Why Under-the-Radar Defensive Lineman Can Make Lions 53-Man Roster

It's time to get to know Detroit Lions defensive lineman Ben Stille.

Signed by Detroit general manager Brad Holmes on August 7, Stille has already stood out in training camp on multiple occasions.

For starters, he had a productive week of practice leading into the Lions’ preseason affair with the Washington Commanders this past Saturday. In back-to-back days, he not only got the best of centers Michael Niese and Seth McLaughlin in one-on-one reps, but he also wreaked havoc on an attempted screen pass and recorded a half-sack.

He's seemingly been more and more impressive by the day in Allen Park. And on top of that, he logged some valuable reps at both nose tackle and the “Big End” position in Detroit's exhibition win over the Commanders.

All in all, the 28-year-old has demonstrated a solid degree of versatility, a calling card of his which Lions head man Dan Campbell has certainly found appealing.

“He's a pro," Campbell said of Stille earlier this week in practice. “Smart, really smart. He's got versatility. Strong, very strong. He can shed blocks, shock, shed, make plays. Kind of knows himself, knows what he is, knows his own limitations and can play fast enough to cover up for some of those.

"But, that's what the intrigue with him is, the versatility. He can play some Big End we think, he can play the nose certainly, and then three (technique) if you needed it. The more you can do, and the more that you can prove you can do, that is always going to help your case (to earn a spot on the roster).”

While Stille has certainly been impressive thus far in camp, he still likely finds himself on the outside looking in when it comes to making Detroit's season-opening roster.

The University of Nebraska product hasn't logged a regular season snap since 2024 when he split time with the Buccaneers (three games) and the Cardinals (three games). Plus, he'll likely be the victim of a numbers game in the Motor City.

At this present juncture, you can make the case that backup interior defensive linemen Skyler Gill-Howard and Levi Onwuzurike are each ahead of him on the depth chart, along with reserve EDGEs Derrick Moore and Ahmed Hassanein.

Yet, if Stille continues to string together solid days of practice, he could carve out a John Cominsky-type role in Kelvin Sheppard's defense. Much like Stille, Cominsky, a member of the Lions in 2022 and 2023, was a versatile defender capable of lining up at multiple spots along the defensive line.

Because of such, Cominsky garnered the “Swiss Army Knife” nickname in Detroit, and became a bit of a fan favorite among Lions fans.

Campbell, Cominsky's coach with the Lions, definitely sees the similarities between the two defensive linemen.

“I think he's a much more, and believe me, ‘Commish’ was a jacked up – this guy is even more. He's more suited inside out, Commish was a little more three big end that could swing on some other things,” Campbell said while comparing Cominsky with Stille. “But, the versatility is real. We feel like when you just kind of watch it and what they're able to do, and I think that's a fair comparison of the versatility.”

Stille, who made his NFL debut with the Dolphins in 2022, has one more exhibition game to prove his worth: the Lions’ preseason finale with the Colts Saturday.

With a solid showing in the contest, he might just sneak onto Detroit's season-opening 53-man roster.

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