Nick Whiteside Went From Bubble Guy to Maybe You Should Worry About Your Job
Nick Whiteside came into camp as a bubble guy. That is being generous. He came in as a guy who might not even make the practice squad, a Saginaw Valley State product who had no business being anywhere near the starting conversation. Now? Dan Campbell is talking about him like he might be forcing his way into real reps.
Campbell said Whiteside has made a play every single day of camp. Every single day. Whether it’s on defense or special teams, the guy shows up. On the first day in pads, sure, he didn’t make some highlight reel interception. But he also didn’t get torched. He just did his job. That counts for something when you’re trying to survive a Brad Holmes roster cut.
Rock Ya-Sin and Ennis Rakestraw both look good, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves. But Whiteside has gone from “is he even making this team” to “he’s absolutely making this team” to “wait, could he actually start?” in about six days. That is not normal. That is the kind of camp performance that turns into a real story if it holds.
Tyler Lacy is Pushing Blake Miller Around and That Matters
Tyler Lacy is a giant human being who can play edge, defensive tackle, or big end depending on what the defense needs. He looked like a camp body during OTAs. Now he looks like the guy who might solve the third interior spot behind Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams.
He bull rushed Blake Miller straight into the quarterback during a drill. Miller is a rookie offensive tackle. That should not happen. But it did, and it looked effortless. Lacy can set the edge in the run game, that much was clear before camp. What nobody expected was pass rush juice. He is not going to get 10 sacks. Let’s be real. But four sacks from a rotational guy who can eat space and play multiple spots? That is exactly what this defense needs.
The Lions are not looking for a pure nose tackle to back up McNeill and Williams. They want versatility. Everybody plays everywhere. Lacy is the poster child for that philosophy right now, and if he keeps this up, he is going to have a real role on this team.
Jacob Saylors Might Have Just Taken Sione Vaki’s Job
Jacob Saylors was All-UFL in spring 2025 with the St. Louis Battlehawks and earned a spot on the 53-man roster last year as the kick returner. Now he is getting first team reps at running back and looking like he belongs there.
Sione Vaki was supposed to be the third running back. Vaki got poked in the eye and broke his nose in a freak accident, and now he is out while he heals. Jahmyr Gibbs has not been practicing, so Saylors is running with the ones. And he has looked good doing it. Two big plays on the first day in pads, one a 40 to 50 yard touchdown run, the other a receiving score. That is not nothing.
This is not a Gibbs replacement conversation. Get that out of your head right now. Gibbs is irreplaceable. But Saylors is looking like a legitimate running back three, and that puts Vaki in a tough spot. When Vaki comes back, he has work to do. If you are just a special teamer at this point, you better be able to do something else. The Lions have plenty of good special teamers. If Saylors proves he is better as a running back, Vaki might be looking at a tough cut.
That would be another bad outcome for a draft class that has already had its share of disappointments. But you have to keep the best 53 guys. That is the job.
Joe Bachie is Not Making the 53 But He Might Stick Around Anyway
Joe Bachie is a Michigan State legend. He is also a camp body, or at least that is what he looked like coming into Allen Park. Now he looks like a practice squad lock.
He has gotten a couple sacks. He has done solid work stopping the run. It has all been with the second and third teams, so temper expectations. But he is showing enough that the Lions would be smart to keep him around. He is a veteran who knows what he is doing, and that has value even if it is not on the active roster.
Bachie is not pushing for a starting job. He might not even push for a roster spot. But practice squad? That feels real right now. And for a guy who came in as a body to fill reps, that is a win.
A Few More Names Worth Watching
Lawrence Keys has been fun on special teams and is making plays as a receiver. Jabari Small, a running back Dan Campbell mentioned, is showing some promise. Anthony Lucas, the undrafted rookie out of USC, has shown some pass rush ability, though he needs to prove it in other areas. Ahmed Hassanein has been impressive enough that he probably deserves his own breakdown. And De’Shawn Rucker, an undrafted cornerback, flashed on the first day in pads.
None of those guys are at the level of the first four. But they are worth keeping an eye on as the roster gets cut down.
Is Nick Whiteside really about to become a starter or are we just bored in August? Tell me who you think actually makes this roster below.
