The original 53-man roster for the 2024 Detroit Lions was announced on Tuesday.
The Lions revealed the official roster a bit after the 4 p.m. ET deadline, and the transactions the team reported reduced the roster to 52.
Now that the original roster is public, a few things stand out. GM Brad Holmes and his front-office staff, as well as head coach Dan Campbell and his staff, had some difficult and intriguing decisions.
Rolling with Hooker
For me, the biggest surprise on the Lions roster is Nate Sudfeld’s absence. Not that I thought Sudfeld should be on it, but the Lions were enamored with his seasoned presence and his dependability as Jared Goff’s top backup all offseason.
Hendon Hooker takes on that duty. The coaching staff is taking a chance on Hooker, who has largely excelled this summer but has had his fair share of struggles. Detroit’s decision to trust Hooker is sound, demonstrating that a younger potential and a greater ceiling outweigh a replacement-level veteran. Sudfeld, to his credit, was considerably better in the summer of 2024 than he was in 2023 prior to his injury, but he was not worth maintaining. Good on the Lions for seeing that as well.
Hooker may not be fully prepared to be the No. 2. I strongly support the Lions’ decision to remove the training wheels and ride with Hooker, for better or worse in the short term.
WR depth and size?
The Lions have struggled all offseason to identify more than three wide receivers deserving of a roster spot. At times, Daurice Fountain, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Antoine Green, and Kaden Davis all appeared to be vying for the No. 4 spot.
Neither of them made it. When you consider the overall performance, it’s difficult to claim that any of them should have. Dan Campbell constantly implored Peoples-Jones and Fountain to grab it, but they failed.
If the Lions claim anyone off waivers, I believe it will be a wide receiver of some size. That won’t be easy, since the Lions are now ranked 29th on the waiver wire, and anyone above them gets first dibs if they also claim the player.
Size matters. Kalif Raymond, the No. 3 wideout, is 5-8. Isaiah Williams, an undrafted rookie who made the squad as the fourth wide receiver, is 5-9. Number 2 wideout Jameson Williams is the tallest wideout, standing 6 feet 1 and weighing 180 pounds. Amon-Ra St. Brown weighs 202 pounds, and his stated 6-foot height was almost probably achieved in cleats.
The Lions have added former Broncos WR Tim Patrick to their practice squad, which could be a solution. Patrick is 6-4, but has not played since 2021 due to significant injuries.
The UDFAs
The inaugural 53-man roster included two position players and a specialist from the ranks of undrafted rookie free agents.
Illinois wide receiver Isaiah Williams stands out the most. The nifty playmaker earned it by being the most consistent receiving option. Williams is also expected to compete for the Lions’ return specialist position.
Hard-hitting safety Loren Strickland of Ball State is likely the most surprising inclusion among the initial 53. Strickland improved throughout the summer and performed well on special teams, beating out veteran CJ Moore.
Congratulations to long snapper Hogan Hatten, who knocked out veteran Scott Daly for the slot. Hatten’s exceptional athleticism earned him the job. It was on full show on Detroit’s opening punt of the preseason, when No. 49 was the first man in coverage down the field and made an excellent tackle. Hatten can also play LB in a pinch and during practice.
This is the 14th consecutive season that an undrafted rookie has made the Lions’ 53-man roster. Unfortunately, one of last year’s UDFA success stories, CB Steven Gilmore, did not make the cut for 2024.
No trades
The league saw a lot more trade action leading up to the 4 p.m. deadline on Tuesday. On either end of the trading scale, the Lions did not follow the trend.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes has been aggressive in pursuing players he believes may assist his team. It’ll be intriguing to see how much Holmes reveals about the roster-building process and whether any deals were considered. This question will be asked during Holmes’ press conference later this week.
Thin DL
following putting Brodric Martin on injured reserve, Detroit only maintained four defensive linemen. Veteran Kyle Peko was released unexpectedly following a strong summer in which he mostly played on the first-team defense alongside Alim McNeill.
DJ Reader’s comeback is a good boost, but he missed the entire offseason. Not having another real nose tackle on the roster, even temporarily, is an intriguing decision.