Only Four Wide Receivers? Inside the Lions Roster Projection That Will Make You Question Everything

Quarterback

Jared Goff and Teddy Bridgewater are locks. The conversation starts and ends with Luke Altmyer.

If you think Altmyer is the next Brock Purdy, take a lap and come back when you’re ready to be serious. But can he do enough this summer to make the Lions want to carry three quarterbacks instead of two? Yeah. He can.

The real question is whether the Lions worry about losing Altmyer on waivers if they try to sneak him to the practice squad. That worry alone might get him a roster spot.

Running Back

Three backs: Jahmyr Gibbs, Isiah Pacheco, and Sione Vaki.

Jacob Saylors deserves a mention because special teams and return game contributions matter in Allen Park. He did solid work there last year. But I don’t see the room.

Vaki is the wild card. Is he a running back or just a special teams body who happens to line up in the backfield occasionally? This feels like the last chance for him to answer that question the way the coaching staff wants to hear it.

Wide Receiver

Here’s where things get spicy.

Four receivers. That’s it. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, and Greg Dortch.

I know. You’re looking at that number like it’s a typo. It’s not.

Tom Kennedy is probably a practice squad guy. Malik Cunningham has some trick play appeal because of his quarterback background, but I just don’t see the fit. Dominic Lovett is a good gunner, but when Detroit drafted Kendrick Law it felt like Lovett’s time was up. Cedrick Wilson got some decent reps during OTAs and minicamp. He could sneak on if things break his way. None of the UFL additions are making it in this projection.

The reason four receivers works is Jackson Meeks.

Tight End

Meeks lined up at tight end during OTAs and minicamp. The Lions haven’t officially announced it, but he’s added weight and looks like he’s going the Devin Funchess route.

That means you can use him as a receiver in certain packages, then slide him back to tight end on the next play. When you have a player who can do more than one thing, that’s exactly what this coaching staff loves.

So I’ve got four tight ends: Sam LaPorta, Tyler Conklin, Brock Wright, and Meeks. That’s how you carry four receivers without feeling light at pass catcher.

Offensive Line

Nine linemen. Giovanni Manu and Colby Sorsdal are off the roster. Those were projects that didn’t pan out.

Miles Frazier is the name to watch. If Christian Mahogany wins the left guard job, Frazier could slide into the third tackle role behind Blake Miller and Larry Borom. If Mahogany can’t win it, Frazier is a potential starter at left guard himself. Ben Bartch is another real challenger to Mahogany at that spot.

Training camp and the preseason will sort this out. It always does on the line.

Defensive Line

Levi Onwuzurike’s time with the Lions is probably coming to a close.

I’ve got Tyler Lacy taking over that role, with Ahmed Hassanein and D.J. Wonnum capable of handling some of the big end responsibilities. Undrafted rookie Anthony Lucas makes the roster in this projection. One of the things you kept hearing during minicamp and OTAs was, “How is this guy not drafted?”

If Lucas puts it all together, he’s going to make everybody forget about the bad stuff.

Payton Turner is the one I’m really on the fence about. If he turns into the player he was expected to be when he was drafted in the first round, the Lions scored big by kicking some tires. But I’ve got nine defensive linemen right now, and I just don’t know if there’s a spot for a tenth.

Linebackers

Straightforward. Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Jimmy Rolder, Malcolm Rodriguez, Damone Clark, Trevor Nowaske.

Eric Hunter could push for a spot, but he might be better served on the practice squad as a 2027 project.

Cornerbacks

This is the position that concerns me most.

With Terrion Arnold no longer on this team, Khalil Dorsey picks up a roster spot, and I’ve got the Lions carrying six corners: D.J. Reed, Keith Abney, Roger McCreary, Ennis Rakestraw, Rock Ya-Sin, and Dorsey.

But if this is the group Detroit plans to bring into the season, they need one more guy. They cannot rely on Rock Ya-Sin as the other starter without a legitimate fallback option.

I’d expect the Lions to add somebody before the season.