ESPN Got the Position Right But Missed the Player
ESPN ranked the Lions sixth in their big roster breakdown, and buried in there was a pick for Detroit’s non-starter to watch this season. Aaron Schatz went with safety Christian Izien. He’s not wrong that Izien is interesting. He’s wrong about why.
Schatz’s logic goes like this: if Brian Branch is healthy, he’ll play slot corner, which means the Lions need a third safety on the field. Izien started 10 games for Tampa Bay in 2024 with 75 combined tackles and good coverage metrics before losing his job to Tykee Smith last season. So maybe he fills that role.
Except Branch isn’t moving back to the slot.
Branch Stays at Safety, McCreary Owns the Slot
The Lions moved Branch from slot corner to safety in 2025. It worked. Why would they undo that?
Roger McCreary has the slot locked down. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has talked extensively about McCreary and how critical the nickel role is to what Detroit wants to do defensively this year. The framework ESPN is using doesn’t match where the roster actually stands.
So what does Izien actually bring? I asked our Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat writer Evan Winter to break it down.
What Izien Can Actually Do
Winter said Izien has made a career out of being the underdog. He’s versatile, a Swiss Army knife type who can play centerfield, nickel, strong safety, even outside corner in a pinch. But he’s best suited near the line of scrimmage playing downhill in physical situations.
“Coaches can’t match him up with elite playmakers, whether it be tight end or receiver, and expect a lot of success,” Winter said. “He’s best playing downhill in physical situations like man press, blitzing, etc. that take advantage of his feistiness and high IQ.”
That sounds like a rotational player with a specific role. Not a starter. Not a guy who’s getting major snaps unless injuries force the issue.
And even if both Branch and Kerby Joseph miss time early, Thomas Harper and Chuck Clark likely have the starting safety spots covered. Avonte Maddox has slot reps. Rookie Keith Abney is expected to compete there too. There’s just too much depth for Izien to be the non-starter to know.
What the Lions probably want from Izien is a run-stopping safety role, because stopping the run is their bread and butter. It’s what they believe makes them most successful. Fine. That’s useful. But it’s not worth the spotlight ESPN gave it.
The Real Non-Starter to Know
If I’m picking one backup to watch, it’s Skyler Gill-Howard.
He’s a rookie defensive tackle the Lions drafted in the sixth round out of Texas Tech. Nobody was talking about him during the draft process. Nobody is talking about him now. But he posted an 88.6 overall PFF grade with a 90.0 pass rush grade at Texas Tech before a midseason injury cut his snaps short. He finished with 12 pressures and one sack in limited action.
The year before at Northern Illinois, he had 29 pressures, five sacks, seven quarterback hits, and 17 hurries as a starter. He required surgery after the midseason injury at Texas Tech but he’s fully healed now.
Here’s the thing. The Lions have Alim McNeill and Tyliek Williams as starting defensive tackles. After that? Real depth questions. The path is wide open for Gill-Howard. He doesn’t face stiff competition for rotational snaps. I feel pretty confident he could beat out Chris Smith, Tyler Lacy, Levi Onwuzurike, and Mekhi Wingo for a spot in the rotation.
If he gets consistent playing time, he has the tools to be a real problem for opposing offensive lines. That’s a backup worth knowing about. That’s a guy who could quietly end up mattering in a way nobody saw coming.
ESPN picked the right position group. They just watched the wrong guy.
So who’s your sleeper backup for this season? Izien, Gill-Howard, or someone else entirely? Drop it below.
