Lions-Bills snap counts: Which players got the most playing time in the preseason finale?

Here’s a look at the snap counts for the Detroit Lions’ preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills.

Offense:

Quarterbacks

Brad Kaaya: 30 snaps (57%)
Jake Rudock: 23 (43%)

Running backs

Tion Green: 30 (57%) — 9 special teams snaps (35%)
Matt Asiata: 23 (43%)

Tight ends

Robert Tonyan: 25 (47%) — 7 (27%)
Khari Lee: 23 (43%) — 16 (62%)
Scott Orndoff: 18 (34%) — 7 (27%)

Wide receivers

Noel Thomas: 48 (91%)
Michael Rector: 31 (58%)
Dontez Ford: 30 (57%) — 2 (8%)
Jared Abbrederis: 22 (42%) — 9 (35%)
Jace Billingsley: 15 (28%) — 9 (35%)

Offensive tackles

Storm Norton: 53 (100%) — 3 (12%)
Nick Becton: 30 (57%) — 3 (12%)
Cornelius Lucas: 23 (43%) — 1 (4%)

Guards/centers

Connor Bozick: 53 (100%) — 6 (23%)
Leo Koloamatangi: 53 (100%) — 5 (19%)
Brandon Thomas: 53 (100%) — 3 (12%)

Observations:

It’s pretty interesting to see the Lions sit both Dwayne Washington and TJ Jones out for the entire game. Logic would tell you that both are essentially roster locks at this point, but we made the exact same assumption with Jones last year, and he was cut.

Also mildly interesting, the Lions used the exact same offensive line for the entire game, except for one of the guard spots. If Cornelius Lucas hadn’t been injured, the same five may have played together all game.

Finally, the Jace Billingsley/Jared Abbrederis face-off was not what it was hyped to be. The two barely got any playing time and didn’t do anything with it. I don’t know what it says to their chances to make the final roster, but it can’t be good.

Defense:

Defensive end

Caushaud Lyons: 39 (50%) — 3 (12%)
Pat O’Connor: 38 (49%) — 10 (38%)
Jeremiah Valoaga: 34 (44%) — 11 (42%)
Alex Barrett: 33 (42%) — 10 (38%)
Armonty Bryant: 30 (38%) — 1 (4%)
Giorgio Newberry: 21 (27%) — 1 (4%)

Defensive tackle

Ego Ferguson: 39 (50%) — 4 (15%)
Khyri Thornton: 39 (50%) — 3 (12%)
Derrick Lott: 39 (50%) — 2 (8%)

Linebackers

Jalen Reeves-Maybin: 50 (64%) — 5 (19%)
Nick Bellore: 45 (58%) — 7 (27%)
Steve Longa: 43 (55%) — 5 (19%)
Thurston Armbrister: 38 (49%) -- 19 (73%)
Antwione Williams: 31 (40%) — 18 (69%)

Cornerbacks

Johnson Bademosi: 40 (51%) — 11 (42%)
Jamal Agnew: 33 (42%) — 6 (23%)
Tramain Jacobs: 32 (41%) — 9 (35%)
DJ Hayden: 29 (37%) — 2 (8%)
Teez Tabor: 28 (36%) — 4 (15%)
Josh Thornton: 21 (27%) — 7 (27%)

Safety

Rolan Milligan: 28 (47%) — 12 (41%)
Charles Washington: 25 (42%) — 13 (45%)
Alex Carter: 25 (42%) — 11 (38%)
Miles Killebrew: 24 (41%) — 3 (10%)
Glover Quin: 9 (14%)

Observations

No Adairius Barnes, Quandre Diggs or Jeremiah Ledbetter. I’m not sure what that means for Barnes, but that likely means Diggs and Ledbetter are in.

But I don’t understand why you’d hold Ledbetter out of this game, even if he’s a lock. We’re talking about a sixth-round rookie, who could potentially play heavily into the Lions’ rotation this year. He needs every rep he can get. The other possibility is that he’s injured, but let’s not even discuss that right now.

It can’t be good news for Alex Carter that Rolan Milligan and Charles Washington continue to get more reps than the former third-round rookie.