Ranking Lions' Position Battles Ahead of Training Camp

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Some battles are more consequential than others.
At QB Hooker isn’t going to be cut if he loses the #2 job.
He wouldn’t make it to the Practice Squad.
For Sudfield it’s #2 or Practice Squad.
Also, if Sudfield wins the QB2 job then that is roster spot taken away from someone else because Holmes would have to keep 3 QB’s on the 53.

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At RB it’s a battle for RB3 but really for RB4.
Vaki is going to make the roster.
Reynolds and Knight have to make the roster.
If Reynolds or Knight win the RB3 job there will be 4 RB’s.
If Vaki is RB3 Holmes could choose to only go with 3 RB’s to start the season and have the others on the Practice Squad.
This is more a Special Teams position.
Reynolds and Knight have to prove their value on Special Teams. I give the edge to Reynolds.

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At LB Campbell appears to have been given the position based on his impressive off season and his performance in OTA’s and Minicamp.
Other than through injury, it would be a shocking upset if Barnes took the position back.
I expect a big season from Campbell.

WR3 is really a battle for the X position mostly between DPJ and Green.
All the WR’s are cross trained but I expect Raymond to back up ARSB and Jamo at slot and Z.
Raymond may even get as many snaps and targets but I think Ben wants a bigger body for WR3.
I think they only keep 5 WR’s (ARSB, Jamo, Raymond, DPJ, Green) on the 53 unless someone shows some plus skills on Special Teams.

Especially if they go with 4 tight ends.

I wonder if it makes sense to frame this battle as Receiver 9. Suppose Mitchell is TE3, and Green is WR5. That leaves Zylstra, Hesse, McKeon, I. Williams, K. Davis, Fountain, Calhoun, Smith, and Alexander to fight it out for a singe roster spot – as TE4 or WR6.

I kind of like Zylstra over the rest of that WR room.

I agree it would be the 9th receiver but whoever gets that slot is going to win it by being more than receiver 9.
They will have to start on at least two phases of Special Teams and the TE would need to be able to play some FB.
Who needs a 9th receiver to be on the inactive list every week. He can do that on the Practice Squad.

Campbell has been given the position because he was a first round draft choice, anytime a player is given a position before camp even starts its politics. Barnes is in a very odd situation, it’s been that way sense he was drafted.

Sure seems like it, which would be very counter-brand for DC.

Watching from my couch, sure seemed to me that Barnes outperformed the rookie last year. Nobody should be leapfrogging anybody on the depth chart in the offseason. And Barnes is also young, only 25, so it’s not like he’s peaked.

Anyhoooo… we’ll see.

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