
Doric Fountain
Cayden Davis
Tom Kennedy
Tre’Quan Smith
Isaiah Williams*

Jaron Calhoun*Eric

How the receiver corps moves forward will be a focus of attention throughout camp. Not only will the starting WR-X role be a battle, but the depth is unclear outside of Raymond locking down the WR4 spot (and potentially becoming a WR3 in certain situations). Green vs. Peoples-Jones looks to be the matchup to watch, but there are several reserves who could give it a shot.

Will Alexander benefit from experience with the new kickoff rules? Kennedy has always performed well on offense but has been held back by his contributions on special teams. Could the kickoff rule change open up an opportunity for him? Can Fountain and Davis pick up where they left off in the spring? Will Williams or Calhoun be the darlings of next camp? Ultimately, the answers to these questions remain unknown, so for now we’ll narrow it down to five receivers.

Tight End (4)
Sam Laporta
Block Write
James Mitchell
Shane Zylstra
Parker Hesse

Sean McKeon Jeremy:

The TE3 spot is a battle between Mitchell and Zylstra, but Detroit doesn’t need to settle on a winner right away — there’s plenty of room for both, and Detroit wouldn’t be surprised to have four tight ends left given their lack of fullbacks.

That being said, I’m not discounting Hesse or McKeon. They’ll both be buried deep in the depth charts, but they have plenty of NFL experience. I don’t view them as camp additions. They have a real chance to compete and earn a spot.

Offensive tackle (4)
Taylor Decker
Penei Sewell
Colby Thorsdal
Giovanni Manu*
Dan Skipper

Conor GalvinEric With the starting lineup decided, we turned our attention to the reserves who rounded out the group. ManuNFI list camp starts

—Needs the most polish, but is a sure bet to make the roster given the Lions’ investment in him during the draft. That leaves it as a Thorzdal vs. Skipper vs. Galvin battle for OT3. If either starter is injured, a replacement will play right tackle, and Thorzdal has filled that position as a reserve. Given his development, position versatility and future potential, I’d favor the promising second-year player over the veteran cult hero.

As you will see in the next section, we also discussed leaving Skipper as OL10, but ultimately numbers meant that Skipper was eliminated.

Interior Offensive Line (5)
Frank Ragnow
Kevin Zeitler
Graham Glasgow
Kayode Awosika
Christian Mahogany*
Michael Neese
Netane Muti
Matt Farniock
Kingsley Eguakun*
Brian Hudson*

Duke Clemons* Jeremy:

Eric and I debated how many offensive linemen the Lions should keep, ultimately narrowing it down to nine or 10. Ultimately, Thorzdal’s versatility allowed us to get away with a lighter lineup. I think Ragnow, Zeitler, Glasgow and Mahogany are basically guaranteed in this group. The discussion was about which of the veteran offensive linemen would be the primary backup. Awosika has been a reliable player in that role for two years, but Netane Muti can’t be ignored either.

As for the rest of the group, the Lions are expected to retain at least one, and possibly two, of their undrafted rookie centers for development.

Defensive End (5)
Aidan Hutchinson
Josh Pascal
Marcus Davenport
John Kaminski
James Huston
Matthew Betts
Mitchell Agude
Isaac Ukwu*

Nate Lin*Eric : I was very confident the first three on this list would make the roster, but I debated how the rest of the group would play. Kominsky looked like he was maxed out in 2023, but…He accepted a pay cut this offseason to stay in Detroit. This is a good sign that the team has some plans for him. Houston has always been a bit of a wild card as he has good pass-rush skills but struggles in other areas, frustrating coaches. Expectations are high for Houston this season.

But he’ll have to hold off the CFL’s sack leader (Betts) who will likely be his biggest rival. Agude could be a sleeper here.

Defensive tackle (5)
Alim McNeill
DJ Leader
Levi Onwuzurike
Broderick Martin
Mekhi Wingo*
Chris Smith

Kyle Peco Jeremy:

Five defensive tackles is a lot, but that’s what happens when you have two projects on the roster. Martin and Wingo are probably safe, which means there’s a long discussion to be had about Onwuzurike. He was one of Eric and I’s last picks, but it’s still not a sure thing. He had a promising spring and should have an even better summer once he puts on pads. Smith is also a dark horse candidate here.

Linebacker (5)
Alex Anzalone
Jack Campbell
Derrick Barnes
Malcolm Rodriguez
Jalen Reeves Maybin
Ben Niemann

Daron Gilbert*Eric

: The Lions have historically had six linebackers on the active roster with the final spot reserved for a special teams player, but recent kickoff rule changes have seen them add an extra defensive back instead. With Niemann’s career as a special teams player and former safety-turned-linebacker Gilbert seeming ideally suited for the new rule, it’s entirely possible that group will revert to six when the dust settles.

Cornerback (7)
Carlton Davis III
Terrion Arnold*
Amick Robertson
Emmanuel Moseley
Ennis Rakestraw Jr.*
Khalil Dorsey
Stephen Gilmore
Kindle Wildor

Morris Norris*

Jeremy:

Picking which defensive backs to include on this roster was a painful exercise in this assignment, and I can’t imagine how Holmes and Campbell will feel when they actually have to do it.

In the end, Eric and I decided that Davis, Arnold, Robertson, Moseley and Rakestraw gave the Lions enough defensive talent that they needed the rest of the lineup and special teams skills. Dorsey has the special teams skills as both a gunner and returner and Gilmore has the pedigree to be a core special teams player. So, Vildo was left on the outside, despite being a starter at the end of last season.

Again, we’re keeping a lot of guys at one position here, but we justify it because the Lions have a lot of talent here and they’re going to need big special teams contributions from their defensive backs.

Safety (4)
Brian Branch
Kirby Joseph
Ifetu Melifonwu
CJ Moore
Brandon Joseph
Lauren Strickland*

Cheren Garnes*Eric

Branch will likely be the Lions’ starting nickel, but he’s included in this group because the team plans to expand his role, as well as serve as an injury replacement if anything happens to Joseph or Melifonwu.

There was serious discussion between Moore and Brandon Joseph for the final safety spot, but it was decided on Moore due to his contributions on special teams. Brandon Joseph was the literal finalist in this one, so I’m sure if camp goes well, there will be an opportunity to knock someone off the roster, perhaps at a different position.

Specialist (3)
Jack Fox (P)
Michael Badgley (K)
Scott Daly (LS)
Jake Bates (K)

Hogan Hatten (LS)

Jeremy:

We’ll be using incumbents at two of the open specialist positions. The Lions were obviously aggressive in their pursuit of Jake Bates, so the former Michigan Panthers kicker has a shot. But the Lions aren’t locked into him and his contract, and Badgley has earned the trust of the coaching staff that will be hard to surpass in just a month.

As for the long snapper competition, there isn’t enough evidence to believe Hatten can beat Daly…yet.