After Draft Roster Review: Are There Any Needs Left?
Reviewing the remaining holes in the Lions roster
Information sourced from: ESPN, Pro Football Reference, CFB Reference
The Lions roster is likely mostly set at this point. However, there are always the few signings that come around training camp, and sometimes even close to the season. I remember July of 2016 when the Lions signed Anquan Boldin, and he notched 67 catches for 584 yards and helped them secure a wild card spot in the playoffs. So let’s go position by position through the roster and see where the needs still lie. I will rank each position 0 out of 5, with 0 being no need at all, 5 being we need to sign an entirely new room.
Quarterback:
Jared Goff
Teddy Bridgewater
Luke Altmyer
I don’t think we need to make any changes here. We have a competent backup, and a potential developmental prospect. All looks good from my end. They may add another camp arm, but I honestly doubt it.
TLDR: 0/5 Need
Running Back:
Jahmyr Gibbs
Isiah Pacheco
Sione Vaki
Jacob Saylers
So I may think differently than most people here. I see Jahmyr Gibbs, and then I see a bunch of question marks. Can Pacheco stay healthy with a lower amount of snaps? Can Vaki bring something outside of special teams? What does Jacob Saylers have to offer? It is likely one of the three will work out, but I am concerned in not having a third known commodity, but not overly concerned.
TLDR: 2/5 Need
Wide Receiver
Amon-Ra St. Brown
Jameson Williams
Isaac TeSlaa
Greg Dortch
Kendrick Law
Tom Kennedy
Jackson Meeks
Malik Cunningham
There is no shortage of talent and youth in the wide receiver room. Two very proven receivers top the chart. TeSlaa certainly looks the part. Dortch is your gadget guy to replace Kalif Raymond (less speed, but more shiftyness). Tom Kennedy always finds a way to play every year. Kendrick Law can block and return. Meeks and Cunningham are unknown commodities. I wouldn’t shy away from adding someone, but there certainly is no need in this room.
TLDR: 0/5 Need
Tight End
Sam LaPorta
Tyler Conklin
Brock Wright
Zach Horton
The Tight End room is a bit concerning to me. I know we have Sam LaPorta, and Brock Wright is certainly a mid range tight end (good TE2/3). Tyler Conklin comes as the productive vet coming off of a down year, but I and many other fans believe he will be just fine in this offense. Zach Horton is the relatively unknown blocking TE. I’m pretty shaky in this room. LaPorta is coming off of a potentially serious injury, and while it looks good we don’t know for sure. Conklin needs to have a bounce back year. Brock Wright seemed… less productive in extended use last year. And Zach Horton seems destined to round out the bottom of the depth chart always. It would make me very happy to see another mid range tight end added to this room.
TLDR: 3/5 Need
Offensive Tackle
Penei Sewell
Blake Miller
Larry Borom
Giovanni Manu
Devin Cochran
Mason Miller
I am less concerned about the tackle room. Generally the Lions have been pretty good with three primary tackles. You have Penei shifting to LT, and he has been nothing but available. The iron man rookie Blake Miller slotting in at RT. Larry Borom is coming in to play the backup tackle / Dan Skipper role (and Borom has lots of experience starting). I really like how this room has built out. Manu looked rough last year in limited action but hopefully he continues his developmental arc. While I could see a depth piece added, that was Devin Cochran and Mason Miller provided their health is good.
TLDR: 0/5 Need
Offensive Guard
Tate Ratledge
Christian Mahongany
Juice Scruggs
Miles Frazier
Ben Bartch
Colby Sorsdal
Melvin Priestly
(Michael Niese, dual position with center)
This room has a question at left guard. However, you have Christian Mahogany who is solid if he returns to form (having a quality center, and playing next to Penei could help that). Juice Scruggs who has plenty of experience. Miles Frazier who looked great in spot duty. The rest are just depth pieces (however I think Sorsdal is done). No need to add anyone here, we will find a starter and depth from the group the Lions have assembled.
TLDR: 0/5 Need
Center
Cade Mays
Michael Niese
Seth McLaughlin
(Juice Scruggs, dual position with guard)
This room saw a big upgrade going from Graham Glasgow to Cade Mays. I’m sorry (not really), but I hated our center play last year. I think it is part of why Mahogany struggled so hard, I think it really just tore our line apart. Graham fought hard, but we needed the upgrade we got. Backup center is a big question (to be honest, I thought Trystan Colon was going to be good last year and look where that got us). I am hopeful that we can find a backup with some combination of McLaughlin and Scruggs, but hope is not a strategy. I think Niese is on his last chance with the Lions. However, there is still a small need at backup center with no clear path there right now. Who knows maybe a backup center is a luxury and not a need.
