SI Lions Roundtable: Impact of Lions' Roster Cuts
1.) What is your reaction to the Lions' six roster cuts?
Vito Chirco: Not hugely shocking. The only player I found mildly surprising was wide receiver Travis Fulgham. I thought he could maybe contribute to the 53-man roster in 2020.
But, at the end of the day, the Lions had to take a hard look at their receivers room. And I think when they did, they realized that there was no room for Fulgham.
Logan Lamorandier: Makes sense that they wanted to go down to the 80-man roster, so they don't have to be a split-squad.
My biggest takeaway was cutting two more wide receivers after Geronimo Allison opted out. What looked like a real strong camp battle for the final wideout spot just got a whole lot lighter.
2.) Will any of the players cut make the Lions regret their decision?
Chirco: The only player I see capable of doing that is the 24-year-old Fulgham. However, he played in just three games a year ago, after being selected in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. And once again, he was deemed expendable due to Detroit's crowded receivers room.
Lamorandier: No. All of the players who were cut were guys I didn't see making the final roster anyway. It is interesting that they at least didn't try to retain Travis Fulgham for the practice squad, though.
3.) Another NFL rule is being altered as a result of a gaffe involving the Lions. Do you think the changes regarding COVID-19 testing are heading in the right direction?
Chirco: I do believe that Matthew Stafford's false-positive will help the league move in a positive direction regarding its COVID-19 testing.
The latest update is that players who test positive and are asymptomatic are required to undergo two confirmatory nasal tests the next day.
If both tests are negative, the player is then not considered to be COVID-19 positive and is able to resume all normal activity, including having access to his team's practice facility.
Perhaps there will still be false-positive results moving forward. However, I expect the amount of them to be significantly reduced due to the new measures in place.
Lamorandier: Yes. I like how the NFL is fine-tuning its protocol as it moves along with training camp. Considering it's a fluid situation, the NFL has to be able to roll with the punches. The league identified a potential issue, and did its best to come up with a solution. That's all you can really ask for at this time.
4.) Kenny Golladay, Matthew Stafford and T.J. Hockenson have all been taken off the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of practice beginning. What does this mean?
Chirco: The Lions should take it as a huge win. All three players are vital to how well the team will perform in 2020. And all three, as with all players, could use their practice reps. This is especially the case with Hockenson, who is just entering his second year in the league.
Now, the hope is that each of them is able to remain healthy for the entirety of the season. Detroit's playoff hopes -- which already are not extremely high -- depend on it.
Lamorandier: It's a good sign. The Lions only have one player left on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and hopefully, it stays that way. If not, it's going to be a tough, long season.
5.) What was your biggest takeaway form the coordinators' media sessions Saturday?
Chirco: I think it was hearing the expectations that Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has for Kenny Golladay to take the next step in his career.
He wants Golladay to start being the type of receiver that can make catches even when defenses know that the ball's going to him -- like the Cardinals' DeAndre Hopkins and the Saints' Michael Thomas.
If Golladay is able to make that career jump, he'd undoubtedly become an even more dominant wideout.
Lamorandier: Defensive coordinator Cory Undlin really seems to like his linebackers and their versatility. Of course, he isn't going to say anything negative about them. But, hopefully, he knows how to use them to their full potential.
6.) Did Jim Caldwell's appearance on Glover Quin's YouTube show "The DB Room" make you change your mind about Detroit moving on from him?
Chirco: No. What his appearance did for me really was reaffirm the fact that he's a good man and was beloved by his players. But, it still doesn't erase the fact that he was a poor in-game manager and cost the team some games with his erroneous decisions.
Detroit general manager Bob Quinn had all the right in the world to move on from him. It just appears that he tabbed the wrong man to replace him in Matt Patricia.
Lamorandier: Not one bit. It was time for a change at that point. The Lions needing to fire Caldwell and Patricia probably not being the right coach can still both be true.
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