This is the second roster prediction I’ve done and there will be some changes from the first one. This won’t contain detailed position and player breakdowns, unless it’s a new player that wasn’t mentioned in my first prediction. If you want to see that, you can find it here:

https://westcoastlion.com/2025/07/25/hello-world/

There’s a few things to consider when making these cuts,

1: The Lions aren’t strangers to putting rookies and UDFA on this roster, especially in high positions.

2: GM Brad Holmes has stated multiple times that, while they have players they like that are in that development stage, there may not be room for them on this roster without significant growth.

3. The waiver wire system, which will help in deciding how to handle a few veterans that they want to keep on the roster. The rules are as follows:

Players with less than four accrued NFL seasons are subject to waivers if they are cut. An accrued season is generally defined as being on a team’s 53-man roster (or Injured Reserve, or PUP List) for at least six regular-season games. If a team cuts such a player, they are placed on the waiver wire, making them available to be claimed by other teams in a specific order. If claimed, the player’s existing contract is assumed by the claiming team. If they go unclaimed after a certain period (24 hours during the season, but shortened for the final cutdown to Noon on the following day), they become free agents.
Players with four or more accrued NFL seasons (vested veterans) are generally not subject to waivers when cut before the trade deadline. Instead, they are released and become immediate free agents, free to sign with any team.
Important exception: After the NFL trade deadline and through the end of the regular season, all players, regardless of their veteran status (vested or non-vested), are subject to waivers when cut.

I don’t think there’s much that can be done to change anyone’s chances in this last preseason game so let’s dive into who’s in and who’s out.

QB – 2

In:

Jared Goff, Kyle Allen

Out:

Hendon Hooker

Not really surprising here. Hooker is a guy who was drafted with the idea having having him develop and potentially be the guy to take over, even at 25 (when he was drafted). But, he’s regressed and Allen has outplayed him. Allen has earned the #2 job.

RB – 3

In:

Jahmyr Gibbs

David Montgomery

Sione Vaki

Out: Craig Reynolds, Jacob Saylors, Deon Jackson

I believe that Reynolds follows the same path as last year, he’ll be brought back quickly after the final cuts after the Lions figure out what to do with certain players and their IR designations.

WR – 7

In:

Amon-Ra St Brown

Jameson Williams

Tim Patrick

Isaac TeSlaa

Kalif Raymond

Jackson Meeks

Dominic Lovett

Out:

Tom Kennedy

Ronnie Bell

Jakobie Keeney-James

Malik Taylor

For now, the Lions roll with 7 WRs. They spent a draft pick (a 7th) on Lovett, albeit it was a late pick, they still won’t want to essentially waste that pick with a bad team claiming him. Meeks has outplayed Lovett and much like Isiah Williams last year, earned a spot. And just like Williams last year, Meeks hitting waivers is a big risk to get claimed if he hits waivers. It may seem crazy but I think the Lions see enough to where they can’t risk it.

TE – 3

IN:

Sam LaPorta

Brock Wright

Shane Zylstra

OUT:

Gunner Oakes

Zach Horton

Steven Stilianos

OL – 10

In:

Taylor Decker

Christian Mahogany

Graham Glasgow

Tate Ratledge

Penei Sewell

Dan Skipper

Jamarco Jones

Giovanni Manu

Michael Niese

Kayode Awosika

Out:

Trystan Colon

Mason Miller

Netane Muti

Gunner Britton

Kingsley Eguakun 

Zack Johnson

The only real decision here was whether or not Gunner Britton makes it. I was high on Miller but he isn’t ready yet and I’m not sure if he even makes it to the PS. Neise can play center and made the team last year for that reason. Colon was a tough call because he can be a valuable depth piece on the IOL but he has been nursing an injury.

DL – 10

In:

Aidan Hutchinson

Al-Quadin Muhammad

Marcus Davenport

Nate Lynn

Ahmed Hassanein (Will be placed on IR to return later, O’Conner will take this spot)

Tyleik Williams

DJ Reader

Mekhi Wingo

Roy Lopez

Keith Cooper Jr

Out:

Pat O’Conner

Chris Smith

Brodric Martin

Myles Adams

Issac Ukwu

Mitchell Agude

Pat O’Conner, just like last year, is a cut to be brought back asap. Similar to Craig Reynolds, both are vets that aren’t subject to getting claimed. The only risk is another team trying to lure them away but the Lions aren’t a team that players are trying to leave. Hassanein, I think is headed to IR once preseason is over so they can use the roster spot and then bring him back without losing him for the year.

LB – 6

In:

Jack Campbell

Alex Anzalone

Derek Barnes

Zach Cunningham

Trevor Nowaske

Grant Stuard

Out:

DaRon Gilbert

Anthony Pittman

Ezekiel Turner

The Lions like Turner and Pittman, both can play special teams but also don’t offer as much on defense as others. Also, Cunningham has had a great camp and if he is cut may be tempted to take or bigger role elsewhere if offered.

CB – 6

In:

DJ Reed

Terrion Arnold

Amik Robertson

Rock Ya-Sin

Avonte Maddox

Khalil Dorsey

Out:

Nick Whiteside

Luq Barcoo

Allan George

DJ Miller

Tyson Russell

Keeping 7 CBs was a real possibility with Whiteside playing well enough to make the team but the addition of Dorsey made him expendable, the Lions like and trust Dorsey. Maddox has been playing both CB and S so his versatility is a big plus. Rock Ya-Sin has been a pleasent surprise this preseason and training camp. Dorsey was just activated and will see time on special teams.

