Monday, August 26, 2013

No surprises so far by the Detroit Lions as they make their roster cuts.


No surprises.

The Detroit Lions have begun to make their roster cuts as teams are required to be down to 75 players Tuesday. So far, none of the players cut come as a surprise (for those of you who follow my estimated depth chart located at http://www.theNetRat.com/depthchart.html).

So how did the Lions get from the draft to their current roster? Here are the roster moves since the draft according to the official Lions website.

5/2/2013 The Detroit Lions have signed the following players: C Skylar Allen, DT Michael Brooks, TE Joseph Fauria, T Austin Holtz, RB Steven Miller, T LaAdrian Waddle

5/3/2013 The Detroit Lions have signed the following players: QB Alex Carder, LB Alex Elkins, LB Jon Morgan, FS Martavius Neloms and WR Cody Wilson

5/10/2013 The Detroit Lions have signed the following 2013 draft picks: DE Ziggy Ansah, CB Darius Slay, G Larry Warford, DE Devin Taylor, P Sam Martin, WR Corey Fuller, RB Theo Riddick, TE Michael Williams and LB Brandon Hepburn

5/13/2013 The Detroit Lions release C Skyler Allen and sign C Darren Keyton.

5/14/2013 The Detroit Lions release RB Devin Moore and sign DE Freddie Bishop.

5/16/2013 The Detroit Lions claim DB DeQuan Menzie off waivers and release DB Conroy Black.

5/28/2013 The Detroit Lions release DT Michael Brooks and WR Chastin West and sign DE Robert Maci and DE Spencer Nealy.

5/29/2013 The Detroit Lions release QB Alex Carder and sign QB Thaddeus Lewis.

5/30/2013 The Detroit Lions sign RB Montell Owens.

6/3/2013 The Detroit Lions release CB Lionel Smith.

6/4/2013 The Detroit Lions release the following players: WR Troy Burrell, TE Nathan Overbay and sign the following players: G Leroy Harris, G Jake Scott and WR Micheal Spurlock

6/5/2013 The Detroit Lions release DE Robert Maci and WR Lance Long, and sign DE Braylon Broughton and WR Matt Willis.

6/17/2013 The Detroit Lions sign TE Matt Veldman and release TE Dominique Curry.

6/24/2013 The Detroit Lions sign DB Chris Hope and release WR Brian Robiskie.

6/26/2013 The Detroit Lions sign DE Israel Idonije and release DE Freddie Bishop.

7/17/2013 The Detroit Lions release RB Jahvid Best.

7/24/2013 The Detroit Lions sign WR Chaz Shilens.

7/25/2013 The Detroit Lions release G Bill Nagy.

8/1/2013 The Detroit Lions release S Ricardo Silva and DT Spencer Nealy and sign S Trevor Coston and DT Xavier Proctor.

8/5/2013 The Detroit Lions sign CB Brandon King and release WR Devin Thomas and LB Alex Elkins.

8/6/2013 The Detroit Lions claim LB Adrian Moten.

8/11/2013 The Detroit Lions release LB Carmen Messina and sign CB Myron Lewis.

8/13/2013 The Detroit Lions have released CB Brandon King and signed CB Conroy Black.

8/16/2013 The Detroit Lions release DB Conroy Black and DE Braylon Broughton and sign DT Justin Bannan and DT John Drew.

8/17/2013 The Detroit Lions release DB Trevor Coston and LB Adrian Moten and sign DB Rashean Mathis and LB Rocky McIntosh.

8/19/2013 The Detroit Lions release T Austin Holtz and WR Mike Thomas and sign T Kevin Haslam and TE Cameron Morrah.

8/20/2013 The Detroit Lions place LB Cory Greenwood on reserve/injured.

8/23/2013 The Detroit Lions release DT John Drew, G Derek Hardman, DB Domonique Johnson, WR Chaz Schilens and DB Ross Weaver.

8/26/2013 The Detroit Lions trade QB Thaddeus Lewis for LB Chris White.

The Lions have a about $5 million in salary cap available and rumor has it they may be looking for help at wide receiver, possibly linebacker, and who knows where else as they scour the waiver wire for cuts by other teams.

Still, the odds of the Lions actually needing someone else's 54th player instead of one of their own out of the 75 they will have after tomorrow are somewhat slim. Unless they can pull off another trade I really don't see all that much help coming and the Lions might be forced to do something I've been complaining about for a long time, they may have to actually develop a player. The coaching staff might have to work a little bit harder to get one of their own up to NFL speed instead of trying to find someone coached up by some other team.

Whether they will or not remains to be seen, one things for sure, even though there have been no surprises so far the likelihood of the Lions getting all the way to week 1 without some kind of surprise is low.

ps. My depth chart is/was locked in prior to the 3rd preseason game, as it is every year, and it wasn't until after that deadline that Akers finally made some kicks over 48 yards, for that reason I had Rugland making the team, I no longer believe that will be the case but we shall see what happens. The only changes I make to my depth chart from the 2nd preseason game to week 1 of the regular season would be due to new players being signed or guys who end up on injured reserve.