The Detroit Lions don’t have many starting jobs up for grabs this training camp. In fact, they may not have any. But as they open up the preseason on Thursday night with the Hall of Fame Game against the Los Angeles Chargers, several depth roles could be on the line.
Here are 10 position battles to keep a close eye on during Thursday’s action.
Backup quarterback:
The competitors: Hendon Hooker, Kyle Allen
Without a doubt, this is among the biggest and most important camp battles to be decided. In training camp, Hooker
and Allen have alternated days as the backup quarterback, and both have looked able to handle the offense. It’ll be different Thursday when the red jersey comes off and the bullets are flying, but it’ll be fascinating to see how much Hooker has grown from Year 2 to Year 3 and how that compares to a veteran like Allen.
Wide receiver 6
The competitors: Dominic Lovett, Jackson Meeks, Jakobie Keeney-James, Tom Kennedy, Ronnie Bell
Detroit’s top five receivers are almost certainly set, leaving a really strong competition for what is likely only to be one roster spot. The trio of rookies (Lovett, Meeks, and Keeney-James) have all splashed in the first week of training camp. Meanwhile, Tom Kennedy is always a reliable option on offense, but limited on special teams. Ronnie Bell has yet to stand out in camp, but with his NFL experience, he could turn it up when the lights come on.
Offensive tackle 3
The competitors: Dan Skipper, Giovanni Manu, Jamarco Jones, Mason Miller
Tuesday’s scrimmage, in which Aidan Hutchinson just dominated, was a stark reminder that if either of Detroit’s starting tackles goes down, it could be bad news.
While Skipper came into camp as the heavy favorite for this job, I think it’s fair to wonder if Detroit would consider upgrading that position. Skipper will be 31 in just over a month, and while he’s been a great jumbo package addition, he has struggled in spot starts.
Giovanni Manu is one of the more exciting prospects to follow, given his ridiculous measurables and limited experience. Meanwhile, Jamarco Jones quietly has six years of experience and could be an underdog for the spot.
Backup center
The competitors: Kingsley Eguakun, Michael Niese, Trystan Colon
With Graham Glasgow closing in on the starting job and rookie Tate Ratledge back at guard, the Lions suddenly have a pretty big need for a backup center. At camp, they have rotated Eguakun, Niese, and Colon daily as the backup center, in that order. There has been no noticeable separation between the three, so Thursday night will be a huge piece of the puzzle.
Backup guard
The competitors: Netane Muti, Kayode Awosika, Colby Sorsdal
It appears Ratledge and Christian Mahogany have the starting jobs locked up, but with Miles Frazier potentially starting the season injured (PUP), Detroit needs quality depth. Some of that may come from the winner of the backup center winner, but Muti and Awosika both bring some valuable experience to the reserves. Those two may be fighting for just a single roster spot. Sorsdal has a lot of work to do, but a strong preseason could make a difference.
Edge defender 4
The competitors: Ahmed Hassanein, Nate Lynn, Mitchell Agude, Isaac Ukwu
Last year, Lynn, Agude, and Ukwu all impressed in the preseason, leading them to stick around for a year. Lynn and Ukwu barely played, though. The former suffered a season-ending injury, and the latter just spent most weeks inactive. Agude got some action late in the season when the injuries mounted.
But now all will have to contend with sixth-round rookie Ahmed Hassanein, one of the best stories from the Lions’ 2025 draft haul. Hassanein’s endless motor will endear him to the coaching staff, but given that he only learned the game of football a few years ago, he’ll have to learn schematic discipline quickly.
Defensive line depth
The competitors: Pat O’Connor, Keith Cooper Jr., Chris Smith
With Josh Paschal unlikely to be ready for Week 1 and Levi Onwuzurike out for the year, the Lions need some utility defensive linemen who can play in multiple spots. Pat O’Connor is pretty close to locking up a spot on the roster, but undrafted rookie Keith Cooper Jr. and 2023 UDFA Chris Smith have both shown an ability to play up and down the defensive line.
Linebacker 6
The competitors: Trevor Nowaske, Anthony Pittman, Ezekiel Turner, DaRon Gilbert
For the second straight year, the Lions have an incredibly competitive linebacker room. If Malcolm Rodriguez were healthy, there may not be room for any of these linebackers, but with him expected to start the season on PUP, it opens up one—maybe two—spots for these reserves. All four players have shown an ability to play on special teams, so the deciding factor may be how much they can contribute on defense.
Cornerback 5/6
The competitors: Rock Ya-Sin, Erick Hallett, Dicaprio Bootle
With Terrion Arnold, D.J. Reed, Amik Robertson, and Ennis Rakestraw assumed to be in, there may only be a spot for one or two more cornerbacks. Rock Ya-Sin has a strong early lead on the position, but Erick Hallett’s recent move from safety to corner adds more intrigue to this competition.
Safety 4/5
The competitors: Morice Norris, Dan Jackson, Loren Strickland, Ian Kennelly
Let’s assume Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, and Avonte Maddox are all in. Does that leave one or two safety spots left? If it’s just one, it may go to seventh-round pick Dan Jackson, simply because he’s a rookie with plenty of special teams skills. However, Norris, Strickland, and Kennelly have all made plays this camp, both on defense and special teams. Will one be able to eclipse Jackson, or will Detroit try to fit a fifth safety into the mix?
More from prideofdetroit.com:
- 2020 Detroit Lions schedule: 5 things we’d like to see
- Notes: PFF drops Detroit Lions’ 2019 draft grade after Year 1
- Former RB coach: Lions’ Jason Huntley ‘was dynamic wherever we put him’
- Kenny Golladay named a top-10 WR in NFL
- Schedule leak: Lions to host Texans on Thanksgiving
- Open thread: How do you feel about NFL games in London?
- Ask POD: Detroit Lions schedule mailbag
