I think it’s getting harder and harder to justify keeping Whiteside off the roster. The only reason he might miss out is he’s one of the least likely to get poached from the PS, so we might rather risk him over others.
Agree 100%. Campbell likes rewarding guys who push their way into a spot. My prediction for the DB room is, right after the 3rd preseason game, someone is going to suffer from a case of the “blue flu” and have to miss the first 4 games. With DB’s in general, and especially how we use ours, it is inevitable that someone is going to get nicked up and we need bodies. Someone is going to become the sacrificial lamb and start the season on the injured list, and be ready as the first injury fill in once they are eligible.
Nice to see LaPorta getting more consistent. I think the back injury was in his head early on, but now I think he’s trending up.
I agree, I think the back injury will always be on his mind to some extent. Another factor could be it takes awhile for football conditioning to come back. The guy was probably trying to ease into it, not fully trusting the back, and having to add in blocking/catching and doing all of this while getting into football shape? I am not surprised to hear it took awhile for things to start feeling comfortable again. I won’t be shocked if it happens to start the regular season when the game speed steps up a lot as well. As long as his back holds up physically, I have no worries about LaPorta being the guy we know he can be during the season.
Personally, from everything I’ve heard, McCreary has done nothing to justify a spot on the roster. He’s getting picked on, in fact. At some point the cost to cut him won’t matter. Yes, it’s more than cutting other players, but it’s not THAT much overall.
I agree. I think if someone gets outright cut, it’s McCreary. I also think that McCreary could end up being that 4 game sacrificial lamb. I think the Lions have options to cover nickel DB. I don’t think the Lions have as many options at outside corner. That’s why I think (where it stands now) Whiteside and Rake are safe. They both have the bigger build the Lions want at outside CB.
You can only designate 2 players to return from IR at cutdowns. Those players are Rolder and Mays.
If McCreary doesn’t make the roster, he’s a cheap cut. Stash him on the PS if he makes it through waivers.
As it is, though, I’m not sure who I’d want as the 53rd man over McCreary:
- QB: Goff, Dobbs
- RB: Gibbs, Pacheco, Vaki, Saylors
- TE: LaPorta, Wright, Conklin
- WR: St Brown, Jamo, Dortch, TeSlaa, Wilson
- OL: Sewell, Mahog, Scruggs, Tater, Miller // Borom, McLaughlin, Frazier, Bartch
- DT: Tyleik, McNeill, Levi, Gill-Howard, Wingo
- DE: Hutch, Wonnum, Moore, Lacy, Hassanein
- LB: Campbell, Barnes, White, Rigo, Nowaske, Clark
- CB: Reed, Ya Sin, Whiteside, Rakestraw, Abney, Dorsey, McCreary
- S: Clark, Maddox, Harper, Izien
- ST: Fox, Bates, Hatten
Practice Squad:
- Altmyer, Small, Meeks, Gordon, Kennedy, Martin, Niese, Cochran, Priestly
- West, Adams, Smith, Lucas, Hunter, Jackson, Strickland
Now, it looks like Izien is gonna be Nickel, so maybe you drop McCreary and add Jackson or Strickland to the Safety room? But when Branch is ready to go, whomever is the 53rd guy (one of the 11 DBs) is gonna get cut anyways.
So, what are we talking about?
I would not chance Luke on the waiver wire. That kid has a high ceiling…and yeah, I know it’s just practice.
Barring serious injury or a major performance collapse, Whiteside makes it. We know training camp fans short of a real meritocracy. Highly paid free agents and 1st, 2nd, 3rd-round draft picks don’t get cut. But DC has insisted for years that the Lions run a meritocracy.
For them to cut a $1 million player who, by all accounts, has been the best CB in camp after making the very best of limited opportunities last year…
Looks like Dan’s comments on Rakestraw worked. He knows how to pull those strings.