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Lions 53-man roster projection: 5 or 6 receivers? How many CBs make it?

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NFL cutdown day is set for Sunday, Aug. 30, and teams have until 6 p.m. ET to finalize their rosters. On the heels of their final preseason game versus the Colts on Saturday, it’ll be a quick turnaround for the Lions. It makes this final week of practice an important one.

Before roster hopefuls make one final push, here’s a look at where we believe things stand for Dan Campbell, Brad Holmes and the Detroit Lions.

Quarterbacks (2)

Starter: Jared Goff

Reserve: Josh Dobbs

Cut: Luke Altmyer

The case for keeping Dobbs over Altmyer is a matter of preference. The Lions typically like an experienced backup to assist Goff on game days and in practice during the week — an extension of the coaching staff. Dobbs is that guy. He’s played for offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, has known Goff for 15 years and is one of the smartest QBs in the league. The case for keeping Altmyer is that he’s been here since OTAs, doesn’t make turnover-worthy throws and can be very accurate when he has time to process.

Detroit Lions Camp: Drew Petzing’s scheme, Blake Miller and more

Robert Mays

That said, his pocket feel needs improvement, and he’s never played a regular-season snap. You could make the argument that another team will claim him if the Lions waive him, but only one QB was claimed after cutdown day last year, and that was an experienced backup in Tommy DeVito. Not sure teams will be clamoring to add Altmyer if he’s cut, so the Lions could keep him on the practice squad. Dobbs, meanwhile, could have options elsewhere.

Running backs (4)

Starter: Jahmyr Gibbs

Reserves: Isiah Pacheco, Sione Vaki, Jacob Saylors

Cut: Jabari Small, Trayveon Williams, Raheem Blackshear

Williams had some nice runs in the Washington game, but it might be too late for him to leave an impression here. Gibbs, Pacheco, Vaki and Saylors feel like the final group. Pacheco’s MCL sprain might be worth monitoring, but the Lions seem to think he’ll be ready for Week 1.

Wide receivers (5)

Starters: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa

Reserves: Greg Dortch, Tay Martin

Cut: Dominic Lovett, Tarik Black, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Malik Cunningham, Tom Kennedy, Lucky Jackson

I went back and forth between five and six receivers, and between the names here. The top four are all locks, but everything after that is murky. Wilson is dealing with a knee injury and Campbell said he’s concerned about it. Martin has earned serious praise from Campbell and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp. I’m going with five and giving the final nod to Martin over Lovett.

Tight ends (4)

Starter: Sam LaPorta

Reserves: Brock Wright, Tyler Conklin, Jackson Meeks

Cut: Thomas Gordon, Zach Horton, Miles Kitselman

This room goes from three to four after a hip injury to LaPorta. The Lions are hoping that resting LaPorta will help his availability for Week 1, but Campbell acknowledged he’s not sure if LaPorta will be ready. If that’s the case, I’d expect the Lions to roster four tight ends, with Meeks being the final addition. Meeks just missed my last roster projection, and after a strong preseason performance on both special teams and as a pass catcher, he earns a spot. The Lions like his development after moving him from receiver to TE last season. The fact that he can still play some receiver adds to his value (and makes the idea of five WRs easier to swallow).

Offensive line (9)

Starters (right to left): Blake Miller, Tate Ratledge, Juice Scruggs, Christian Mahogany, Penei Sewell

Reserves: Ben Bartch, Larry Borom, Miles Frazier, Seth McLaughlin

IR to return: Cade Mays

NFI: Giovanni Manu

Cut: Mason Miller, Melvin Priestly, Michael Niese, Devin Cochran, Colby Sorsdal

No real changes here. It’s going to be tough for another lineman to work his way into the mix at this point. I’m not sure Frazier has done enough to make the roster, but I see the Lions keeping him as a developmental guard/tackle. Bartch was expected to compete for the starting left guard job, but he was slow to return from a foot injury and is now in concussion protocol. You can safely pencil in Mahogany as a starter.

“That window is shrinking right now,” Campbell said of Bartch’s chances to win the left guard battle. “So, the most important thing is for him to get to where he feels right again and to where he can go. He’s healthy, he feels good and he can start practicing, and then we’ll see. But no, I mean, I think that window is closing quickly.”

Defensive line (10)

Starters: Aidan Hutchinson, Tyleik Williams, Alim McNeill, Tyler Lacy

Reserves: D.J. Wonnum, Derrick Moore, Ahmed Hassanein, Levi Onwuzurike, Skyler Gill-Howard, Ben Stille

Cut: Chris Smith, Eric O’Neill, Payton Turner, Mekhi Wingo, Anthony Lucas, Tyre West, Myles Adams

The defensive line room is almost set. Hutchinson, Williams, McNeill and Lacy have been the first group trotted out since OTAs. Wonnum, Moore and even Hassanein offer a mix of skills in the edge room, and Onwuzurike and Gill-Howard offer pass-rush juice in the interior. Will the Lions go with nine or 10 here? If they go with 10, I’m keeping an eye on Stille. He arrived a bit later, but he’s left an impact in practice and was playing with several starters against Washington. He reminds me of John Cominsky a bit, offering big end/DT capabilities. O’Neill has had a good preseason, too, but he hasn’t been elevated with the first-team defense like Stille, which was my deciding factor.

Linebackers (5)

Starters: Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Devin White

Reserves: Malcolm Rodriguez, Trevor Nowaske

IR to return: Jimmy Rolder

Cut: Damone Clark, Erick Hunter, Joe Bachie, Troy Reeder, Amen Ogbongbemiga

In years past, the Lions have kept six linebackers on their 53-man roster. I’m going with five, but only because it’s hard to get a feel for Rolder’s status. Campbell initially said Rolder would be out “a while,” but it appears Rolder is ahead of schedule and could return to practice by the end of the month or early September. Still, because the Lions have two IR-to-return spots, they could use one on Rolder, allowing him to fully heal and then work him back into the mix. They have a number of capable linebackers who they could add to the practice squad and elevate while Rolder is out. Bachie has caught my eye.

Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (2) tackles Washington Commanders wide receiver Nick Nash (19) after a short reception in the third quarter at Ford Field.

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. made three stops against the Commanders on Saturday. (Lon Horwedel / Imagn Images)

Cornerbacks (8)

Starters: D.J. Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, Christian Izien (nickel)

Reserves: Nick Whiteside, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Keith Abney II (nickel), Roger McCreary, Khalil Dorsey

Cut: Aamaris Brown, Ryan Cooper Jr., Ekow Boye-Doe

Cornerback feels pretty unsettled, and eight feels a bit aggressive. If you consider Izien a safety, then think of it as seven corners and four safeties. But Reed and Ya-Sin are locks as outside corners, Dorsey is a special teams lock, Rakestraw is a second-round investment and Abney shows real promise. Whiteside has had a consistent camp — more so than McCreary — so I have him in. McCreary could go either way, but if the Lions want veteran depth, they’ll keep him.

Safeties (3)

Starters: Chuck Clark, Avonte Maddox

Reserves: Thomas Harper

PUP: Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch

Cut: Dan Jackson

Safety is less of a need if Branch is ready by the end of September. Even if he’s still shaking off the rust, he can help this defense. Joseph is more of a wild card, but if he’s on a similar timeline as Branch, he could return by late September/early October. Clark and Maddox are smart veterans who should be able to hold down the fort until the starters return. Harper started games for this unit last year and provides depth, and Izien can also move from nickel to safety in a pinch.

Specialists (3)

Starters: Jack Fox (punter), Jake Bates (kicker), Hogan Hatten (long snapper)

No change here. This trio is locked in.

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