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!