The first preseason game of the Detroit Lions’ 2026 season is in the books, albeit with a losing score of 16-14 in favor of the Cincinnati Bengals. However, wins and losses are secondary facts of the preseason.
What truly matters is using these live snaps as learning tools for both players and coaches alike. For players, especially rookies, these can be their first reps all year against opposing professional players. For coaches, playing against an unpredictable opponent is the best opportunity to examine
how your roster shapes up. This can be a crucial step in deciding which way the roster battles end.
Let us look at five roster bubble players that stood out against the Bengals:
Ahmed Hassanein, DE
Hassanein was without question the most impactful player on either side of the ball for the Lions. He was wreaking havoc up front from the get-go, regardless of if he was facing Cincinnati’s starters or reserves. On his very first snap, he sacked Joe Burrow on a stunt where he demonstrated some solid closing speed—and some psychic ability. He would remain active throughout the game, recording a fair number of pressures and quarterback hits. Midway through the third quarter, Hassanein notched himself a strip sack of Josh Johnson.
If Hassanein was on the roster bubble entering Thursday, I think he is officially as close to a roster lock as you can get. Unless Payton Turner plays at an otherworldly level upon his return from injury, Hassanein looks like the clear-cut fifth edge option behind Aidan Hutchinson, DJ Wonnum, Derrick Moore, and Tyler Lacy—and if he has a few more games like these, he could legitimately push Lacy for the starting big end spot.
Jacob Saylors, RB
Although Saylors had a leg-up on the potential RB4 position, there was still an earnest competition between him and Jabari Small. With Small held out (presumably) due to injury, it was Saylors’ time to shine, and shine he did. He turned eight carries into 55 yards, while also tying for the team-lead in receiving with three catches for 28 yards. His performance checked a lot of boxes: he looked fast, he looked strong, he looked agile, he looked reliable, and, best of all, his gloveless aesthetic was impeccable.
This battle is far from over and I expect Small to get a fair look, but Saylors has landed the early blow in this tight training camp battle.
Nick Whiteside, CB
You have got to love when a player backs up their training camp hype. Whiteside was by far the biggest winner of training camp thus far, but turning good practices into good games does not always come easy. Thankfully, Whiteside had a solid game against the Bengals. The stat sheet is not eye-popping, with just a single tackle to his name, but he was challenging the Cincinnati quarterbacks with sticky coverage throughout the game. On his best play of the game, he recovered from an early stumble and made a beautiful leaping pass breakup that would have otherwise gone for a massive gain.
While D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin seem locked into the starting outside cornerback roles, Whiteside is making a strong case to be the top reserve, especially with Ennis Rakestraw yet again leaving a football game due to injury. Even if Rakestraw returns from what is initially believed to be a non-serious injury, I think Whiteside has jumped him on the depth chart until proven otherwise.
Eric O’Neill, DE
The Lions had a fair number of undrafted rookies with hype entering this preseason game, but O’Neill had largely flown under the radar in camp. That was not the case on Thursday night as he was one of the more impactful players along the front seven. He recorded at least three pressures (based on observations, the stats are still pending), recording himself a quarterback hit on Burrow and a great tackle for loss late in the fourth quarter.
O’Neill was seeing snaps early in the first quarter against Bengals starters and played into the fourth quarter, and he rarely looked gassed. His early snaps are likely a byproduct of Hutchinson, Wonnum, Lacy, and Turner being held out, but it was nonetheless a positive sight for the undrafted rookie to get so many snaps and look good while doing so. He is still off the roster bubble, but he is worth watching going forward.
Skyler Gill-Howard, DT
Despite the team recording just two sacks, the fact that I am giving so many defensive linemen positive remarks shows how well they were playing against the Bengals. Gill-Howard did not record himself a sack, but there were two specific plays that highlighted why the Lions see potential in him. Late in the second quarter, Gill-Howard pressured Johnson thanks to a well-executed swim move, forcing a throwaway and intentional grounding call.
Late in the fourth quarter, Gill-Howard was again hot on the heels of Johnson, this time chasing down the aged-but-still-elusive quarterback for a mere 1-yard gain, forcing a field goal attempt.
Gill-Howard’s ability to move at 280 pounds is quite impressive, and it was nice to see him look like an impactful player from the start. As a sixth-round pick, his roster spot is not guaranteed, but I would be very surprised if he did not make this roster.
