5 Takeaways From Lions' Snap Counts in Preseason Opener

Assessing how the Lions distributed snaps in Week 1 of preseason.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The first week of the NFL preseason is in the books for the Detroit Lions.

After two days of joint practices, the Lions rested many of their starters and gave game rep opportunities to their plethora of young players. It was a debut showcase for some, while other players got a chance to compete for a roster spot.

The Lions lost Thursday, 14-3, as they struggled to get going offensively. However, there were some encouraging moments mixed in.

Here are five takeaways from reviewing the Lions' snap counts.

Snap counts from Detroit Lions preseason opener against the New York Giants @DetroitPodcast pic.twitter.com/BzZSzxfrHq

— Christian Booher (@CBooher_) August 9, 2024

Wide receiver spots still up for grabs

The Lions balanced the receiver reps for the most part, with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams got the night off. Daurice Fountain and Kaden Davis did most of their work in the first half, but struggles in the passing game were a theme all night.

Fountain did not have a catch on three targets, while Davis had one catch for four yards on five targets. It was Fountain who played the most snaps of any wide receiver with 27. Second on the team was Isaiah Williams, who got plenty of work in the second half.

Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tom Kennedy tied for third-most snaps with 23, while Antoine Green played 22 before exiting the game with a concussion. Maurice Alexander got 21 snaps, while Davis played 18. Jalon Calhoun and Tre'Quan Smith rounded out the receiver room with 15 and 14 snaps, respectively.

Balanced workload for running backs

Another area where the Lions have competition is in the running back room. With the top two options, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, not in action there were opportunities for the depth pieces to stake their claim at bigger roles.

Craig Reynolds got the start and played just nine snaps. As he has been the team's third back for the last two seasons, the Lions largely know what they have in the veteran back. Rookie Sione Vaki gave fans a taste of what he can do out of the backfield, as he carried the ball four times on his 13 snaps.

Zonovan Knight played the most of any back with 20 snaps, carrying the ball six times for 12 yards while also making two catches for 10 yards. Jake Funk played 15 snaps, while Jermar Jefferson had slightly less with 13.

Rolling in the rookies

The Lions played all their rookies in the preseason with the exception of Christian Mahogany, who remains out with an illness. As a result, fans got a first look at the cornerback tandem of Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw. The two rookies started opposite each other on the boundary.

Arnold played the first three series and wasn't really tested, while Rakestraw played into the second half and splitting reps between the boundary and nickel cornerback position. The Missouri product wound up playing 37 most, second-most among all defender players.

Detroit also got first looks at Giovanni Manu and Mekhi Wingo, who played 35 and 31 snaps, respectively. Several undrafted free agents also got plenty of run, led by DaRon Gilbert and Isaac Ukwu pacing the defense with 40 snaps.

A look at the reserve offensive, defensive lines

Detroit deployed its second-team offensive and defensive lines for much of Thursday's game. The starting line consisted of Kingsley Eguakun at center, Michael Niese and Kayode Awosika at guards and Colby Sorsdal and Dan Skipper at tackles.

Sorsdal played the most of any of the second-teamers with 45 snaps, while Awosika and Eguakun played 30. Skipper played just nine snaps, while Niese had 18 snaps.

Connor Galvin played the most of any Lion with 51 snaps, but exited the game in the fourth quarter after suffering what was later diagnosed as a torn MCL.

Detroit's defensive line was headlined by Ukwu, who played 40 snaps and recorded a sack at the defensive end position. Chris Smith and Brodric Martin were the starting tackles, while James Houston and Nate Lynn got some work on the edge.

Ramping up Brodric Martin

A big storyline regarding Detroit's defense throughout the offseason has been the development of Brodric Martin. After spending most of his rookie year on the sideline, the Western Kentucky product is expected to contribute in 2024.

With DJ Reader on the PUP list and his status for Week 1 uncertain, Martin has been presented with the opportunity to bank many valuable reps. He played 33 snaps, accounting for 57 percent of the defensive reps.

Martin nearly had a sack Thursday, as he won on a pass-rush and flushed Tommy DeVito right into the arms of Lynn who finished the play. It was an overall encouraging showcase from Martin, who appears to have developed plenty since last season.