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AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 29m ago
Lions roster bubble predictions: Big decision coming at LB
ALLEN PARK, MICHIGAN - JULY 29: Roy Lopez #51 and Jimmy Rolder #41 of the Detroit Lions walk together during Detroit Lions Training Camp at Detroit Lions Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re less than a week away from NFL roster cuts, and the Detroit Lions defense is starting to separate the wheat from the chaff. Don’t get me wrong, there are still positions up for grabs and players who can make a final push for the roster.
But every week our staff has been making 53-man roster predictions for the defensive players, and we’re all starting to converge on our opinions of these players. Maybe some of it is groupthink, but I think the more likely scenario is that there’s actually some serious clarity on how things will shake out.
However, there is one exception. The linebacking corps is particularly hard to predict, and our staff seems to be split in two directions.
Here are our latest predictions for the players on the roster bubble, and a full explanation of each position below.
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Defensive end :
Assumed in: Aidan Hutchinson, DJ Wonnum, Derrick Moore
Ahmed Hassanein: 11 “IN” votes (no change)
Payton Turner: 0 votes (no change)
Anthony Lucas: 0 votes
New to bubble watch: Eric O’Neill (0 votes)
The only change here is that Eric O’Neill has worked his way onto the roster bubble after a very strong week. It started with a pick-six in training camp, and ended with a few disruptive snaps against the Commanders in Saturday’s preseason game. None of us have been able to find a roster spot for him, but he could be a late riser or a priority spot on the practice squad.
Defensive tackle:
Assumed in: Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams
Levi Onwuzurike: 11 votes (no change)
Tyler Lacy: 11 votes (no change)
Skyle Gill-Howard: 11 votes (no change)
Chris Smith: 10 votes (no change)
Mekhi Wingo: 1 vote (up 1)
Tyre West: 0 votes (no change)
NEW TO BUBBLE WATCH: Ben Stille (0 votes)
Two small changes here. First, Mekhi Wingo gets a vote back this week after finally getting back on the field and having a pretty disruptive preseason game. It’ll still be tough for him to find a spot on the roster given how well Skyler Gill-Howard—a very similar player—has played, but he’s certainly back in the conversation.
I also added Ben Stille to the roster bubble this week. He has been repping very high in camp, has played just about every spot along the defensive line, and has been pretty darn disruptive for over a week now. I do wonder if he could challenge for a spot currently held by Chris Smith or even warrant consideration as an 11th defensive lineman.
Linebacker:
Assumed in: Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez
Devin White: 11 votes (no change)
Trevor Nowaske: 10 votes (no change)
Jimmy Rolder: 8 votes (up 8)
Damone Clark: 2 votes (down 6)
Troy Reeder: 1 vote (no change)
Erick Hunter: 0 votes (no change)
Joe Bachie: 0 votes (no change)
The status of Jimmy Rolder remains one of the biggest decisions the Lions need to make. Last week, he was hopeful he’d return from injury for the final week of training camp, but a few days later coach Dan Campbell shut that down. Regardless, it certainly seems like he’s almost healthy enough to return to practice. But should the Lions place him on injured reserve (to return) anyway? He’s a rookie who has missed nearly all of training camp. Would he even play in the first four games if healthy? But you’d only be pushing back his development by placing him on IR, where he wouldn’t be able to practice for those four weeks, either. It’s a tough decision, but right now, most of the staff is opting to keep him off IR.
Making that decision a little easier is the fact that Damone Clark has now missed well over a week of practice. The veteran linebacker was zeroing in on a key reserve and special teams role, but he’s now missed a considerable amount of time, and Detroit has a few other veterans on the roster who may have jumped him, including Troy Reeder, Joe Bachie, and Amen Ogbongbemiga.
Cornerback:
Assumed in: DJ Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, Keith Abney
Ennis Rakestraw: 11 votes
Nick Whiteside: 11 votes (no change)
Roger McCreary: 11 votes (no change)
Khalil Dorsey: 9 votes (no change)
Surprisingly, no change here. Whiteside had a tough preseason game, but his extremely strong training camp supersedes that. Rakestraw had an injury scare (again), but managed to play in the preseason game as he clings to a roster spot. McCreary has been one of the Lions’ best cornerbacks in the preseason, even though he hasn’t flashed a ton at camp. I still continue to believe Dorsey is a lock as a special teams ace, but I can understand that this room looks awfully crowded with seven players.
Safety
Assumed in: Christian Izien, Avonte Maddox, Chuck Clark
Thomas Harper: 11 votes (no change)
Dan Jackson: 0 votes (down 1)
Brian Branch: 0 votes (no change)
Kerby Joseph: 0 votes (no change)
The only thing that could possibly shake up this room is if the Lions unexpectedly activate Brian Branch or Kerby Joseph from the Physically Unable to Perform list. But our last update from Campbell seemed to suggest neither will be ready to start the season .
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