Indianapolis — After two intense joint practice sessions this week, the Detroit Lions will close their road trip with a preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Coach Dan Campbell already has said the team will rest most of its starters on offense and defense. That opens the door for extended playing time for those fighting for roles and jobs. Here are eight players we’ll be watching closely.
► Quarterbacks Tim Boyle and David Blough
The competition for Detroit’s backup quarterback job still feels very much up in the air after Blough and Boyle split days running the second-team offense during the joint practices with the Colts.
Boyle started this offseason with a clear leg up. That’s based on who got playing time in Jared Goff’s stead last season and the contracts (and guaranteed money) awarded to Boyle and Blough this offseason. That said, if the decision were based strictly on the practice field and preseason performance in 2022, Blough merits a slight edge.
In last week’s opener against Atlanta, Blough threw the ball better and made better decisions, all while impressing with his mobility in and out of the pocket. But the performance lost some luster when he fumbled away a snap in the closing minutes, giving the Falcons the ball in Lions territory, which led to the opposition scoring the game-winning touchdown.
Campbell has hinted the team might have to go outside the current roster for an upgrade behind Goff, but if either of the current options can find a way to operate the offense without a colossal blunder the next couple of weeks, that might be good enough.
► Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez
The Lions are going to rest most of their starters after the joint practices, but even though the sixth-round pick out of Oklahoma State has the inside track to be part of the starting lineup, it’s a bit premature to lock into that decision. That means fans should get a decent look at the darling of this year’s training camp, and “Hard Knocks.”
Maybe the most impressive thing about Rodriguez’s rise up the depth chart is he almost never seems to take a step back. Sure, there are plays he’s missed, including one on Thursday where he got caught by a block that sprung a long gain on a screen pass. But more often than not, the rookie linebacker is in the right place to fulfill his assignment and ready to deliver a tone-setting hit for good measure.
► Wide receiver Trinity Benson
From the outside looking in, it’s felt as if the Lions have spent plenty of time during training camp trying to find good reasons to keep Benson on the roster. The coaching staff has been working him in various roles on both offense and special teams, including return man and gunner.
Acquired in a trade days before the start of last season, Benson’s debut campaign in Detroit couldn’t have gone much worse. There’s no question he’s looked more confident and been more productive this training camp, benefitting from having a full offseason to acclimate to the playbook and his surroundings. At times, he’s also shown the ability to be a vertical threat, punctuated by a long touchdown grab out of play-action on Thursday when working against the Colts.
Benson doesn’t have an ideal frame, but his speed plays. If he can alleviate some concerns with dropped passes, he has a good chance to unseat Godwin Igwebuike as Detroit’s kickoff returner.
► Defensive lineman John Cominsky
Eight teams put in a claim for Cominsky after Atlanta waived him this offseason. Watching him practice, it’s easy to see why. First of all, his 6-foot-5, 285-pound frame fits almost any defensive scheme up front. That size, combined with high-end athleticism and a non-stop motor, is enough to make anyone intrigued by the potential.
Cominsky has spent much of camp with the third-team defense. Working against lower-caliber blocking, he routinely found himself in the backfield, disrupting both run and pass plays. That’s led to more opportunities with the second-team defense, where he’s continued to have a steady impact.
The Lions mostly use him on the inside of the defensive front. That’s less than ideal when defending the run, but his speed and power are problematic for opposing guards and centers on passing downs.
► Tight end Shane Zylstra
Undrafted out of Minnesota State last year, Zylstra spent much of his rookie season on Detroit’s practice squad. And when he did earn a promotion to the main roster, his campaign was cut short by a severe leg injury.
Wearing a large brace during OTAs, he was one of the team’s most productive red-zone threats during those early practices. And he’s carried that nose for the end zone into training camp, as Detroit’s second- and third-team linebackers have struggled to cover him on short and intermediate routes.
Zylstra had a quiet preseason opener, catching just one pass for 2 yards, but he rebounded nicely in the joint practices this week. If he can do it under the lights at Lucus Oil Stadium, it will strengthen his case for a roster spot as Detroit’s third tight end.
► Cornerback Chase Lucas
Detroit’s seventh-round draft pick only managed to get on the field for seven defensive snaps in the preseason opener, but he made a strong impression in the closing minutes of that contest, breaking up a pass (which he should have intercepted) and making a strong open-field tackle on a much larger tight end.
Everything points to A.J. Parker having Detroit’s starting nickel job on lock, but there’s still enough time for Lucas to convince the Lions he’s capable of being the top backup at that spot, ahead of veteran Mike Hughes.
On a handful of occasions, including Thursday’s practice, the Lions have given Lucas a taste of working with the first-team defense. That’s enough to suggest he’s in line for a big role for Saturday’s game, providing him an opportunity to build on his previous performance.
► Safety Kerby Joseph
No Lions player saw more action against the Falcons than Joseph, who logged 55 snaps between defense and special teams. And with that playing time, his six tackles doubled any of his teammates.
Joseph was the first name out of Campbell’s mouth when asked who stood out during the coaches’ review of that game’s film. The team understands the safety still has plenty of development ahead, but the consensus is he’s ahead of the curve through this early stage of his first offseason.
During joint practices this week, Joseph was gifted an interception, but just as he did at the University of Illinois, he capitalized on the play that came his way. And while he’s not pushing for a starting job like Rodriguez, Joseph needs all the reps he can get as he looks to carve out a special teams role and potentially even earn some early playing time in a defensive sub package.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers