Luke Altmyer Better Show Up
This is Luke Altmyer’s game. Period. Josh Dobbs just got here and has had one practice with the team. You can pretty much guarantee Altmyer is getting the bulk of the reps Thursday night against the Bengals. He is not going to get this chance again.
At some point, Jared Goff might see preseason action. At some point, Dobbs is going to get his reps. Maybe they bring in another arm down the line. You never know. But right now, this is Altmyer’s shot to put something on film.
He can go out there and ball out, do everything right, and make the best case he can for a roster spot. Or he can have a disaster of a game and that is what everyone will remember. It is a brutal spot to be in, but this is what happens when you are an undrafted rookie third-string quarterback. You get one opportunity. You have to take it.
Ennis Rakestraw Needs to String Something Together
I would be shocked if Ennis Rakestraw does not play this game. Things have not been going well for him at camp. Dan Campbell said it himself Monday, it has all been up and down, and he needs to string some good days together. Here is his chance to show it on the field against another team.
We have never really gotten to see Rakestraw do this, at least not enough. Go back to last year’s Hall of Fame game before the injury. There were some struggles. Now he is going to get a chance to play against Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. There are going to be some good players out there. If he gets a chance to go up against any of them, make a damn play.
This is his chance to get himself off the in-danger section and try to claw back into safe territory. At this point, I am leaning very close to him not being on the 53-man roster when the season starts. But he could change that with a big game Thursday night.
Jacob Saylors Has a Golden Opportunity
With Sione Vaki out with a broken nose and Isaiah Pacheco out for presumably the rest of training camp and the preseason, Jacob Saylors is in an unbelievable spot right now. He could potentially nail down the running back 2 spot to start the season, assuming Pacheco might not make it back for Week 1.
Dan Campbell has said Pacheco is expected to be back Week 1. But just in case he is not, Saylors could put himself in position to be the running back 2 for that game. And even if Pacheco is back, Saylors could still nail down a roster spot.
If he goes out and runs for 100 yards and a touchdown Thursday night against the Bengals, you could pretty much say it is his job. I am not saying that is exactly what he has to do, but let’s see something tonight. Jabari Small and Kye Robichaux are both competing for that same spot too. They are going to get chances Thursday night as well. Let’s see if Saylors can outrun them.
Levi Onwuzurike Has Been Passed
It has been a while since Levi Onwuzurike has been on the field after missing the entire season last year. I assume he is going to play in this game because he just needs reps. This is a big one because right now, Tyler Lacy has eaten his lunch. Ahmed Hassanein has eaten his lunch. There are guys ahead of him at the spot you are used to seeing him in.
That does not mean he cannot make this roster. I assume Hassanein is playing too, and Lacy is probably going to play as well. So what can Onwuzurike do to try to outshine both those guys who are ahead of him right now? Let’s see something from him tonight.
Joe Bachie Just Needs to Keep It Going
I have liked what I have seen from Joe Bachie at training camp. Every week, I have seen Bachie do something good. Whether it is a pass breakup, a sack, batting the ball down at the line of scrimmage, or just making good tackles. I want to see it in a game.
Maybe it is because I am a Michigan State guy, but I am cheering for Bachie to make this team. I think he could do it. A good game Thursday night would help that.
Tay Martin vs Dominic Lovett at Wide Receiver 5
The wide receiver 5 battle has been a ton of fun, and Thursday night is the night we could finally get some separation between these two guys. Right now I am leaning towards Tay Martin on the 53-man roster because I think he has got some really good special teams ability. Not to say Lovett does not, but Martin is a little bit better in that area.
I want to see these guys on offense. I want to see them out there getting open, catching passes, and doing something with those catches. Show me some yards after the catch. Show me something. I want to know who I am putting in at wide receiver 5 by the end of this game.
Colby Sorsdal Has Rarely Been Seen
The Lions do not necessarily need a fourth tackle at this point. They have got Penei Sewell and Blake Miller, who is going to play Thursday night, plus Larry Borom as the swing tackle. So when you are thinking about a tackle 4, it is important enough to consider carrying one, but it is not 100% needed.
Colby Sorsdal has been on this team for a while as a Brad Holmes draft pick from the 2023 NFL Draft. Everybody kind of thought there was some upside there. We have yet to see it. He missed last year’s preseason and training camp with an injury, so we rarely get to actually watch him play. It is all on you right now, man. Let’s see what you have got.
Which one of these bubble guys do you think actually makes the cut? Or are we all setting ourselves up for disappointment again? Drop your take below.
