Biggest Questions After Trimming Detroit Lions 2026 Roster to 53

The Detroit Lions have officially cut down their roster to 53 players. However, that doesn’t mean all of the questions surrounding Dan Campbell’s squad have been answered quite yet.

In fact, multiple major concerns remain as the Lions get ready for their regular season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

With that said, here are the biggest questions facing Detroit’s current 53-man roster.

Who is the returner?

It's a big question after the Lions cut ties with receiver Greg Dortch, who was quickly added to the Bills’ 53-man roster. At one point, Dortch was viewed as a shoe-in to be Detroit's No. 4 receiver and punt returner to start the season.

In his absence, I wouldn't be surprised to see Lions fan favorite Tom Kennedy, currently a member of the team's practice squad, get the first stab at returning punts. Meanwhile, I believe that running backs Jacob Saylors and Jabari Small will be in the mix to return kicks.

Presently, I'm concerned that Brad Holmes & Co. made a mistake cutting Dortch, and will miss his presence in the return game.

Are Lions a WR short?

I believe so. The Lions kept only four wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa and Tay Martin. And it can't be disregarded that TeSlaa had a highly underwhelming preseason while Martin has suited up for just seven career games since making his NFL debut in 2022.

Subsequently, I do believe that Detroit could encounter some issues at receiver after St. Brown and Williams. Yet, I don't believe it will deter offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's unit from being a prolific unit in 2026.

Is the secondary a weakness?

I believe it will be. The Lions have glaring holes at both outside and nickel corner, as well as safety. And in my opinion, general manager Brad Holmes is to blame for this.

Holmes and the front office didn't do enough to address the cornerback position after Terrion Arnold was released in June. Plus, they never prioritized having a reliable fallback option for injured safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.

To me, this could come back to haunt the Lions in a big way this season, jeopardizing the team's chances of making the playoffs.

Who is the Lions No. 2 RB?

I'm worried that Dan Campbell's squad does not possess a capable No. 2 running back, now that Isiah Pacheco is injured to start the season.

While Jacob Saylors certainly had a strong preseason, I don't believe he's good enough to be the No. 2 back on a playoff contender like the Lions. So, my fear is that Detroit is going to run Jahmyr Gibbs into the ground, limiting his effectiveness and productivity as the season progresses.

When will Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph return?

Branch (Achilles) and Joseph (knee) will both start the season on the PUP list, meaning they'll have to miss a minimum of the Lions’ first four games. If both could return come Week 5 against the Cardinals or even after the bye week (Week 6), I believe Detroit would be able to withstand the loss of the two safeties.

However, the fear is that neither of them will be able to return that quickly, especially Joseph. And once they do get back to game action, I'm concerned that both Branch (in the interim) and Joseph (in the long term) won't be as effective. That would be catastrophic for Detroit's secondary, severely limiting the effectiveness of Kelvin Sheppard's defense over the course of the season.

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