TLDR: 1/5 Need
Defensive Tackle
Alim McNeil
Tyleik Williams
Mekhi Wingo
Levi Onwuzurike
Jay Tufele
Chris Smith
Skyler Gill-Howard
Aidan Keanaaina
Defensive Tackle is an interesting spot. Alim looks like he is bouncing back from his injury. Tyleik looked pretty good and is primed for sophomore jump. Levi has back issues, but is good when he is on the field. Tufele could be a good depth piece. Wingo and others need to still prove themselves in Lions uniforms. I see one gaping hole, and that is the spot Roy Lopez filled last year. We need a nose like tackle who can play where the Lions need him to play. So there is a need here, and I think it’s sneakily bigger than people think.
TLDR: 2/5 Need
Defensive End
Aidan Hutchinson
Derrick Moore
DJ Wonnum
Tyler Lacy
Ahmed Hassanein
Tyre West
Payton Turner
I really like the moves made to upgrade this room. DJ Wonnum adds the ability to stop the run more effectively opposite hutch (Sorry AQM). Derrick Moore is simply a good all around edge. Ahmed Hassanein is in his second year and has shown the desire to fight for the Lions, and has very little “wear on his tires”. Payton Turner is the athletic phenom who needs to learn to stay healthy for just one year. We also have a bevy of players to develop. The Lions have done a nice job rounding this room out better than it has been in years.
TLDR: 0/5 Need
Linebacker
Jack Campbell
Derrick Barnes
Malcolm Rodrigurez
Jimmy Rolder
Trevor Nowaske
Damone Clark
Joe Bachie
Erick Hunter
I’m not going to go very deep into this room. We have great starters. We have good developmental prospects. We only have one thing that needs to be filled, and that’s the coverage linebacker spot that Alex Anzalone used to fill. I am confident that one of these guys (Rolder, Barnes, Nowaske, Hunter) can fill that spot.
TLDR: 1/5 Need
Cornerback
DJ Reed
Terrion Arnold
Rock Ya-Sin
Keith Abney
Roger McCreary
Christian Izien
Nick Whiteside
Khalil Dorsey
Ennis Rakestraw
Amaris Brown
De’Shawn Rucker
This may be the best filled out room on the whole team. DJ Reed should be healthy again. Terrion Arnold has a chance to take the next step. Rock Ya-Sin proved he is a solid corner last year. Keith Abney could be your natural Amik Robertson replacement drafted at amazing value. Roger McCreary is there if Abney needs time. Izien can do lots of things, including play safety. Nick Whiteside has looked good at times, so has Kahlil Dorsey. The rest are unproven. However, that’s a lot of quality depth. We have shown we can make do with lesser corners, and I am confident Sheppard will also take the next step and this secondary will be in good shape.
TLDR: 0/5 Need
Safety
Brian Branch
Kerby Joseph
Avonte Maddox
Chuck Clark
Dan Jackson
Thomas Harper
Loren Strickland
This almost feels like reviewing the cornerbacks room again, however there is one difference. Branch won’t be back until mid season, and Kerby is a question mark on if he is going to need regular weeks off to manage his injury. I was glad when they brought Maddox back as he can start in place of Branch, and Chuck Clark/Thomas Harper should be good to fill in where needed. However, I feel this is still a pretty pressing need with all the question marks.
TLDR: 3/5 Need
Specialists
Jake Bates
Jack Fox
Hogan Hatten
We return the entire crew, and everyone should be happy that we seem to have some stability in the specialist room.
TLDR: 0/5 Need
Top 3 Needs
Safety
Tight End
Defensive Tackle
I didn’t know where I would land when I started out this article. I tried to step back and throw aside my initial thoughts and review the rooms. However, I probably would have told you at that point that these were the Lions top three needs. I’m only listing Safety above tight end because of the injury factor. Tight end is critical in this offense. The defensive tackle position also needs help. However, this is still a very filled out roster, and if we add no one else, I think that the Lions will be just fine at everywhere but the safety position. The one question is can they fast track the development of linebacker Erick Hunter who looks a lot like he can play safety, and use him in this room (shout out S&B contributor MCBC again on this)? Only time will tell!



There is ONE major basic and prevalent need: Player health.