Bubble Watch is back again!
In case you didn’t know, Bubble Watch is a weekly feature that runs during Detroit Lions training camp where we track the progress of players in the team’s roster bubble by predicting which players will be in or out. We’ll adjust our picks each week based on training camp results, preseason games, and any hints the coaching staff may have about roster construction.
This year, 11 Pride of Detroit members will be making these predictions on a weekly basis: myself, Eric Schlitt, Ryan Matthews, Alex Reneau, Morgan Cannon, John Whitaker, Max Gerber, Brandon Knapp, Hamza Bakush, Zack Snyder, and Al Karsten. I’ll provide additional commentary on each situation below.
We’ll start our series with offense, which is much less complicated than defense.
Watch Detroit Lions 2024 Week 1: Offense
| Player | Jeremy | Eric | Rayyan | Alex | Morgan | John | the above | Brandon | Hamza | Zack | the | the total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Jeremy | Eric | Rayyan | Alex | Morgan | John | the above | Brandon | Hamza | Zack | the | the total |
| Midfielder Nate Sudfeld | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | 0 |
| RB Craig Reynolds | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | 11 |
| RB Zonofan Knight | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | in | Outside | Outside | 1 |
| RB Jermair Jefferson | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | 0 |
| WR Antoine Green | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | 11 |
| WR Donovan Peoples Jones | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | 11 |
| WR Maurice Alexander | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | in | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | 1 |
| WR Daurice Fountain | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | 0 |
| WR Tom Kennedy | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | 0 |
| WR Kaden Davis | Outside | Outside | Outside | in | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | 1 |
| WR Isaiah Williams | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | 0 |
| TE James Mitchell | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | Outside | 10 |
| TE Shane Zylstra | in | in | in | in | in | in | Outside | in | in | Outside | in | 9 |
| T. E. Parker Hesse | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | in | 1 |
| TE Sean McKeon | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | 0 |
| OT Dan Skipper | Outside | Outside | Outside | in | Outside | in | in | in | Outside | in | Outside | 5 |
| OL Colby Sjorsdal | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | 11 |
| IOL Kayode Oseka | Outside | in | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | in | in | Outside | Outside | Outside | 3 |
| I am not dead | in | Outside | in | Outside | in | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | Outside | in | 4 |
| iOL Christian Mahogany | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | in | 11 |
Defensive back:
- Assume in: Jared Goff, Hendon Hooker
- Nat Sudfeld: 0 votes “IN”
With Detroit’s roster this good, it would be hard to justify keeping three quarterbacks, and Hooker is unlikely to fail to make the team. However, the second-year quarterback will also have to prove he’s ready for the backup role, or the Lions may have to keep Sudfeld — someone they can trust — to keep the boat afloat in case anything happens to Goff.
running back:
- Assume in: Jahmir Gibbs, David Montgomery, Sioni Faki
- Craig Reynolds: 11 votes
- Zonovan Knight: 1 vote
- Germar Jefferson: 0 votes
The Lions are likely to keep at least four linebackers, and our staff clearly believes those four are the best. But given the new starting rules, would the Lions consider keeping a fifth? One staff member thinks it’s possible, and Knight seems like the most logical choice for that role. His build is a great fit for special teams.
Broad future:
- Assume in: Amon Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Calif Raymond
- Antoine Green: 11 votes
- Donovan Peoples Jones: 11 votes
- Maurice Alexander: 1 vote
- Caden Davis: 1 vote
- Doris Fountain, Tom Kennedy, Isaiah Williams: 0 votes
Once again, our team largely agrees with Detroit’s top five receivers. The bigger question is how many receivers they’ll keep, and if there’s a sixth, who will win that battle? Alexander brings a ton of versatility to special teams — including the perfect skill set for a freshman starter. Davis, meanwhile, had a stellar spring. Not only did he earn a job thanks to his rookie camp experience, but he also made everyday plays during OTAs.
tight end:
- Assume in: Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright
- James Mitchell: 10 votes
- Shane Zylstra: 9 votes
- Parker Hesse: 1 vote
- Sean McKeon: 0 votes
This is the only offensive position where there is no unanimous choice. Part of the discussion here will be about how many players the Lions will keep. Two staffers chose to keep just three, while everyone else kept four. Again, the new starting rule may come into play here, as larger players may have less of a role than players with speed in the short areas.
However, most teams have Mitchell and Zylstra on their roster. Mitchell is entering year three after a slow start to his NFL career, while Zylstra has been in Detroit since 2021 and is a reliable player. But Parker Heisey and Sean McKeon have also been in this league for some time, and it wouldn’t be surprising if either of them were included on the roster.
Offensive processing:
- Assume in: Taylor Decker, Penny Sewell, Giovanni Manno
- Colby Sjorsdal: 11
- Dan Skipper: 5
Sorsdahl appears to be moving back to linebacker, and that could have a big impact on the roster. If he can show enough comfort at his college position, he could certainly take over the OT3 spot, which would put Skipper’s roster spot in jeopardy. If Sorsdahl cross-trains in the spring to ensure his versatility, Skipper is likely safe, but that could cost a veteran player along the interior. In short, Sorsdahl looks like an important piece in how Detroit builds its offensive line roster.
Interior attack line:
- Assume in: Kevin Zettler, Frank Ragno, Graham Glasgow
- Mahogany Christian: 11
- Stink of death: 4
- Kayode Osika: 3
Again, this is a numbers game. Eight of our staffers believe the Lions will keep nine offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, two believe they will keep 10, and one believes they will keep just eight. All believe Christian Mahogany will enter the team as a rookie pick. But does that leave a much-needed spot for an experienced veteran? Both Mote and Oseka have that experience, but they’ve struggled on the field already. Are the Lions willing to risk cutting those players for a less experienced but potentially more likely upgrade?
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