The Practice Squad Is Loaded and That Is a Very Good Problem to Have
The Detroit Lions are heading into training camp with a roster so deep that actual NFL-caliber players are going to get cut. That is not something you say about this franchise lightly. For decades, we were scraping the bottom of the barrel just to field a competent 53-man roster, let alone worry about who was sitting on the practice squad. But here we are. Brad Holmes has built this thing the right way, and now the question is not whether we have enough talent, it is who the hell gets left out when the cuts come.
Here is a look at the players who might end up on the practice squad. Some of these names will make you nod. Others will make you ask what the hell we are doing. Welcome to the offseason.
Running Back: Jacob Saylors
Saylors has a real shot at beating out Sione Vaki for the RB3 spot. That does not mean Vaki is toast, because Vaki brings serious special teams juice. But Saylors is a quality back who can also return kicks. He is the kind of player you stash because you know he will matter eventually.
Wide Receivers: Tom Kennedy, Dominic Lovett, Tay Martin
Tom Kennedy is back because of course he is. The Lions are contractually obligated to keep him around at this point. They love what he brings in certain situations, and they will keep finding ways to use him.
Dominic Lovett, a seventh-round pick, might have an outside shot at the 53, but he is probably better served on the practice squad. With Kendrick Law out for the season, Detroit still wants to develop Lovett as a gunner and see what else he can do.
Tay Martin rounds out the group. He is a UFL product with size and some special teams ability. Still young. Still raw. The Lions want more time with him than training camp can provide.
Tight End: Miles Kitzelman
The Lions see something in Kitzelman as a blocking tight end. He should have a fun preseason, but Detroit will likely go with a more veteran option on the 53-man roster. This is a play for 2027.
Offensive Line: Giovanni Manu, Seth McLaughlin, Michael Niese
Manu is going to make some of you scratch your heads. I get it. But it feels like the Lions are not ready to give up on him yet. They are not putting him on the 53 or starting him, but maybe they want a few more looks during the regular season to see what happens.
Seth McLaughlin was voted the best center in college football at Ohio State in 2024. He is just good to have around as an extra interior option behind Juice Scruggs.
Michael Niese has been here for five years now. He can play center, left guard, and right guard. We just have not seen him do it in a regular-season game. He is one of those quiet projects who does not cost much and does not get in anyone’s way.
Defensive Line: Chris Smith, Tyre West, Mehki Wingo, Myles Adams
Chris Smith is a guy the Lions just love. He does whatever they ask. You trust he is always going to be around, even if you never see him on the field.
Tyre West does not have a clear path to the 53 right now, but the Lions are not letting him walk. They see him as a potential big edge who can also kick inside, and they will take their time developing him.
Mehki Wingo is hard to see getting cut. You really believed he was going to have a big role at some point after the Lions drafted him in 2024. It did not turn out that way, but Detroit is not giving up on him.
Myles Adams is an interior defensive lineman the Lions have teased for a while now. Dan Campbell seems to bring him up all the time as somebody who does well in practice, but we have never seen it translate to the field. Maybe 2026 is the year that changes.
Linebackers: Eric Hunter, Joe Bachie
Eric Hunter is an undrafted free agent who got significant guaranteed money. The Lions want to see what they can teach him, sign him to a futures deal, and get him on the field more in 2027.
Joe Bachie gives Detroit a veteran linebacker in the building. We saw not too long ago what that depth can mean when multiple guys go down. You need bodies you trust when injuries hit.
Secondary: Nick Whiteside, Dan Jackson
Nick Whiteside is a player the Lions like, but not enough to trust on the 53 right now. He is good to have around for the injuries that will inevitably come.
Dan Jackson might be the unluckiest player on this list. Any other year, he probably makes the 53. But this safety room is the deepest position group on the entire team, loaded with players who could start for other NFL teams right now. Jackson will be the odd man out, but he is not going anywhere.
This Is What Depth Looks Like
You also have to consider that some of the players who end up on this squad are not even on the team yet. Veteran additions and post-cut pickups will shape the final group. That is how good rosters operate. They do not panic when someone gets hurt. They have options.
For a fanbase that sat through 0-16 and watched Matt Millen destroy this franchise for nearly a decade, this is what winning looks like before the games even start. Depth is not sexy. It does not make headlines. But it wins football games in December and January.
Brad Holmes has built a roster where the practice squad actually matters. That is not nothing.
Which one of these guys do you think ends up getting called up first when someone inevitably goes down? Drop your take below.
