Three Names That Might Not Make the 53
Training camp opens in less than a week and this might be the cleanest roster Brad Holmes has ever put together. The starters are mostly set. There’s one real position battle at left guard and after that it’s just depth guys scrapping for spots. But even on a roster this tight, somebody has to go when the final cuts come. And a few of those names might surprise you.
None of these cuts would crater the season. But they’re guys you’re used to seeing in Honolulu Blue. Guys who’ve been around. Guys who could realistically wind up on the practice squad instead of the 53. Here are three players who could be on the outside looking in when Week 1 rolls around.
Levi Onwuzurike
This one probably shouldn’t shock anyone at this point. Onwuzurike was Holmes’ second-ever draft pick back in 2021 in the second round. He’s had flashes. His best stretch came in 2024 when he was second on the team in pressures. He was getting home. He was doing real things.
Then he went down with a knee injury at the end of the season. It appears to have been an ACL tear though the full severity at the time remains unclear. He still played in the playoff game against Washington. Then he missed all of 2025.
One of the big reasons he’s still on the roster is a quirk in the CBA that essentially pushed his one year contract from 2025 into 2026. The same quirk kept Josh Paschal around. Paschal has already been cut.
Onwuzurike has a shot to make the team but I have a hard time putting him ahead of guys like Ahmed Hassanien, Tyler Lacy, Anthony Lucas, or Skyler Gil-Howard. There are so many players on this roster who can do what he does and you don’t have to worry about whether their knee is going to hold up. The back issues were one thing. He seemed to get those under control. Then a torn ACL on top of it. I just don’t know if the Lions are going to get out of him what they hoped for when they drafted him.
Trevor Nowaske
Nowaske has been the backup Sam linebacker and when Derrick Barnes wasn’t able to play there for a stretch we got to see more of him. He played fairly well. The problem now is a numbers game.
He’s not beating out Barnes. He’s not beating out Jack Campbell. He’s not beating out Jimmy Rolder or Malcolm Rodriguez.
If the Lions carry six linebackers Nowaske has a real shot. But even then he still has to beat out undrafted free agent Erick Hunter, veteran Joe Bachie, and Damone Clark who probably has the best chance of being that sixth linebacker. Nowaske’s skills at this point are limited to that Sam linebacker role where he can give you some pass rush but I don’t know if he can really cover all that well.
There just might not be enough roles to go around. This is one of those good problems to have where you’ve got so many decent linebackers that you might have to let go of one who’s been pretty good for you. If I’m the Lions I’m trying to get him back on the practice squad immediately.
Brock Wright
This is probably the big one. Everybody has Brock Wright penciled in as the number two tight end on this team. Maybe I’m alone on this but I don’t see it.
Wright is a decent football player but he’s struggled with blocking at a position that requires him to block. Beyond the one time a year where he breaks out a huge 35 yard touchdown I don’t see him as much of a threat in the receiving game. His 2025 grades tell the story. A 53.2 pass block grade and a 55.5 run block grade. Those aren’t outliers. Those are the grades Wright has always had.
Compare that to Tyler Conklin who posted a 73.6 pass block grade in 2025 and a 78.8 pass block grade in 2024. Conklin is a better receiving tight end and a better pass blocker and I think that gives him the edge as the number two tight end.
Then you look at guys like Miles Kitselman and Zach Horton who are strong run blockers, capable pass blockers, and can even give you some fullback reps. They can do what Wright does at a much cheaper rate.
And that’s the other factor. Wright is making $4.7 million. That’s not Sam LaPorta money but for a tight end three it would likely make him the highest paid third tight end in the league. That number is going to come into play when camp opens.
None of these cuts would be earth shattering. Wright would probably generate the most reaction but when you’ve got a roster this deep somebody has to go. These are the three names worth watching.
Is cutting Brock Wright addition by subtraction or are we about to regret letting him walk? Sound off below.
