The Bubble Watch Is On
Training camp opens next Monday. That means roster battles are real now, not theoretical. That means guys who spent OTAs smiling and catching passes in shorts are about to find out if they actually have a job in Allen Park or if they’ll be job hunting by late August.
So we’re launching a weekly Bubble Pressure Meter. Every week from now through cutdown day, we’ll track the players fighting for roster spots. We’ll rate them. We’ll move them up or down. And when someone gets cut, we’ll say so plainly.
Here’s how it works. Four levels. Four colors.
🟢 Safe. For now, you’ve got a roster spot. That doesn’t mean you’re untouchable. It means you’re not sweating today.
🟡 Watching. You’ve got a real chance to push your way onto this roster if you show up when the pads go on.
🟠 In Danger. The clock is ticking. You need to flash or you’re gone.
🔴 Must Have Big Week. This is it. One bad practice session and you’re toast.
Welcome to Week 1 of the Bubble Pressure Meter.
Offense
Luke Altmyer, quarterback, is 🟡 Watching. He’s got a real chance to push for a roster spot if he shows up when the pads go on.
Running backs Jacob Saylors is 🟡 Watching. Jabari Small and Kye Robichaux are both 🟠 In Danger. These three are battling for limited spots on the depth chart.
Wide receiver is a bloodbath. Tom Kennedy is 🟢 Safe. Cedrick Wilson and Dominic Lovett are both 🟡 Watching. Malik Cunningham, Tarik Black, Tay Martin, and Lawrence Keys are all 🟠 In Danger. That’s four guys fighting for maybe one or two spots. Somebody’s getting cut. Probably more than one somebody.
Tight end is slightly less chaotic. Jackson Meeks is 🟢 Safe. Miles Kitselman and Zach Horton are 🟡 Watching. Thomas Gordon is 🟠 In Danger.
Offensive line is where it gets messy. Ben Bartch, Juice Scruggs, Devin Cochran, and Mason Miller are all 🟡 Watching. Giovani Manu, Michael Niese, Colby Sorsdal, and Melvin Priestly are all 🟠 In Danger. Most of the guys listed here are fighting for limited spots.
One thing to keep in mind. Safe today doesn’t mean safe next week. If you’re 🟢 Safe right now and you show up to camp out of shape or get hurt or just look bad, you’ll slide right down this list. Nothing is guaranteed until you’re on the roster.
Defense
Edge rusher Ahmed Hassanien is 🟢 Safe for now. He could be removed from this list entirely next week depending on how the Lions use him in camp. Anthony Lucas is also 🟢 Safe, and yes, I’m buying the hype. I said it before and I’ll say it again. This guy should have been drafted. It’s insane that he wasn’t. Payton Turner and Tyre West are both 🟡 Watching. Eric O’Neill is 🟠 In Danger.
Defensive tackle is where things get interesting. Tyler Lacy is 🟢 Safe. The Lions had him ahead of Levi Onwuzurike at OTAs and minicamp, which tells you something. Onwuzurike is 🟡 Watching. Mekhi Wingo and Chris Smith are both 🟠 In Danger. Myles Adams and Aidan Keanaaina are both 🟡 Watching. These things can flip fast once the pads come on. I’m eager to see how Onwuzurike looks when he’s actually allowed to hit somebody.
Linebacker is straightforward. Trevor Nowaske and Erick Turner are both 🟡 Watching. Joe Bachie is 🟠 In Danger.
Cornerback is wide open. Nick Whiteside, De’Shawn Rucker, Aamaris Brown, and Khalil Dorsey are all 🟡 Watching. All four of these guys have a shot. None of them are safe.
Safety is thin. Dan Jackson is 🟡 Watching. Loren Strickland is 🟠 In Danger.
This list will change. Guys will move up. Guys will move down. Some guys will get cut before we even publish the next edition. That’s how this works. Training camp is not a formality. It’s a job interview with full contact.
Who’s your dark horse to make the roster? Drop your pick below and let’s see who’s still standing when the Lions host their first game at Ford Field.
