Why Detroit Lion Giovanni Manu’s first NFL game was so special
Detroit Lion Giovanni Manu played his first NFL game in August 2024. This game was special because it was a chance to make his parents proud.
The Detroit Lions officially trimmed their roster on Tuesday, with some surprises and some expected changes.
Here are four thoughts on what the Lions did on roster cut day:
UDFAs leave traces
The Lions have one of the best rosters in the NFL and should be competing for a Super Bowl spot this fall, but they still managed to keep three undrafted rookies on cut day.
Wide receiver Isaiah Williams was a clear choice given his performance this preseason. Williams led the Lions with 11 catches and 123 yards receiving and showed the best playmaking ability of any receiver in camp not named Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Hogan Hatten was able to secure the job as long snapper, beating out Scott Daly. His team had positioned itself in a position where it is not easy to displace the incumbent, but where they can certainly expect a good performance from an undrafted rookie.
And Loran Strickland has earned a job as backup safety after his impressive performances in training camp.
REPORT: Detroit Lions sign experienced wide receiver Tim Patrick to the practice squad
Strickland was the biggest surprise of the group, although he probably shouldn’t have been after Lions coach Dan Campbell brought his name up unprompted following last week’s win over the Kansas City Chiefs, saying he and Williams are the kind of players “you give them a chance and they find a way to make a play.”
Strickland’s path to the roster was undoubtedly made easier by Ifeatu Melifonwu’s injury history (Melifonwu is currently battling Achilles issues that could cost him time), but that wasn’t the only reason he made the team. He’s been making good shots all preseason and can help on special teams.
The Lions’ decision to retain three undrafted free agents is, more than anything, a reminder that they are an equal opportunity employer when it comes to talent. It doesn’t matter how the talent is acquired or where it was before, if it shows up in training camp, the Lions are ready to take a look at it in the regular season.
They have had at least one UDFA on their Week 1 roster every year since 2010, and their willingness to give those players a real chance to make the team undoubtedly helps them in signing players after the draft.
Depth perception
Campbell touted the depth of the Lions’ roster last week, and one example of how much stronger it is even than last year was Tuesday’s decision to release second-year cornerback Steven Gilmore.
The Lions kept Gilmore on their 53-man roster all of last season for developmental reasons, even though he barely played in games (three active games, two defensive snaps). They didn’t have that luxury this year, not after rebuilding their secondary in the offseason and not while contending for the Super Bowl.
Gilmore seemed like the underdog in the battle for the cornerback position all summer, so his departure was no surprise. He was seventh on the list behind four newcomers at the position (Carlton Davis III, Amik Robertson, Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.) and returning teammates Kindle Vildor and Khalil Dorsey, and he didn’t show the same level of playmaking ability he did last summer.
Still, it’s notable because the Lions kept Gilmore last year rather than another undrafted rookie cornerback, Starling Thomas V, who was on the waivers list and started seven games for the Arizona Cardinals last season.
I don’t know if Gilmore will come through waivers on Wednesday or if Thomas would even have a role in Detroit if the Lions had kept him last year. What I do know is that the secondary is better than it was last summer, and the same can be said about the roster as a whole.
Further moves planned
It’s obvious that the Lions are planning to make more moves with only 52 players on their roster, and one possibility was discussed late Tuesday when ESPN reported that the team plans to sign veteran receiver Tim Patrick to the practice squad.
Patrick has missed most of the last two seasons with the Denver Broncos due to injuries, but he brings size and a jump ball element to a receiver corps that lacks both in its current four-man formation. He should be on the 53-man roster shortly.
The Lions have also indicated to nose tackle Kyle Peko that they plan to bring him back once the dust settles on the roster moves. I don’t have an explanation yet as to why they didn’t keep Peko outright since they have an open roster spot, but that should become clear in the next 24 hours or so.
The Lions placed cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and defensive tackle Brodric Martin on the injured list on Tuesday and intend to bring both back during the season, and they hope to do the same with John Cominsky at some point.
This is a welcome new change from the NFL that allows teams to use a limited number of IR spots on roster cut day, rather than releasing a seasoned veteran and then bringing him back to keep an IR-listed player for 24 hours.
Limiting teams to two return-from-IR designations on cut day prevents abuse of the rule.
Surprise, surprise?
I was surprised the Lions kept Parker Hesse as their third tight end instead of James Mitchell, in part because Hesse is a player who does the dirty work and kept a low profile in training camp, and especially because Mitchell is a Brad Holmes draft pick.
Mitchell caught just 13 passes for 141 yards in his two seasons with the Lions. He was a better blocker than receiver, but he didn’t do much to stand out in camp.
The bigger surprise for me was that the Lions risked losing preseason sack leader Isaac Ukwu by placing him on waivers. I had Ukwu in my final prediction for the 53-man roster, and the Lions are only keeping nine offensive linemen because pass rushers are so hard to find.
Campbell said this week that Holmes has never been wrong when predicting which players the Lions can move to the practice squad on waiver day. We’ll find out on Wednesday if his record remains unblemished or if Ukwu is signed.
As for Michael Niese, it makes perfect sense that the Lions kept him as their 10th overall pick.th Offensive lineman. Niese has done well in many first-team appearances this summer and is a real asset due to his positional versatility. If the Lions had not retained him on Tuesday, he would definitely have been placed on the waivers list.
Detroit Lions 53-man roster, by position, with 1 open spot:
*Indicates beginners
quarterbacks (2): Jared Goff, Hendon Hooker.
Running back (4): Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, *Sione Vaki, Craig Reynolds.
Recipient (4): Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Caliph Raymond, *Isaiah Williams.
End of penalty area (3): Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, Parker Hesse.
Offensive Line (10): Penei Sewell, Kevin Zeitler, Frank Ragnow, Graham Glasgow, Taylor Decker, Dan Skipper, Colby Sorsdal, *Gio Manu, Kayode Awosika, Michael Niese.
Defensive line (9): Aidan Hutchinson, DJ Reader, Alim McNeil, Marcus Davenport, Levi Onwuzurike, Josh Paschal, *Mekhi Wingo, James Houston, John Cominsky.
Linebackers (6): Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Malcolm Rodriguez, Ben Niemann.
Defensive Backs (11): Carlton Davis, *Terrion Arnold, Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, Amik Robertson, *Ennis Rakestraw, Khalil Dorsey, Kindle Vildor, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Brandon Joseph, *Loren Strickland.
Special teams (3): Jack Fox (P), Jake Bates (K), Hogan Hatten (LS).
Injury reserve (2): Brodric Martin, Emmanuel Moseley.
Contact Dave Birkett at [email protected]. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
