Lions 53-Man Roster Projection After First Week of Training Camp

Predicting Lions' roster after first four practices.

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery. / Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions have wrapped their first week of training camp.

Throughout the last four days, the team conducted a series of non-padded practices that were fiercely competitive. It was a nice first look at a team that has championship aspirations in 2024.

Because of all the talent on the roster, battles for the final spots on the roster are tightly contested. Detroit has plenty of solid options worthy of a look.

Here's my attempt to predict the roster after the first round of training camp practices.

Quarterbacks (3)

Jared Goff
Hendon Hooker
Nate Sudfeld

Right now, it's hard to say that Hooker has done enough to separate himself from Nate Sudfeld as the backup. The Lions want to trust their second option, and right now both Hooker and Sudfeld are rotating between the second and third teams.

As a result, it's difficult to justify leaving Sudfeld off the roster. The forthcoming joint practices and preseason games will be very important for Hooker to break away in the competition.

Running backs (4)

David Montgomery
Jahmyr Gibbs
Craig Reynolds
Sione Vaki

Though Vaki is improving in his understanding of the position, Reynolds seems to have an unrelenting hold on the third running back position. He's built up trust with the coaching staff, and had a good showing in team drills earlier in the week with Gibbs not participating.

These four will give Detroit plenty of options, and the team should feel good about what it has at this position.

Wide receivers (5)

Amon-Ra St. Brown
Jameson Williams
Kalif Raymond
Donovan Peoples-Jones
Antoine Green

The Lions' wide receiver competition behind St. Brown and Williams is becoming crowded. There are several players who have made intriguing cases, including Daurice Fountain and Kaden Davis. Green has spent some time with the first team and had a strong preseason last year.

With the roster so crowded in terms of depth, it was tough to make a move at another position to create room for a sixth wide receiver. Fountain, Davis and Maurice Alexander have all had good showings, but consistency will be key for them to make their claim at a spot.

Tight ends (3)

Sam LaPorta
Brock Wright
James Mitchell

The big competition at this position will be for the third spot. Blocking will be a big part of this, as will availability. Mitchell has been hurt by injuries, but he was a fifth-round pick in 2022 and still has potential.

Shane Zylstra and Sean McKeon are older options, and McKeon has popped up in practice multiple times throughout the week. Both players, along with fellow veteran Parker Hesse, aren't going to go away quietly.

Offensive line (9)

Frank Ragnow
Graham Glasgow
Kevin Zeitler
Penei Sewell
Taylor Decker
Colby Sorsdal
Giovanni Manu
Christian Mahogany
Dan Skipper

The starting five are all locks, as are presumably the two rookies in Manu and Mahogany. Manu may not be ready right away, but his potential is simply too good to warrant leaving him off the roster. Mahogany, meanwhile, is currently on NFI with an illness.

The final two depth spots in this iteration will go to Colby Sorsdal and Dan Skipper. Sorsdal was being cross-trained at guard and tackle in the spring, so he can fill the utility role. Skipper, meanwhile, figures to be the swing tackle that the Lions can use in their jumbo personnel.

Defensive line (5)

Alim McNeill
DJ Reader
Brodric Martin
Mekhi Wingo
Levi Onwuzurike

No changes here, as this five appears to be pretty set. Onwuzurike has continued developing and also got some first-team reps at defensive end, so the Lions could be experimenting with a unique role for him.

Wingo is another player to watch, as he offers some of the coveted versatility. The LSU product is a tad undersized, but makes up for that with toughness and athleticism. He could be an underrated impact player in his rookie campaign.

Defensive ends (6)

Aidan Hutchinson
Marcus Davenport
Josh Paschal
James Houston
John Cominsky
Mathieu Betts

The Lions need to find consistency on the edge, preferably with a running mate for Aidan Hutchinson. Davenport and Houston are candidates to play the SAM linebacker role, though Betts has had a strong start to camp as well.

Cominsky and Paschal figure to be players in run packages, as both excel in that area. These options give Detroit pieces to mix and match, but finding an option to get more heat in the pass-rush is paramount.

Linebackers (5)

Alex Anzalone
Jack Campbell
Derrick Barnes
Jalen Reeves-Maybin
Malcolm Rodriguez

The Lions have strong depth at this position, as all five of these players are capable of contributing on the defensive side. Reeves-Maybin is also elite on special teams, and Rodriguez can also be a factor in that area.

A pair of veterans, Ben Niemann and Malik Jefferson, will also factor into this equation. This linebacker room will be competitive, and Kelvin Sheppard has plenty of competition options to choose from.

Cornerbacks (6)

Carlton Davis
Terrion Arnold
Amik Robertson
Emmanuel Moseley
Ennis Rakestraw
Steven Gilmore

Detroit's new-look secondary is in a good place. Davis appears to be the alpha of the group, and Arnold's early performance is encouraging. If Branch slides to safety, the Lions could plug Robertson, Moseley or even Rakestraw in as the slot-corner.

As for the final spot, I'm giving the edge to Gilmore currently based on potential. The Lions liked what they had in him enough to keep him as an undrafted free agent last year, and he could wind up making an impact with continued development down the line.

Safeties (4)

Kerby Joseph
Ifeatu Melifonwu
Brian Branch
C.J. Moore

The Lions' safety room will get a boost with the presence of Brian Branch. This will allow for some mixing and matching in the secondary, as Glenn can get creative with his choices.

Moore is likely competing for a depth job with the likes of Brandon Joseph, who had a strong spring. Right now, the edge goes to Moore with his abilities on special teams. However, if Joseph proves solid in that area it could open up another spot.

Special teams (3)

Jake Bates (K)
Jack Fox (P)
Scott Daly (LS)

As it stands, Bates is the only kicker on roster. That could change in the coming days, but for now he's the default choice. He endured his first struggles on Saturday, so how he responds will be intriguing.