S – 3

In:

Kerby Joseph

Brian Branch

Loren Strickland

Out:

Eric Hallett

Morice Norris (I think he’ll be placed in IR at the start of the year to be brought back later potentially)

Ian Kennelly

It was a toss up here between Strickland and Hallett. The Lions like Strickland and he did make the initial roster last year as an UDFA. Hallett has been playing pretty decent and makes a case to stick around, but with the roster tightening up, Hallet for now is the odd man out especially when Maddox and can play saftey as well.

Specialists – 3

In:

Jake Bates

Jack Fox

Hogan Hatten

Out:

None

INJURED –

NFI (Active/Non-Football Injury)

Josh Paschal

Paschal is going to end up missing at least 4 games to start the season and it will be interesting to see who goes when he is ready to come back. My guess would be O’Conner (who will end up taking Hassanein’s spot, then will go back to the PS)

PUP (Active/Physically Unable to Perform)

Alim McNeil

Malcolm Rodriguez

Miles Frazier

All three players here will be back at some point and it’s a no brainer.

The PUP reserve has a very narrow use. It applies to players who started training camp on the active PUP list and never were cleared to practice at any point.

The active PUP list is for players who suffered an on-the-job injury (resulting from a game, practice or training while at team facilities) prior to the first practice of training camp. They count against the offseason 90-man roster (or 91 when a team has a player with an international exemption), but are ineligible to practice. Once they pass their physical, they can be activated and practice with the team. Players cannot be placed back on that list once they practice. PUP is not for that.

When teams cut their rosters down to 53 players, they must decide on players on the active PUP list. They must activate them, which will occupy one of the 53 roster spots, or move them to the PUP reserve. In that case, they will not count against the 53-man roster, but they are ineligible to play for at least the first four games of the season.

After four weeks, teams have five weeks to have those players return to practice, which opens a 21-day window during which they must be activated to the 53-man roster or end up on the PUP reserve for the rest of the season. If the three-week window is not opened in the five weeks after Week 4, those players miss the rest of the season.

There is no limit to the number of players a team can have on PUP because the scope of eligibility is so limited to begin with. As such, these players can return and not count against the designations

Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform

Levi Onwuzurike

He is done for 2025 and most likely in Detroit. He can not return even for the playoffs with his designation.

IR (Injured Reserve)

Dicaprio Bootle

Justin Herron

Dan Jackson

Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

Keaton Sutherland

Colby Sorsdal

Kenny Yeboah

A player who is injured during training camp is eligible for injured reserve.

Up until recently, if a player were placed on injured reserve before spending at least a day on the active 53-man roster, his season was over. That has since changed slightly.

Teams can place up to two players on injured reserve and designate them to return without being on the 53-man roster. Those players must miss at least the first four games of the season and then can return to practice, opening a 21-day window in which they must activate him to the 53-man roster or put him back on IR.

If a player is on the 53-man roster and then lands on injured reserve, a team has eight times it can designate a player to return, open a three-week practice window to eventually be reinstated to the roster. A player can be designated to return twice in a season, should get injured again or have a setback in his return, but the second designation counts as one of the eight total.

I think the main one to watch here is Rakestraw. If he seems to recover quickly, they may want to activate him towards the end of the year. Dan Jackson could also be one to watch, but Campbells comments on his injury didn’t sound promising.

Yeboah is another one to watch for.

Practice Squad –

Roster Size and Eligibility:

• Standard Size: 16 players.
• International Player Exception: Teams can have a 17th player if they are part of the NFL’s International Pathway Program.
• Eligibility: Players with no accrued seasons or fewer than nine games played in their only accrued season are eligible.
• Veteran Limits:Teams can have up to six players with unlimited accrued seasons on the practice squad, but the total number of players with more than two accrued seasons cannot exceed 10.
• Accrued Season: A player earns an accrued season if they are on the 53-man roster, injured reserve, or PUP list for at least six regular season games, according to Ravens Wire. 

Game Day Activation:

• Standard Elevation: Teams can elevate up to two practice squad players to the active roster for game day without needing to make a corresponding roster move. 
• Frequency: Players can be elevated a maximum of three times per season. 
• Fourth Elevation: If a player is elevated for a fourth game, they must be signed to the 53-man roster. 
• No Waivers Required: When a player is elevated for a game, they automatically revert to the practice squad after the game.
• Free Agency: Practice squad players are free to sign with any NFL team, but they must be signed to the 53-man roster. 
• No Lateral Moves: A team cannot sign a player from another team’s practice squad and immediately place them on their own practice squad. 
• Waivers: If a player is released from a practice squad, they must clear waivers before being eligible to be re-signed to another team’s practice squad

This list is based only on the possibility that each player (if eligible) clears waivers.

QB Hendon Hooker

RB Jacoby Saylors

WR Tom Kennedy

TE Zach Horton

TE Gunner Oakes

OL Trystan Colon

OL Gunner Britton

OL Kingsley Eguakun 

DL Chris Smith

DL Brodric Martin

DL Myles Adams

DL Issac Ukwu

DL Mitchell Agude

LB Ezekiel Turner

DB Nick Whiteside

DB Eric Hallett