After two intense joint practices this week, to put it mildly, the Detroit Lions and the New York Giants will have their preseason opener on Thursday night. It’s unlikely the fisticuffs that happened on Monday and a little bit on Tuesday carry into the game at all, with the fines the teams were given in mind, but it also can’t be completely ruled out.
Jared Goff was prominently named by head coach Dan Campbell, but the Lions’ starters will see little or no action on Thursday night. Other key players who are locked into roster spots won’t be exposed to injury risk. So players competing for something will get plenty of run, and opportunity.
5. K Jake Bates
Bates’ struggles in camp late last week seemed sure to push the Lions toward adding a kicker before the joint practices and the preseason opener against the Giants. But that did not happen, leaving Bates with a clear chance to establish himself as the guy who should be the Lions’ kicker.
Colton Pouncy of The Athletic tallied Bates’ work during Tuesday’s joint practice.
Jake Bates at joint practice:
6/9 overall
Makes: 34, 37, 41, 44, 50, 53.
Misses: 46, 50, 50.— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) August 6, 2024
Right after Michael Badgley’s season-ending injury, the Lions had four kickers in for a workout as Campbell said there was no hurry to sign someone. The runway Bates has been given to seize the job with no competition probably ends on Thursday night if he struggles, and it’s fair to assume he’ll get multiple field goal opportunities to show himself.
4. WR Kade Davis
3. WR Daurice Fountain
Doubling up here with two candidates to win a spot on the Lions’ wide receiver depth chart. Fountain has been an early star of Lions’ training camp, as he makes a push for a roster spot after spending last year on the Lions’ practice squad.
But Davis should not be overlooked. He parlayed an invite to Lions’ rookie minicamp into being signed to the 90-man roster, and he stood out during OTAs and minicamp. He has been getting some run with the No. 1 offense
During Tuesday’s joint practice against the Giants, Davis had a 50-yard touchdown catch from Jared Goff.
— Justin Rogers | Detroit Football Network (@Justin_Rogers) August 6, 2024
Davis had another touchdown on Tuesday, as captured in the team’s Twitter post with highlights from the day.
🎥 from Day 2 of joint practice! pic.twitter.com/Ey70dinlHD
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 6, 2024
Davis played for the Michigan Panthers in the USFL, working as a return man with the new kickoff format in the NFL. Special teams is a path for him to make the Lions’ 53-man roster, but barring a notable addition Davis also has a path to a prominent role on the receiver depth chart.
It’s clear the Lions’ coaching staff needs to see more from the competition to be the No. 3 wide receiver, with Donovan Peoples-Jones appearing to fade to the point he’s more likely to be cut than make the roster at this point. Opportunity will knock a little louder in a game setting Thursday, so we’ll see if Fountain and/or Davis seizes it.
2. Nate Sudfeld
1. Hendon Hooker
With Jared Goff not playing in the preseason opener, as expected, the battle for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart takes center stage. Which of Sudfeld or Hooker will start against the Giants has not been announced, but it’s truly a novelty distinction that will make little or no difference. Both have worked with the second and third-team offenses equally to this point.
If it had to be decided today, Sudfeld would likely be starting the season as Goff’s primary backup. That should be viewed as a problem by the Lions, and one they need Hooker to start asserting himself to fix. If he can’t do it, then that’s a whole other thing as other backup quarterback options may have to come into play. Sudfeld being one snap from having to play if Goff goes down is something no one should one should want.
The Lions’ backup quarterback battle is at a potential turning point (yes, already). If Hooker plays well against the Giants, even with the caveat of it being against backups and guys who may not make their roster, the situation will take a roundly positive turn. If Sudfeld plays well and Hooker doesn’t….well, we’ve addressed the issue there. If they both play poorly, there may have to be some actual emphasis placed on finding a more capable backup for Goff.
