The initial 53-man roster for the 2024 Detroit Lions was established on Tuesday. It took a little time after the 4 p.m. ET deadline before the Lions released the official roster, and the transactions the team posted left the roster at just 52.
Now that the initial roster is out there, a few things stand out. GM Brad Holmes and his front office staff, as well as head coach Dan Campbell and his staff, made some difficult and interesting choices.
Rolling with Hooker
Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) looks to pass against Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of a preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
For me, the biggest surprise of the Lions roster is that Nate Sudfeld isn’t on it. Not that I thought Sudfeld should be on it, but all offseason the Lions seemed smitten with his veteran presence and relative reliability as the top backup behind Jared Goff.
That role goes to Hendon Hooker. It’s a bit of a leap of faith from the coaching staff on Hooker, who has generally impressed this summer but goes through not-infrequent bouts of riding the struggle bus. Detroit trusting in Hooker is the right decision and proves that a younger upside and a higher ceiling prevails over a replacement-level vet. Sudfeld, to his credit, was much better in the summer of 2024 than he was in 2023 even before getting hurt, but he wasn’t worth keeping. Good on the Lions for seeing that, too.
Hooker might not be 100 percent ready to be the No. 2. I very much approve of the Lions taking off the training wheels and riding with Hooker, for better or for (short-term) worse.
WR depth and size?
Detroit Lions wide receiver Daurice Fountain runs during drills at practice at the Detroit Lions practice facility in Allen Park on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
It’s been a struggle all offseason for the Lions to find more than three wide receivers worthy of being on their roster. At various points, Daurice Fountain, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Antoine Green and Kaden Davis all appeared to have some claim to that No. 4 role.
None of them made it. It’s hard to argue any of them should have, when looking at the totality of performance. Dan Campbell repeatedly begged Peoples-Jones and Fountain to seize it, but they dropped the ball.
I expect that if the Lions claim anyone on waivers, it will be a wide receiver with some size. That won’t be easy with the Lions holding the 29th spot in the waiver wire, and anyone above them gets first dibs if they also put a claim on the player.
Size matters. No. 3 wideout Kalif Raymond is 5-8. Undrafted rookie Isaiah Williams, who did make the team as the fourth wideout, is 5-9. No. 2 wideout Jameson Williams is the tallest wideout at 6-1 and weighs a listed 180 pounds. Amon-Ra St. Brown is 202 pounds and his listed 6-foot height almost certainly took place in cleats
The Lions are adding former Broncos WR Tim Patrick to the practice squad, and that could be a solution. Patrick is 6-4, though he hasn’t played since 2021 due to major injuries.
The UDFAs
Detroit Lions longsnapper Hogan Hatten (49) practices during OTAs at Detroit Lions headquarters and training facility in Allen Park on Thursday, May 30, 2024.
Two position players and a specialist made the initial 53-man roster from the ranks of the undrafted rookie free agents.
Most prominent is wide receiver Isaiah Williams from Illinois. The nifty playmaker made it by being the most consistently reliable receiving option. Williams also figures to be in the mix as the Lions’ return specialist.
Hard-hitting safety Loren Strickland from Ball State is perhaps the biggest surprise inclusion on the initial 53. Strickland progressed all summer and also did well on special teams, beating out veteran CJ Moore.
Congrats to long snapper Hogan Hatten, who earned the spot by beating out incumbent veteran Scott Daly. Hatten’s incredible athleticism won him the job. It was on full display on Detroit’s first punt of the preseason, when No. 49 was the first guy in coverage down the field and made a nice tackle. Hatten can also play LB in a pinch, as well as in practices.
It’s the 14th straight season an undrafted rookie has made the Lions’ 53-man roster. Alas, one of last year’s UDFA success stories, CB Steven Gilmore, did not make the cut in 2024.
No trades
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell and exec. vice president and general manager Brad Holmes walk off the field together during day two of the Detroit Lions training camp at the Detroit Lions Headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
There was a lot more trade activity leading into the 4 p.m. Tuesday deadline around the league. The Lions were not part of that trend on either end of the trading scale.
Lions GM Brad Holmes has not lacked aggression in going out to get guys he feels can help his team. It will be interesting to see just how much Holmes reveals about the roster-building process and if any trades were on the table. Holmes is scheduled for a press conference later this week, and that question will be asked
Thin DL
Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill celebrates a play against the 49ers during the second half of the Lions’ 34-31 loss in the NFC championship game in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024.
Detroit only kept four defensive linemen after placing Brodric Martin on I.R. Veteran Kyle Peko was a surprise release after a great summer where he played on the first-team defense next to Alim McNeill most of the time.
DJ Reader’s return is a welcome boost, but he missed all offseason. Not having another true nose tackle on the roster, even temporarily, is an interesting choice.