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In advance of their preseason opener on Saturday night against the Cleveland Browns, the Detroit Lions have released their first 2014 depth chart. It's considered unofficial, and there are some positions that don't exactly seem all that accurate, so keep that in mind as you take a look at it.
Pos. | First String | Second String | Third String | Fourth String |
QB | Matthew Stafford |
Dan Orlovsky |
Kellen Moore |
James Franklin |
RB | Reggie Bush |
Joique Bell |
Mikel Leshoure |
Theo Riddick Steven Miller George Winn |
FB | Montell Owens |
Jed Collins |
Chad Abram |
|
WR | Calvin Johnson |
Kris Durham |
Jeremy Ross |
Corey Fuller Quintin Payton |
WR | Golden Tate |
Kevin Ogletree |
Ryan Broyles |
Patrick Edwards Andrew Peacock TJ Jones |
TE |
Brandon Pettigrew | Joseph Fauria | Eric Ebron | Jordan Thompson Jacob Maxwell |
LT | Riley Reiff | Cornelius Lucas | Michael Williams | |
LG | Rob Sims | Rodney Austin | Alex Bullard | |
C | Dominic Raiola | Travis Swanson | Darren Keyton | |
RG | Larry Warford | Garrett Reynolds | Bryce Quigley | |
RT | LaAdrian Waddle | Corey Hilliard | A.J. Dalton |
The main thing that jumps out to me on offense is that Mikel Leshoure is listed ahead of Theo Riddick at running back. I suppose this is a positive sign for Leshoure more than anything, but I'm skeptical that he's truly ahead of Riddick in the pecking order. I suppose that'll be something to keep an eye on going forward.
Other interesting things on offense:
- Despite being listed as a running back on the Lions' official roster, Montell Owens is the starting fullback over Jed Collins.
- At wide receiver, Kevin Ogletree and Kris Durham are the top backups.
- At tight end, Eric Ebron is currently third on the depth chart, and the Lions are no longer listing two separate TE spots.
- On the offensive line, LaAdrian Waddle is the starting right tackle over Corey Hilliard.
Pos. | First String | Second String | Third String | Fourth String |
DE | Ziggy Ansah |
Darryl Tapp |
George Johnson |
|
DT | Nick Fairley |
Andre Fluellen |
Caraun Reid |
Gregory Hickman |
DT | Ndamukong Suh |
C.J. Mosley |
Jimmy Saddler-McQueen |
Xavier Proctor |
DE | Jason Jones |
Devin Taylor |
Larry Webster |
Kris Redding |
OLB | Ashlee Palmer |
Kyle Van Noy |
Cory Greenwood |
Justin Jackson |
MLB | Stephen Tulloch |
Travis Lewis |
Brandon Hepburn |
|
OLB | DeAndre Levy |
Tahir Whitehead |
Julian Stanford |
|
CB | Rashean Mathis |
Bill Bentley |
Nevin Lawson |
Aaron Hester Mohammed Seisay |
CB | Darius Slay |
Cassius Vaughn |
Jonte Green |
Chris Greenwood |
SS | James Ihedigbo |
DeJon Gomes |
Jerome Couplin |
|
FS | Glover Quin |
Don Carey |
Isa Abdul-Quddus |
The defensive depth chart really does a nice job of illustrating the fact that this is unofficial. Case in point: Andre Fluellen, who said this week that he's now a defensive end, is listed ahead of Caraun Reid at defensive tackle. Okay then.
Here are some other notable things about the defensive depth chart:
- Ashlee Palmer is currently ahead of Kyle Van Noy at outside linebacker, and Travis Lewis and Tahir Whitehead are the primary backups at the other two LB spots.
- At cornerback, Bill Bentley and Cassius Vaughn are the top backups, followed by Nevin Lawson and Jonte Green.
- DeJon Gomes and Don Carey are the second-string safeties.
Pos. | First String | Second String | Third String | Fourth String |
K | Nate Freese |
Giorgio Tavecchio |
||
P | Sam Martin |
Drew Butler |
||
KO | Sam Martin |
Nate Freese | Giorgio Tavecchio | |
HLD | Sam Martin | Drew Butler | ||
LS | Don Muhlbach |
|||
KR | Jeremy Ross |
Theo Riddick |
Steven Miller |
|
PR | Jeremy Ross |
Golden Tate |
Steven Miller |
On special teams, the only really notable thing is that Nate Freese is currently listed ahead of Giorgio Tavecchio at kicker. That position battle remains up in the air going forward, but that may be a sign that this is still Freese's job to lose.