:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/37179756/20140815_ter_al2_038.jpg.0.jpg)
It's time for another Detroit Lions 53-man roster prediction. Take a look:
|
QB Matthew Stafford QB Dan Orlovsky QB Kellen Moore QB James Franklin RB Reggie Bush RB Joique Bell RB Theo Riddick RB George Winn RB Mikel Leshoure RB Steven Miller FB Jed Collins FB Montell Owens FB Chad Abram WR Calvin Johnson WR Golden Tate WR Ryan Broyles WR Kris Durham WR Jeremy Ross WR TJ Jones (PUP list) WR Kevin Ogletree WR Corey Fuller WR Pat Edwards WR Andrew Peacock WR Conner Vernon |
TE Eric Ebron TE Brandon Pettigrew TE Joseph Fauria TE Jordan Thompson TE Jacob Maxwell OT Riley Reiff OT LaAdrian Waddle OT Corey Hilliard OT Cornelius Lucas OT Michael Williams OT A.J. Dalton OG Rob Sims OG Larry Warford OG Rodney Austin OG Garrett Reynolds OG Darren Keyton OG Alex Bullard OG Bryce Quigley C Dominic Raiola C Travis Swanson |
DE Ziggy Ansah DE Jason Jones DE Devin Taylor DE Larry Webster DE George Johnson DE Darryl Tapp DE Kris Redding DT Ndamukong Suh DT C.J. Mosley DT Nick Fairley DT Caraun Reid DT Andre Fluellen DT Jimmy Saddler-McQueen DT Xavier Proctor DT Gregory Hickman LB DeAndre Levy LB Stephen Tulloch LB Kyle Van Noy LB Ashlee Palmer LB Tahir Whitehead LB Travis Lewis LB Julian Stanford LB Brandon Hepburn LB Shamari Benton |
CB Darius Slay CB Rashean Mathis CB Bill Bentley CB Cassius Vaughn CB Chris Greenwood CB Nevin Lawson CB Jonte Green CB Aaron Hester CB Mohammed Seisay S Glover Quin S James Ihedigbo S Don Carey S DeJon Gomes S Isa Abdul-Quddus S Jerome Couplin S Nate Ness K Giorgio Tavecchio K Nate Freese P Sam Martin P Drew Butler LS Don Muhlbach |
(You can see my pre-preseason 53-man roster prediction here.)
Changes to the 53-man roster
DE George Johnson in, RB Mikel Leshoure out - I know there has been a lot of talk about George Winn potentially beating out Mikel Leshoure for a roster spot (here included), but I don't have either player making the team. With Montell Owens able to play running back and fullback and contribute on special teams, I have him as the final back on the roster. This frees up a spot for George Johnson and allows the Lions to keep 10 defensive linemen.
WR Kris Durham in, WR Kevin Ogletree out - Rather than use that extra spot to keep both Kris Durham and Kevin Ogletree, I simply opted for Durham over Ogletree. It was really a coin flip type of decision since the two players are so even, and keeping both of them would have been simpler. However, do the Lions really need six receivers? Reggie Bush and Theo Riddick will both likely get time in the slot and out wide, as will Eric Ebron. Considering that sixth receiver would need to contribute on special teams to even be active, I just think there's more value in having added depth on the D-line and at linebacker. (If I had decided to go with six receivers, chances are I would have released Travis Lewis to make room for Ogletree, but Lewis brings more to the table from a special teams standpoint.)
CB Chris Greenwood in, CB Jonte Green out - This is another coin flip type of decision. Neither player has really emerged over the other, but just from seeing what's happened in the preseason, I get the feeling that Chris Greenwood has a better chance of sticking around than Jonte Green.
K Giorgio Tavecchio in, K Nate Freese out - I was all set to keep Nate Freese as the Lions' starting kicker simply because he has gotten all of their first-half reps so far this preseason. Giorgio Tavecchio has actually been slightly more consistent, but based on the initial preseason rotation, it seemed like Freese still had the edge at kicker. This week, however, the Lions are planning to have Freese and Tavecchio rotate opportunities instead of each player just getting a half, and I view this as Tavecchio's chance to take control of the starting kicker job.