Grading the 2026 Detroit Lions initial 53-man roster

It took some time, but the Detroit Lions eventually established their initial 53-man roster—and yes, they could count to 53 this year!

Amid a flurry of unexpected roster moves, the Lions are now poised for their Week 1 tilt versus the New Orleans Saints on September 13. Detroit will have two weeks to ramp up their roster, make tweaks to the game plan, and try to put their best foot forward. There is plenty of hope but an equal amount of doubt. Is this the roster that can win the NFC North, the NFC, and the Super Bowl?

Let’s grade the 53-man roster that Detroit has put together.

Quarterbacks (2)

Starter: Jared Goff

Depth: Joshua Dobbs

I do not think there will ever be a consensus on how good Goff is compared to his peers, but here in Detroit, we are fortunate to have him leading the offense. He won’t wow you with athleticism, but he is as steady as them come—you know what you are getting from Goff. He can air it out when needed or take what is given to him. With a rekindled offensive scheme, perhaps this is the year that he garners league-wide respect for his play.

As for the backup spot, the Lions are rolling with just one quarterback. Luke Altmyer had a competitive preseason and impressed considering his undrafted status. However, once Dobbs got settled in, he quickly took control of the quarterback competition. He has the football IQ to be an asset in the film room, the experience to be a worthwhile substitute if called upon, and the athletic ability to do damage through the air or on the ground. Considering the Lions signed Dobbs just days before the first preseason game, I feel pretty satisfied with him as a backup.

Grade: A

Running backs (5)

Starter: Jahmyr Gibbs

Depth: Isiah Pacheco, Sione Vaki, Jacob Saylors, Jabari Small

We all know who Gibbs is at this point: one of the most electric players in the NFL. The biggest question is surrounding his supporting cast. How large of a role will Gibbs fill in this offense, and when he needs time off, who will step in—and how well?

Pacheco should be the top reserve behind Gibbs, but he has rarely been healthy in training camp. That leaves three unknowns to fill in. Vaki is unproven as a running back, and he is more so a special teams ace at this point in his career. Saylors was downright dominant in preseason, but his resume is miniscule—is he ready to take RB2 duties? As for Small, him making the 53-man roster was a shock to begin with, as he has gotten injured nearly every week. I think there is some upside with the depth, but as a whole, it is a step down from David Montgomery. Gibbs really elevates this group.

Grade: B+

Wide receivers (4)

Starters: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa

Depth: Tay Martin

The release of Greg Dortch is downright stunning. A player that seemingly had a lock on the WR4 role now hits free agency. That leaves the Lions with St. Brown and Williams, arguably the league’s best receiving duo, atop the depth chart. A lot is to be expected of Isaac TeSlaa going forward—not only is he the WR3 in a potent offense, he is the unchallenged WR3. TeSlaa has had a poor training camp and preseason, so the Lions are really betting on him rising to the occasion.

As for Martin, he is somewhat of an unknown factor. He likely made this team for his special teams ability, but can he be relied upon to be WR4? While his stock skyrocketed in camp and preseason, he still only finished with six catches for 46 yards and a touchdown—this doesn’t scream instant contributor. I am fairly concerned about the receiver depth, and I would be surprised if it is not addressed in the near future. Yet much like at running back, the starters do a lot of the heavy lifting for this grade. Also… who will return punts?

Grade: B-

Tight ends (3)

Starter: Sam LaPorta

Depth: Brock Wright, Jackson Meeks

The answer for who will be WR4 is likely in the tight end group. LaPorta will obviously be an important part going forward, likely third in the receiving pecking order. LaPorta has battled injuries but is still an elite player when healthy, contributing both as a receiver and a blocker. Expect him to see the field often.

As for the depth, the Lions surprisingly released Tyler Conklin, leaving just Wright and Meeks on the roster. Wright is a steady reserve, but there was some hope that Conklin would have been an upgrade over him at TE2. Instead, the Lions opted to keep Meeks, the former wide receiver. Meeks has obvious upside as a receiving threat, but his inline ability is still a project. If he is active on game days, the Lions will likely try to use him in passing situations, but I am still skeptical of how well they can run 13 personnel with this trio. Re-signing Conklin to the practice squad would ease some of my worries, but it is nonetheless a group that I wish I had more faith in.

Grade: B-

Offensive linemen (9)

Starters: Penei Sewell, Christian Mahogany, Tate Ratledge, Blake Miller, Juice Scruggs

Depth: Larry Borom, Ben Bartch, Miles Frazier, Seth McLaughlin

IR: Cade Mays

NFI: Giovanni Manu

This unit will obviously miss Mays during their first four games, but I am actually cautiously optimistic—normally a rarity when it comes to offensive line depth. Sewell is obviously an All-Pro talent, but I think Ratledge and Miller have a chance to shine over on the right side of the line. Scruggs slots in at center in the meantime, and while he is a below-average starter, that still makes him an above-average backup in the NFL—the Lions could do far worse than him. The biggest question mark is Mahogany, but I am still a believer in his potential.

