by Bubble Watch is back!
If you don’t know, Bubble Watch is a weekly feature of the Detroit Lions’ training camp where we track the progress of players in the team’s roster bubble by predicting which players are in and which are out. We’ll adjust our picks each week based on training camp results, preseason games, and any hints the coaching staff can give us about roster construction.
This year, 11 members of Pride of Detroit will be making these predictions each week: myself, Erik Schlitt, Ryan Mathews, Alex Reno, Morgan Cannon, John Whiticar, Max Gerber, Brandon Knapp, Hamza Baccouche, Zac Snyder, and Al Karsten. I’ll provide additional commentary on each post below.
We will begin our series with attack, which is much less complicated than defense.
Detroit Lions 2024 Week 1 Surveillance Bubble: Offense
| Player | Jeremy | Erik | Ryan | Alex | Morgan | John | Max | Brandon | Hamza | Zac | Al | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Jeremy | Erik | Ryan | Alex | Morgan | John | Max | Brandon | Hamza | Zac | Al | TOTAL |
| Quarterback Nate Sudfeld | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 0 |
| RB Craig Reynolds | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | 11 |
| Knight of the Zonovan rugby team | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | 1 |
| RB Jermar Jefferson | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 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 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 1 |
| WR Daurice Fountain | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 0 |
| WR Tom Kennedy | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 0 |
| WR Kaden Davis | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 1 |
| WR Isaiah Williams | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 0 |
| TE James Mitchell | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | ten |
| TE Shane Zylstra | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | IN | 9 |
| TE Parker Hesse | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | 1 |
| TE Sean McKeon | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 0 |
| OT Dan Skipper | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | OUT | IN | IN | IN | OUT | IN | OUT | 5 |
| OL Colby Sorsdal | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | 11 |
| iOL Kayode Awosika | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | 3 |
| iOL Netane Muti | IN | OUT | IN | OUT | IN | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | IN | 4 |
| iOL Christian Acajou | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | 11 |
Strategist:
- Supposed in: Jared Goff, Hendon Hooker
- Nate Sudfeld: 0 “IN” votes
With Detroit’s roster as good as it is, it’s going to be hard to justify keeping three quarterbacks, and it’s highly unlikely that Hooker won’t be retained. That said, the second-year quarterback will also have to prove he’s ready for the backup role, or the Lions might be forced to keep Sudfeld, someone they can trust, to keep the boat afloat if something happens to Goff.
To come back:
- Supposed in: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Sione Vaki
- Craig Reynolds: 11 votes
- Knight Zonovan: 1 vote
- Jermar Jefferson: 0 votes
It seems likely that the Lions will keep at least four running backs, and our staff has a clear idea of who the top four are. But given the new kickoff 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 physicality fits perfectly on special teams.
Wide receiver:
- Supposed in: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond
- Antoine Green: 11 votes
- Donovan Peoples-Jones: 11 votes
- Maurice Alexander: 1 vote
- Kaden Davis: 1 vote
- Fontaine Daurice, Tom Kennedy, Isaiah Williams: 0 votes
Again, our team is pretty much in agreement with Detroit’s top five receivers. The biggest question is how many they’ll keep, and if there’s a sixth, who will win that battle? Alexander brings a ton of versatility on special teams, including a skill set perfect for returning the new kickoff. Meanwhile, Davis has had a breakout spring. Not only did he land a job thanks to a tryout at rookie minicamp, but he’s also made everyday plays during OTAs.
Tight End:
- Supposed 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 debate here will be how many tight ends the Lions will keep. Two members of the staff chose to keep only three, while everyone else had them with four. Again, the new kickoff rule could come into play here, as taller players could have a lesser role than guys with short-yardage speed.
That said, most teams have both Mitchell and Zylstra. Mitchell is entering his third year after a slow start to his NFL career, while Zylstra has been in Detroit since 2021 and is a trusted player. But Parker Hesse and Sean McKeon have also been around this league for a while, and it wouldn’t be surprising if either one made the roster.
Offensive tackle:
- Supposed in: Taylor Decker, Penei Sewell, Giovanni Manu
- Colby Sorsdal: 11
- Dan Skipper: 5
Sorsdal appears to be interested in returning to tackle, and that could have a ripple effect on the roster. If he can show enough comfort at his college position, he could certainly take over the OT3 spot, and that would put Skipper’s roster spot in jeopardy. If Sorsdal were to simply practice in a cross-training capacity in the spring to ensure his versatility, Skipper would likely be safe, but it could cost a veteran inside. In short, Sorsdal appears to be a vital piece of how Detroit builds its offensive line.
Interior Offensive Line:
- Supposed in: Kevin Zeitler, Frank Ragnow, Graham Glasgow
- Christian Mahogany: 11
- Netane Muti: 4
- Kayode Awosika: 3
Again, it’s a numbers game. Eight of our staffers think the Lions will keep nine offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, two think they’ll keep 10 and one thinks they’ll keep just eight. Everyone thinks Christian Mahogany will make the team as a rookie. But does that leave room for a veteran back with experience? Muti and Awosika both have it, but have struggled on the field. Would the Lions be willing to risk parting with those players for a less experienced but potentially more capable player?
