Quarterback: 2
Brad Kaaya
Running Back: 4
Zach Zenner
Matt Asiata
Tion Green
Wide Receiver: 4
Jace Billingsley
Jared Abbrederis
Dez Stewart
Noel Thomas
Michael Rector
Keyshawn Martin
Dontez Ford
Tight End: 4
Eric Ebron
Darren Fells
Micheal Roberts
Cole Wick
Khari Lee
Scott Orndoff
Andrew Prince
Robert Tonyan
Tim Wright
Tackle: 5
Rick Wagner
Greg Robinson
Cyrus Kouandjio
Cornelius Lucas
Storm Norton
Nick Becton
Corey Robinson
Guard: 4
TJ Lang
Joe Dahl
Laken Tomlinson
Brandon Thomas
Connor Bozick
Center: 1
Travis Swanson
Leo Koloamatangi
Defensive End: 6
Cornelius Washington
Jeremiah Valoaga
Pat O’Connor
Alex Barrett
Giorgio Newberry
Defensive Tackle: 5
Haloti Ngata
Akeem Spence
Jeremiah Ledbetter
Jordan Hill
Ego Ferguson
Linebacker: 5
Tahir Whitehead
Antwione Williams
Paul Worrilow
Thurston Armbrister
Steve Longa
Cornerback: 6
DJ Hayden
Johnson Bademosi
Adarius Barnes
Josh Thornton
Tramain Jacobs
Safety: 4
Glover Quin
Miles Killebrew
Don Carey
Alex Carter
Rolan Milligan
Charles Washington
Special Teams: 3
Kasey Redfern
Will Not Count Against The Roster Due To Injury Or Suspension
Taylor Decker
Armonty Bryant
Khyri Thornton
Brandon Copeland
Brandon Chubb
Mike James
Desmond Lawrence
Breakdown
Offense: 24
Matthew Stafford and Jake Rudock make the team in this mock 53 man roster, while Brad Kaaya is left out. I like Kaaya a lot, but there simply isn’t room for three quarterbacks on a roster this deep. Hopefully Kaaya will make it onto the practice squad for this season.
Currently Dwayne Washington is beating out Matt Asiata for the fourth running back spot. Neither has looked great (or received great run blocking), but Washington has led the Lions in rushing yards in both preseason games. I think the Lions should opt for the younger, higher potential option in Washington. Washington also has more special teams value.
I think that the Lions should keep only four receivers along with another four tight ends. Eric Ebron is practically a receiver even though he is listed as a tight end, so this could actually be viewed as five receivers and three tight ends when looking at it that way.
There are no real surprises along the offensive line on this list. I have the Lions keeping Storm Norton as a backup at least until Taylor Decker is able to return from his injury, hopefully around mid season.
Defense: 26
I believe that the Lions should keep 11 defensive linemen (six ends and five tackles) in an effort to have a very good rotation. The Lions don’t have a lot of star power on the defensive line, but they have young guys who have very high potential (Valoaga, Barrett, O’Connor and Ledbetter) and should get a chance to prove themselves this regular season.
I think the Lions will only keep five linebackers. Davis, Whitehead and Williams will be the starting three while Reeves-Maybin and Worrilow are more than capable backups who could even push for starting roles while also contributing on special teams.
The cornerbacks are the deepest group on the entire Lions team this year, so it was the hardest to decide which of them to cut. Slay, Lawson, Hayden, Tabor and Agnew all appear to be locks, so the sixth spot is really a battle between Johnson Bademosi and Quandre Diggs. Although Diggs is probably the better cornerback, I think Bademosi should get the spot for his elite special teams play.
There are no surprises at the safety position, as the four who I think should make the team all made the team last season.
Special Teams: 3
Matt Prater, Sam Martin and Don Muhlbach will be the specialists for the third consecutive season. All of them have done a great job in their time in Detroit, and there is no reason to expect that to stop any time soon. Elite special teams play was a big part of what made a winning record and making the playoffs possible last year, so these three had already earned their jobs before the preseason even began.
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