Detroit, MI
How many rookies will make the Detroit Lions’ final roster?
On Friday, we got our first look at the Detroit Lions’ rookie class. With rules being particularly strict about the level of participation allowed at this point in the offseason, it was only a minor taste. Yet it was still enough to make first impressions on these young players.
As coaches have repeated several times already this offseason, it will not be an easy path for these rookies. Over the first three years of Detroit’s roster rebuild, they often relied on their rookies to not only fill out their 53-man roster, but most of them played heavy roles during the actual games.
Those times are gone.
The Lions are NFC North returning champs and enter 2024 with Super Bowl expectations, and a lot of starting jobs already claimed
So today’s Question of the Day is:
How many rookies will make the Lions final roster?
My answer: Let’s look at this from a few different points of view.
Last year, it was 7: Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, Colby Sorsdal, Brodric Martin, Steven Gilmore (Hendon Hooker was als on the Non-Football Injury list).
We can also make predictions just based on the draft picks: Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Giovanni Manu, and Sione Vaki are certainly going to make it. Given the lack of depth at defensive tackle, Mekhi Wingo seems safe, too. And Christian Mahogany has enough upside that he seems likely to make it, too. But is Detroit really in a place where they can keep all of their draft picks—and maybe even a UDFA or two?
Let’s run down the current Lions’ roster and list the non-rookie “locks” to make the team:
- Jared Goff
- Hendon Hooker
- David Montgomery
- Jahmyr Gibbs
- Amon-Ra St. Brown
- Jameson Williams
- Kalif Raymond
- Sam LaPorta
- Brock Wright
- Taylor Decker
- Graham Glasgow
- Frank Ragnow
- Kevin Zeitler
- Penei Sewell
- Aidan Hutchinson
- Alim McNeill
- DJ Reader
- Marcus Davenport
- Josh Paschal
- Brodric Martin
- Jack Campbell
- Alex Anzalone
- Derrick Barnes
- Jalen Reeves-Maybin
- Malcolm Rodriguez
- Carlton Davis
- Brian Branch
- Amik Robertson
- Kerby Joseph
- Ifeatu Melifonwu
- Jack Fox
- Whoever wins the kicker battle
- Whoever wins the long snapper battle
There is plenty of room for competition from rookies, believe it or not, although I was pretty liberal in excluding players from being locks. For example, I think guys like Donovan Peoples-Jones, James Mitchell/Shane Zylstra, Colby Sorsdal, Dan Skipper, James Houston, John Cominsky, Emmanuel Moseley, and C.J. Moore all more than likely make the roster. That leaves us with about a dozen spots left.
Ultimately, I think there’s ample room for everyone in the rookie draft class—though they’ll still have to beat out the likes of Detroit’s bubble players like Craig Reynolds, Antoine Green, Kayode Awosika, Levi Onwuzurike, Mathieu Betts, Khalil Dorsey and Kindle Vildor.
I think you can probably expect at least one UDFA to make it, as well. So my answer is seven rookies will make the initial 53-man roster.
What do you all think? Scroll to the comment section below and offer your thoughts?
Poll
How many rookies will make the Lions’ initial 53-man roster in 2024?
Detroit, MI
Detroit-area teen charged in carjacking at Applebee’s restaurant bound over to circuit court
A 15-year-old boy who is accused of carjacking a woman last month at an Applebee’s in Roseville, Michigan, is heading to circuit court after waiving his preliminary examination, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
The teen is charged with one count of carjacking, third-degree fleeing a police officer, two counts of malicious destruction of personal property, assault with a dangerous weapon, assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer, operating without a license and failure to stop after a collision.
The teen appeared for a probable cause hearing on Dec. 10 and waived his right to a preliminary examination. He will be arraigned on Jan. 5, 2026.
He remains in at the Macomb County Juvenile Center under a $250,000 cash/surety bond. If he posts bond, he is ordered to wear a GPS tether, be restricted to his mother’s house and have no contact with the victim, witnesses or Applebee’s.
Prosecutors allege that on Nov. 24, 2025, the teen forcibly took a woman’s 2016 Jeep Patriot in the restaurant’s parking lot. The teen took off in the vehicle and crashed it on Gratiot Avenue.
“The allegations and charges in this matter are serious. Carjacking is a violent offense that carries life-altering consequences for victims and offenders alike,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a statement. “To the young people of Macomb County, understand that the choices you make today will determine the path available to you tomorrow. We want every youth in this community to succeed, but that starts with stepping away from dangerous decisions before they lead to irreversible outcomes.”
Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions rule out All-Pro safety, list 7 others as questionable vs. Rams
ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions will be without safety Kerby Joseph again this weekend, while listing seven other players as questionable.
Joseph and fellow safety Brian Branch were the only players ruled out ahead of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. Branch is out for the season due to an Achilles injury, but has not been placed on injured reserve yet. And Joseph, who will now miss his eighth straight game, suffered a setback and could be a candidate for injured reserve, per Dan Campbell.
The Lions listed tight end Shane Zylstra (knee), running back Sione Vaki (thumb), wide receiver Kalif Raymond (ankle), guard Christian Mahogany (fibula), safety Thomas Harper (concussion protocol), left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder/rest) and guard Kayode Awosika (foot) as questionable.
Decker has not practiced this week. But he’s been dealing with a shoulder injury all season and is coming off playing three games in less than two weeks. Awosika missed last week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys due to his foot injury. The veteran guard has practiced in a limited capacity all week long.
Trystan Colon and Miles Frazier split duties at left guard last week for Awosika. The Lions will have a decision to make there between those three options, but perhaps for only another weekend.
Mahogany returned to practice this week. He seems like a longshot to play this weekend based on his injury. But the Lions are listing him as questionable after logging three limited practices in his first action back on the field.
Zylstra has been back at practice for two weeks in his return from injured reserve. Heading into the weekend, the Lions have only one tight end on their 53-man roster (Anthony Firkser) and hope to get Zylstra back.
Campbell said Harper has a chance to play against the Rams despite spending the week in concussion protocol. The Lions could sure use Harper, with Branch and Joseph both out, to hold things down at safety with Avonte Maddox against the high-powered Rams.
“Harper will be out there at practice today, so feel pretty good about him, but we’ll see,” Campbell said on Friday morning. “There again, I can’t give you definitives right now, but that’s kind of where we’re at.
“So, we’ll be good. Look, (Erick) Hallett’s been taking reps, (Daniel Thomas) DT’s been taking reps, Maddox has been taking reps. We’ve got plenty of guys. They’re getting valuable reps, so we’re good.”
Raymond has missed two consecutive games due to an ankle injury suffered against the New York Giants. He has a shot to return after working back into practice, and should reclaim his role returning punts.
Vaki has continued to play through his thumb injury. He hasn’t returned kickoffs since suffering the injury, with Tom Kennedy and Jacob Saylors taking over.
Detroit, MI
Oilers turn in smart, defensive game and Hyman hat trick for 4-1 win over Detroit: Cult of Hockey Player Grades
CONNOR McDAVID. 9. In a quiet first minutes of this one McDavid had the most dangerous shot for, glancing off Talbot’s shoulder and out. Terrific patience on the doorstep before dishing to Hyman for the 1-0. Nearly outwaited Talbot again later in the frame. Dished the disk back to Ekholm on the 2-0. Pranced in and rifled a backhand off Talbot. Hi-lite reel assist on the 3-1, where he knocks down a puck then puts a backhand through his own legs to a waiting Hyman alone in the slot. An assist on the 4-1, for his forty-third four-point game. 63% on faceoffs. Second Star.
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