3 Position Battles to Watch for Lions in Preseason Finale

Place battles aplenty exist for the Lions, as they work to finalize their season-opening 53-man roster forward of Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline (4 p.m. EST). 

Let’s have a look now on the three largest battles to look at, going into the workforce’s preseason finale with the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday.

Backup QB (David Blough vs. Tim Boyle) 

The highest two candidates to function Jared Goff’s backup in 2022 — Blough and Boyle — have been evenly matched up to now within the preseason. Each passers threw for lower than 100 yards every week in the past towards the Indianapolis Colts, and neither was overwhelmingly spectacular. 

Detroit began the 2021 marketing campaign with three quarterbacks on the roster, with Goff, Blough and Boyle all making the workforce. The percentages of that taking place once more are extraordinarily low, because the Lions have since realized that not all three are worthy of a roster spot. It is why Sunday’s preseason tilt with the Steelers will show to be pivotal in figuring out who claims the backup job. My cash proper now’s on Boyle.

No. 3 working again (Craig Reynolds vs. Justin Jackson and Godwin Igwebuike) 

For my part, the chief within the clubhouse for the No. 3 again spot, behind D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, is Reynolds.

Reynolds, a preseason darling a 12 months in the past, dealt with a lot of the early load every week in the past towards the Indianapolis Colts. He ended up ending the competition with 37 yards on seven carries, good for a mean of 5.3 yards a carry. 

In the meantime, Jackson, who spent the primary 4 years of his NFL profession with the L.A. Chargers, has paced all of Detroit’s backs in dashing yards this preseason. He is amassed 65 yards on 10 carries, equating to a mean of 6.5 yards per carry. He rushed for a game-high 54 yards in final week’s exhibition contest with the Colts. 

Now, between Igwebuike and Jefferson, Detroit’s 2021 seventh-round choose, the previous has the higher shot at profitable the third-string working again job.

To this point this preseason, Jefferson has rushed for 44 yards on 16 carries (2.75 yards per try), whereas Igwebuike has logged 36 yards on 10 rushes (3.6 yards/carry).

A one-time security, Igwebuike was the Lions’ main kick returner final season, averaging 24.9 yards per return. It was good for the fifth-best mark within the NFL, amongst 16 qualifying gamers.

His aforementioned means to offer particular groups worth locations him firmly forward of Jefferson within the place battle.

Nonetheless, at this current juncture, I’ve received Reynolds ranked No. 1, Jackson No. 2, Igwebuike No. 3 and Jefferson No. 4 within the duel for the No. 3 RB spot.

Beginning kicker (Riley Patterson vs. Austin Seibert) 

Patterson and Seibert have been duking it out for the beginning kicker job all coaching camp lengthy.

Seibert has gone three-for-four on field-goal makes an attempt, whereas Patterson has executed on his lone two makes an attempt by means of the primary two weeks of the preseason.

At this juncture, it feels prefer it’s a neck-and-neck competitors between the 2 kickers. Seibert seemingly has a slight edge, and never solely primarily based on manufacturing. I am, as an alternative, basing it on Lions head coach Dan Campbell stating earlier in camp that Seibert, a College of Oklahoma product, is forward of Patterson within the battle.

It might probably’t be by a lot, although, as Patterson had a stable 2021 marketing campaign, connecting on 13-of-14 field-goal makes an attempt. It was good for a conversion charge of 92.9 %. He additionally nailed all 16 of his extra-point makes an attempt.

With a stable efficiency Sunday towards the Steelers, Patterson may simply catapult Seibert for the beginning kicking job.