Time to lock in my estimated depth chart for 2010

Each year as the off season progresses I maintain an estimated depth chart. You can find the link to it on my website (http://www.theNetRat.com)

It is an excel spreadsheet with multiple tabs (at the bottom) showing pre-draft, post-draft, and training camp rosters. I update it all off season according to additions and cuts; my personal visit to training camp; and various news articles.

I make my best guess as to what the final 53 man roster will look like on opening kick off game 1 and see if I can beat my best record at it (48 out of 53 correct a few years ago). The only changes I'll make now that the first pre-season game is upon us is to accomodate guys who get injured and end up on IR or get traded.

There are so many "bubble" guys this year I am not feeling very comfident about my choices. These guys who I have making the final roster may in fact not: Tim Toone, Mike Moore, Dylan Gandy, Jake Nordin, Maurice Morris, Willie Young, and Jonathan Heffney. Jack Williams might even start the season on PUP and not be looked at again until mid-season. Those guys that I have as getting cut but who could win a job from the above "bubble" guys are: Dennis Northcutt, Brian Clark, Manuel Ramirez, Aaron Brown, Aaron Berry, Eric King and KO Simpson.

That's 7 chances to be incorrect right there... and that's just with my own evaluation (versus the coaching staffs evaluations and the Lions scouting department evaluations). The Lions could also keep more of one position and less of another then what I have estimated.

Last year the Lions made many roster moves AFTER the final cut down day, I believe there were 5 guys on the roster opening day that never saw a preseason game (as a Lion). There could be more of that this year, though not as many. I do expect one difference this year after the final cut down day... and that is that there will be some Lions getting cut then picked up and playing for other teams.

Obviously, it will be critical that the coaching staff and the scouting department make the correct calls.

So there you have it, my estimated depth chart for 2010. If you visit the link above and click on the 2010 depth chart you could also make your own chart... as a linked excel spreadsheet you can edit it to your own criteria and save a copy of it on your hard drive (it won't affect mine online).

While I won't be making changes based on preseason games to the chart, I may blog some updates and ideas here. Only one thing left to say... GO LIONS!!!