| 03 September 2009
This week Reverend Spielman of The Church of Schwartz asked the Lions Congregation roundtable one simple question. Predict the Detroit Lions 53 man roster. So I dug up the latest Lions preseason roster, broke out the TWFE Magic 8-ball, my favorite flipping coin, a well used and abused dartboard, and went to work.
I'll did my best, but the team we see now should look different (especially on defense) once the rest of the NFL starts trimming rosters. The Lions have the first choice on whomever hits the waiver wire, and I expect them to make use of that advantage, dubious as it may be, to go fishing for better talent...any talent.
Quarterback: Daunte Culpper, Matthew Stafford, Drew Stanton, Kevin O'Connell.
Culepper starts, O'Connell stays on the roster for a couple of games till Stanton is healthy enough to return, then the Lions will stick him on the practice squad if they can sneak him through waivers.
Running back: Kevin Smith, Maurice Morris, Aaron Brown.
Smith is the obvious starter. We can FINALLY say goodbye to Aveion Cason...till someone gets hurt, anyway.
Fullback: Jerome Felton, Terrelle Smith.
The simplest position on the roster to predict. Both FB's nake the team, Felton gets the beginning starting nod.
Wide receiver: Calvin Johnson, Bryant Johnson, Dennis Northcutt, Derrick Williams, Dane Looker.
The only question was who would get the 5th receiver position between Looker, Keary Colbert and John Standeford. Looker won the coin toss...and took the wind.
Tight end: Brandon Pettigrew, Will Heller, Dan Gronkowski.
This is another position where the only competition was for the 3rd TE on the roster, between Casey FitzSimmons, Dan Gronkowski, and Carson Butler. I think it'll be Gronkowski, as the Lions know they can't slip him through waivers, and to the practice squad, thanks to his solid preseason.
Offensive tackle: Jeff Backus, Gosder Churilus, Jon Jansen, Ephraim Salaam.
The starting tackles, Backus and Churilus, just aren't good enough to depend upon. Meaning Jansen and Salaam both make the final roster.
Offensive guard: Daniel Loper, Stephen Peterman, Manny Ramirez.
Loper and Peterman start, Manny is just being Manny as the backup.
Center: Dominic Raiola.
The Lions figure they can shift someone like Jansen over if Raiola goes down.
Defensive tackle: Grady Jackson, Shaun Smith, Chuck Darby, Andre Fluellen, Sammie Lee Hill.
With a possible suspension hanging over Jackson's head, the Lions keep Darby for the time being. Smith needs to step it up, but the talent is so thin at tackle, he becomes a starter by default, though I'm still laughing over Smith being called the Lions' "Most indispensable" player by SI. It's going to be ugly in the middle, and a cakewalk for opposition running games.
Defensive end: Cliff Avril, Dewayne White, Jason Hunter, Sean Conover.
Ikaika Alama-Francis doesn't deserve to make the team. Period. The flushing out of Millen draft picks continues. Avril and White start, and I expect the Lions to sift through the cut detritus to try and find capable defensive lineman at any position.
Linebacker: Larry Foote, Julian Peterson, Ernie Sims, Jordon Dizon, DeAndre Levy, Zach Follett.
Foote in the middle, Sims and Peterson on the outside. Dizon and Levy as backups. Follett is going to damn near kill someone on special teams this year. He's out for blood...
Cornerback: Anthony Henry, Phillip Buchanan, Will James, Chris Roberson, Eric King, Cletis the slack-jawed cornerback Gordon.
See ya former Mr. Irrelevant, Ramzee Robinson. We'll always have 0-16. It's going to be a long season with this bunch as your main pass defenders. Waiver wire pickups await a phone call from the 313..
Safety: Louis Delmas, Marquand Manuel, Kalvin Pearson, Stuart Schweigert.
Delmas is a keeper. For the rest, you can flip a damn coin as to who starts, who is a backup, and who gets cut. Not an impressive group, meaning it could very well change before September 13th.
Special teams: Jason Hanson, Nick Harris, Don Mulhbach.
One of the best threesomes in the NFL. They are too good for this lousy franchise.
To see whom the rest of the Lions Congregation believe will make up the 53 man roster, you know where to go. The Church of Schwartz.
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