The Lions are ready to put their starters on the field. With roster spots on the line, Saturday’s matchup against Washington could be a major audition for Detroit’s young players.
The Detroit Lions are 0-1 to start the preseason after falling to the Cincinnati Bengals last week. However, Detroit did not play any of its starters in that game, and that could change this week against the Washington Commanders.
Head coach Dan Campbell has already stated that a good amount of starters will play some snaps Saturday, although he has not revealed exactly which players will be on the field.
Washington took a similar approach in its preseason opener, choosing not to play its true starters. The Commanders did suffer a significant injury to backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, while it remains unclear whether starting quarterback Jayden Daniels will see any action against Detroit.
If Daniels does not play, the Lions could find themselves facing Washington’s third-, fourth- or even fifth-string quarterback options.
The Commanders relied heavily on the run in their first preseason game, recording 41 rushing attempts for 174 yards and two touchdowns. If Washington continues that approach, it should give Detroit an excellent opportunity to see how its new 4-2-5 defensive system handles a heavy rushing attack.
Washington picked up its first preseason victory by defeating the Miami Dolphins 20-7.
After a standout performance from rookie Ahmed Hassanein, I would expect him to receive even more opportunities against Washington. More snaps could give the Lions an even better look at what the second year player can bring to the defense.
Detroit currently sits as a 4.5-point favorite over Washington, which could indicate that the Lions are expected to play more starters while the Commanders continue to rest some of their key players.
If I had to guess, I would expect Jared Goff, Jack Campbell, Tyleik Williams and Tate Ratledge to see the field, along with several other starters.
However, I don’t expect players such as Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams or Aidan Hutchinson to play.
Gibbs is coming off a massive contract extension, while Williams is dealing with a minor shoulder injury. Hutchinson is one of the most important players on Detroit’s roster, making it difficult to justify exposing him to unnecessary preseason injury risk.
This will be Detroit’s only home game of the preseason and will take place at Ford Field on Saturday at noon.
The Lions will close out the preseason on the road against the Indianapolis Colts the following Saturday, Aug. 29, at 1 p.m. Once that game is over, Detroit will have to trim its roster down to the final 53 players.
That roster battle is already underway, and Campbell made it clear Sunday that players know exactly where they stand in the coaching staff’s eyes, including what they need to do to make the team.
“I want to make sure players know, ‘You’re not in right now. You may think you’re in, but you’re not,’” Campbell said. “You may not like it, but you can respect it.”
Campbell explained that he believes being honest with players is the fairest approach. It’s what he would want to know if he were still a player, so that’s how he handles things as a coach.
“The cream rises,” Campbell said.
Personally, I really like Campbell’s approach. He’s being upfront and honest with his players while giving them a final opportunity to build their résumé, prove they belong on this team and show the coaching staff just how badly they want it.
For players fighting for a roster spot, these preseason games are about more than simply getting on the field. They’re an opportunity to change the coaching staff’s perception of them and Saturday could be a major opportunity for several Lions players to do exactly that.
