Last week, I wrote about Detroit Lions players who could fly under the radar and earn a roster spot. This week, let us look at the reverse: players entering training camp with a ticket on the 53-man roster that could get revoked.
Sometimes, an acquisition fails to gel with their new team. Sometimes, a returning player runs out of chances to make a mark. Sometimes, a player simply gets outperformed by his position mates. Players failing to meet offseason expectations is not a new phenomenon in the NFL.
Perhaps the most glaring example of this with the Lions was the failed Breshad Perriman signing back in 2021. As part of the Lions’ rebuild, the initial thought was that Perriman would be a starting receiver. Instead, the former first-round pick underwhelmed and was outright cut.
Had you told someone in March 2021 that Perriman would be cut come August, it would have been a surprise. That is the nature of training camp projections: they can easily fall apart.
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Lions player could be a surprise cut?
My answer: Juice Scruggs.
Surprisingly, I actually found this to be a difficult question to answer. Players like Giovanni Manu, Dominic Lovett, or Mekhi Wingo would be disappointing cuts, but not necessarily surprising ones. Players like Trevor Nowaske or Khalil Dorsey are good bets to make the roster, yet they are also special teams players and could just as easily get cut without too much shock. Players like Skyler Gill-Howard or Tyre West benefit from Brad Holmes rarely cutting rookies, but they are nonetheless late-round draft picks and firmly on the roster bubble. There’s a fine balance between a cut that would come out of nowhere and a cut that would be a realistic possibility.
The only name that really comes to mind is Scruggs.
Acquired via the David Montgomery trade, Scruggs’ tenure with the Houston Texans left a lot to be desired. In Detroit, Scruggs finds himself as a top reserve at center and potentially at guard as well—given how often injuries arise in the NFL, that reserve will most likely be called upon at some point this season. He impressed in OTAs, and by all accounts, the coaches seem high on his potential—he was not a throw-in as part of the Montgomery trade.
That being said, he is a backup with a fairly unimpressive resume as a starter. The Texans have had a bottom-tier offensive line for years, so their willingness to ship off Scruggs despite that could be viewed as an indictment of their lack of faith in the former second-round pick. The Lions may be high on him now, but it would not be the first time a castoff was brought in during the offseason and failed to impress in the preseason.
This is also a year in which the Lions have a surprising amount of interior depth. Christian Mahogany is the top candidate to start at left guard, yet that still leaves a trio of Miles Frazier, Ben Bartch, and Scruggs as reserve options. There is also a non-zero chance that Giovanni Manu or Colby Sorsdal could claim a spot along the interior. While Scruggs is presently the top center option, it should not be forgotten that the Lions like Michael Niese a fair bit, having kept him around since 2023. Meanwhile, Seth McLaughlin is now more than a year removed from an Achilles tear during his final college season, an injury that kept the Rimington Trophy winner from being drafted.
Scruggs has a leg up on his competition, but the sheer number of candidates could threaten his job if he struggles and they excel. I would certainly be surprised if he is outright cut, but it is within the realm of possibility.
What are your thoughts on Scruggs? Is there another surprise cut candidate that stands out to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
