Detroit Lions Updated Bubble Watch After Commanders Game: Offense

The Detroit Lions will play in their final preseason game of the year on Saturday against the Colts, yet still have multiple players vying for roster spots.

On offense, a few players stood out this past weekend against the Commanders.

Notably, tight end Jackson Meeks and running back Trayveon Williams delivered impressive performances.

Meeks emerged as one of Luke Altmyer's go-to targets Saturday, finishing the exhibition contest with four catches for 33 yards. And one of his four catches came on a critical fourth-down conversion late in the fourth quarter. It helped set up a Jake Bates field goal which sealed the deal vs. the Commanders.

Meanwhile, Williams, who was signed by the Lions on August 16, didn't miss a beat in his preseason debut with Dan Campbell's squad.

The veteran back, who split time with the Chargers and the Browns in 2025, amassed a team-high 60 yards from scrimmage and accounted for the Lions’ final touchdown of the game Saturday. He also helped set up the score by hauling in a 24-yard pass from Josh Dobbs on the initial play of the drive.

Williams proved he's more than capable as both a runner and pass-catcher in his first game donning the Honolulu Blue. And even more importantly, he proved he's going to give fellow bubble backs Jacob Saylors, Raheem Blackshear and Jabari Small a run for their money the rest of camp.

As a whole, the Lions’ backfield produced a solid effort vs. Dan Quinn's team, notching 169 total yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries.

Just like Williams, Saylors compiled 30-plus yards on the ground in the preseason tilt, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Small also recorded 5.3 yards per rush attempt Saturday, albeit on just three carries.

Detroit's backs managed to accomplish this despite the team's offensive line producing an overall lackluster effort.

Rookie right tackle Blake Miller delivered the only real respectable showing, holding his own for the majority of the afternoon. Meanwhile, Larry Borom, his main competition at the position, struggled all game. He seemingly allowed pressure after pressure (including on Detroit's first two drives), and hardly looked the part of a savvy vet.

Offensive linemen Seth McLaughlin, Colby Sorsdal and Miles Frazier also all struggled mightily. They each succumbed to the Commanders’ stifling pass-rush, and Sorsdal was so bad that he was eventually benched.

Fellow bubble lineman Melvin Priestly didn't fare much better, and was called for a false start penalty late in the third quarter.

Priestly, McLaughlin, Sorsdal and Frazier each need to have much better outings in the Lions’ preseason finale in Indianapolis.

Along with the aforementioned names, here is the list of Detroit players firmly on the bubble heading into the final week of the exhibition season:

Luke Altmyer, Tarik Black, Malik Cunningham, Lucky Jackson, Tom Kennedy, Lawrence Keys, Dominic Lovett, Tay Martin, Michael Niese, Cedrick Wilson, Thomas Gordon, Zach Horton, Giovanni Manu and Devin Cochran.

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