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Even before the Detroit Lions saw two of their starters go down with injuries on Friday night, the overall health of the team was going to have a big impact on the roster construction this year. What will the Lions do with guys like Tom Savage, Tyrell Crosby, Teez Tabor, Austin Bryant or Steve Longa?
Frank Ragnow and Jarrad Davis may have avoided major injuries against the Buffalo Bills, but their availabilities for Week 1 are still very much in question. As a result, the Lions may want to keep an extra guard or a reserve linebacker that wasn’t going to make the team before.
So now is as good of a time as any to check in on our Bubble Watch, in which our staff votes on the fate of several roster players.
Bubble Watch Week 6: Offense
| Player | Jeremy Reisman | Kent Lee | Ryan Mathews | Mike Payton | Hamza | Alex Reno | Andrew Kato | Mansur Shaheen | Kyle Yost | Justin Simon | John Whiticar | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Jeremy Reisman | Kent Lee | Ryan Mathews | Mike Payton | Hamza | Alex Reno | Andrew Kato | Mansur Shaheen | Kyle Yost | Justin Simon | John Whiticar | Change |
| QB Josh Johnson | OUT | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | IN | 2 |
| QB David Fales | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | 1 |
| RB Zach Zenner | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | N/A |
| RB Mark Thompson | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | N/A |
| WR Tommylee Lewis | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 0 |
| WR Andy Jones | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | 0 |
| WR Travis Fulgham | OUT | IN | IN | IN | OUT | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | -3 |
| WR Brandon Powell | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | 1 |
| WR Chris Lacy | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | 1 |
| TE Isaac Nauta | IN | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | IN | IN | IN | OUT | IN | OUT | 2 |
| OT Andrew Donnal | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | IN | 8 |
| G Beau Benzschawel | OUT | IN | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | -4 |
| G/C Leo Koloamatangi | OUT | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | 3 |
| G Kenny Wiggins | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | 0 |
| G Oday Aboushi | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | IN | IN | IN | OUT | 5 |
New to Bubble Watch: Zach Zenner (trending down), Mark Thompson (up)
Off the Bubble: N/A
Mark Thompson has looked good enough this entire preseason to get serious consideration for the Lions’ RB4 job behind Kerryon Johnson, C.J. Anderson and Ty Johnson. Thompson has 17 carries for 80 yards this entire preseason (4.7 YPC).
While Zenner hasn’t done anything wrong and looks like his typical reliable self, you have to wonder if the Lions are tempted by a younger, cheaper option.
No one on staff is buying it quite yet, as Zenner is still a consensus “IN.” Thompson’s practice squad eligibility likely tips the scales.
Biggest risers: Andrew Donnal (+8), Oday Aboushi (+5), Leo Koloamatangi (+3)
Biggest fallers: Beau Benzschawel (-4), Travis Fulgham (-3)
Unsurprisingly, the injury to Frank Ragnow seems to have sent our staff into “keep every offensive lineman possible” mode. With Kenny Wiggins potentially moving back to a starting guard position in the immediate, the Lions need some offensive tackle depth, and Andrew Donnal is likely the best healthy option they’ve got.
Oday Aboushi is also now more likely to make the team, seeing as he’s the only healthy interior offensive lineman reserve with experience. Leo Koloamatangi could slip on the roster considering Detroit’s potential short-term need for a backup center.
Just missing the list was quarterback Josh Johnson, who saw a little bump in confidence after his solid game against the Bills combined with David Fales’ rough outing. Five of our 11 staffers think neither Johnson nor Fales will be the team’s backup in 2019.
As for the fallers, Beau Benzschawel saw a big hit as the staff now seems to value Aboushi’s experience over Benzschawel’s potential. Considering the Lions may rely on their depth sooner rather than later, that makes some sense.
Travis Fulgham’s game-losing fumble lost him some confidence this week, as he’s fallen behind Chris Lacy in the reserve receiver race.
Bubble Watch Week 6: Defense
| Player | Jeremy Reisman | Kent Lee | Ryan Mathews | Mike Payton | Hamza | Alex Reno | Andrew Kato | Mansur Shaheen | Kyle Yost | Justin Simon | John Whiticar | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Jeremy Reisman | Kent Lee | Ryan Mathews | Mike Payton | Hamza | Alex Reno | Andrew Kato | Mansur Shaheen | Kyle Yost | Justin Simon | John Whiticar | Change |
| EDGE Eric Lee | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | -5 |
| EDGE Malik Carney | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | -1 |
| EDGE Mitchell Loewen | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | IN | IN | 6 |
| DT P.J. Johnson | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | -1 |
| DT John Atkins | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 0 |
| DT Kevin Strong | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | 5 |
| DT Fred Jones | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | -3 |
| LB Steve Longa | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | -4 |
| LB Miles Killebrew | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | -1 |
| CB Teez Tabor | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | IN | IN | IN | IN | -2 |
| CB Mike Ford | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | -4 |
| S Andrew Adams | IN | OUT | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | IN | OUT | -3 |
| S Charles Washington | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | IN | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | 4 |
| S Tavon Wilson | IN | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | 0 |
| S C.J. Moore | OUT | IN | OUT | IN | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | N/A |
New to Bubble Watch: C.J. Moore (trending up)
Off the Bubble: N/A
Thanks to some special teams play, C.J. Moore has worked his way onto the roster bubble. Even though the Lions’ safety room is extremely crowded, three staff members still have him in.
Biggest risers: Mitchell Loewen (+6), Kevin Strong (+5) Charles Washington (+4)
Biggest fallers: Eric Lee (-5), Steve Longa (-4), Mike Ford (-4), Fred Jones (-3), Andrew Adams (-3)
With Eric Lee nursing an undisclosed injury and Steve Longa still on the PUP, those were our two biggest losers of the week. Conversely, Mitchell Loewen hype is back for no other reason than no one else stepping up on the edge.
Kevin Strong continues his upward trajectory in the backup interior defender race, while there were some drastic shifts at safety this week. Andrew Adams is trending downward with a lot of staff and media members due to his wildly inconsistent play. Meanwhile, Charles Washington—despite playing zero defensive snaps against the Bills last week—is on the rise. POD loves special teams as much as Bob Quinn, I guess.