3 Surprise Roster Cuts Detroit Lions May Be Forced to Make

The Detroit Lions have built a solid roster with depth across the board.

Injuries have chipped away at that depth, but the team as a whole has the look of one that could withstand the bumps and bruises that come with playing an NFL regular season.

Because the roster is so deep, the team could have a number of players who are surprisingly on the roster bubble heading into their preseason finale Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts. The team must have its roster whittled from 90 players to 53 by 6 p.m. Sunday, adding urgency to the team's game on Saturday.

Here are three players who could be surprise roster cuts based on the team's overall roster depth when the team concludes training camp.

OL Ben Bartch

Bartch was signed this offseason as a competitor for the team's left guard position, but this has not materialized in the way either side would have hoped. The former San Francisco 49er has missed a significant part of camp with injuries, and has yet to appear in a preseason game.

With Juice Scruggs moving to center after Cade Mays' injury and Bartch being unavailable, Christian Mahogany has not been sufficiently challenged for the left guard position. As a result, the Lions could be looking elsewhere for depth following final cuts, and Bartch may be on the outside looking in.

Detroit has already been active in looking for external help, signing veteran offensive lineman Gus Hartwig to provide depth.

Bartch was back at practice Tuesday after missing some time in the concussion protocol. He has the opportunity to make his case to stay with the team this week, but needs a strong showing to claim his depth role at this point.

DL Levi Onwuzurike

Onwuzurike is a player the Lions hold a lot of respect and value for, but ultimately it may just not work out in his favor. The veteran has missed two full seasons with injuries in his first five years, which has been a disappointing development for the former second-round pick.

When he's healthy, he's a multi-down, versatile defensive lineman who can play both on the interior and as the big end. As a result, it would be a surprise to see the Lions willingly part ways with him even amidst the injury history.

However, that injury history paired with the progression of players like Tyler Lacy and the emergence of Skyler Gill-Howard make Onwuzurike's role tough to predict. This development could put him on the hot seat moving forward.

CB Nick Whiteside

In terms of performance from this year's training camp, Whiteside would be one of the most surprising cuts across the board. However, there is some roster math that could work against him heading into the regular season.

For starters, the Lions have seen great developmental strides from Whiteside over his first full training camp with the team. The Saginaw Valley State product has shown some versatilit, and had a solid stretch in the middle of camp where he was generating takeaways every day.

However, there is one aspect of this that could leave his roster spot in trouble. The Lions have some experienced special teams depth at cornerback, such as Khalil Dorsey. Additionally, rookie Keith Abney II doesn't appear to be on his way out.

With other depth across the roster, Whiteside could simply be an odd man out depending on which way the Lions elect to go. It would be an unfortunate development, but ultimately Whiteside is a player who could find a new landing spot quickly through waivers or free agency.

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