Is this the best offensive line depth that the Lions have had in a decade? Borom is a high-end swing tackle that could reasonably start on a few teams around the league. Bartch has battled injuries, but could also be a starting-caliber player when healthy. As for Frazier and McLaughlin, the Lions have themselves two high-upside reserves. We will see if McLaughlin sticks around when Mays comes back.

Grade: A

Defensive tackles (5)

Starters: Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams

Depth: Levi Onwuzurike, Skyler Gill-Howard, Mekhi Wingo

McNeill has looked dominant in camp, now over a year removed from his ACL tear. Tyleik Williams looks primed for a big Year 2 jump and has impressed in camp, but he is still classified as an unknown commodity. I am hopeful but cautious. If these two play to their ceilings, it could be a very formidable interior, both in terms of run defense and shrinking the pocket.

As for the depth, there was some nervousness regarding Onwuzurike’s roster spot, but the former second rounder stayed aboard the 53. Perhaps most interestingly is that of their depth tackles, all of them are undersized with pass rushing prowess. Gill-Howard turned himself in a roster lock with an outstanding preseason. His play largely overshadowed Wingo given their similar skill sets, but the Lions still kept Wingo on the team as well. Ideally, it would be nice if Detroit had another nose tackle, but they do benefit from both McNeill and Williams being capable at that spot. Plus, Chris Smith is a likely candidate for the practice squad as insurance.

Grade: B+

Edge defenders (6)

Starters: Aidan Hutchinson, DJ Wonnum, Tyler Lacy

Depth: Derrick Moore, Ahmed Hassanein, Eric O’Neill

Pass rush was a problem for the Lions in 2025, and they have seemingly revamped the group in just one offseason. Hutchinson is among the league’s best and needs little discussion, but Wonnum should not be forgotten about. He has a chance to be an reliable rotation piece for the Lions. Sprinkle in Moore coming off the edge, and the Lions have some guys capable of crushing the pocket. Add in Lacy at big end, and they aren’t too bad at run defense either.

The top four of this group were a given from the start of camp, with Hassanein solidifying his spot soon after. However, the big surprise of the group is O’Neill making the team as an undrafted rookie. The Lions clearly liked him enough to keep him on the 53, but he still faces an uphill challenge to be active and involved on game day. This group does not have another elite pass rusher after Hutchinson, but I like their ability to make up for it with a few different players.

Grade: A-

Linebackers (6)

Starters: Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes

Depth: Malcolm Rodriguez, Jimmy Rolder, Trevor Nowaske, Devin White

Like many other position groups, the linebacker group is elevated by an All-Pro but surrounded by question marks. Campbell is the leader of the defense and is eyeing a repeat of his phenomenal 2025 campaign. However, Barnes needs to rebound after a tough season. While the Lions are likely to lean more on nickel sets, expect their third linebacker to still get some mileage—though it remains unclear if that will be Rodriguez or White.

Rolder is the wild card of this group, as his injury timeline is still unclear. The team clearly felt confident enough to keep him off the Injured Reserve, but as a rookie with limited practice time, he is unlikely to factor into the early season.

Grade: B

Cornerbacks (7)

Starters: D.J. Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, Christian Izien

Depth: Roger McCreary, Ennis Rakestraw, Keith Abney, Khalil Dorsey

I am still surprised at the release of Nick Whiteside, a player that I think had a case as the top backup at outside corner. Instead, the Lions will roll with Reed and Ya-Sin on the outside and some combination of Izien and Abney in the slot, health pending on the former. The group is rounded out by McCreary, who had a quiet preseason but has ample starting experience under his belt, and Rakestraw, who had an up and down camp but still has untapped potential. Dorsey is primarily a special teamer but can step into a defensive role in a pinch.

The depth is decent for the Lions, and I particularly like Abney’s upside, but you have to look at the starting duo of Reed and Ya-Sin and be concerned. Both players had some positive moments in 2025, but can they really be relied upon to lock down the best receivers in the world for 17 games? I am some serious doubts. By midseason, I think we will be eyeing trade candidates.

Grade: C

Safeties (3)

Starters: Unclear

Depth: Thomas Harper, Avonte Maddox, Chuck Clark

PUP: Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph

Speaking of doubts, what will the Lions do at safety across their first four games? Without Branch and Joseph, the Lions have three safeties on the roster (four if you include Izien), but this is a perilous position. Both Harper and Maddox are nursing injuries (and Izien as well), leaving Clark as the lone healthy member of this group.

If the Lions had Branch and Joseph playing at their peak and everyone was healthy, this would be an excellent depth chart, arguably an A+ in my books—Harper, Maddox, and Clark make for great depth safeties. That is sadly not the case, and it is not even guaranteed how well Branch and Joseph will play upon their return. I fully expect the Lions to be active on the waiver wire or free agency in the coming days.

Grade: C-

Specialists (3)

Starters: Jake Bates, Jack Fox, Hogan Hatten

Nothing changes with this group, but after missing two extra points in the preseason finale, eyes are on Bates to lock in for the regular season. If his struggles persist, the Lions might start shopping for competition—if they haven’t already.

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