Thread by @MathBomb

It probably won't be quite as fun as most years given the start of a rebuild, but let's run through the #Lions initial 53 mean roster for #RAS!

By now, if you follow me, you probably know my thoughts on Goff.

Clock is ticking before they have a new QB, but given...the next two guys...he's going to start every game he's healthy for.

Unlike the Rams, he won't get benched here for poor play. Not with his price tag.

Tim Boyle is not very accurate, nor is he very good at reading a defense.

What he is, though, is big with a strong arm and pretty athletic. That'll buy you some credit, at least with scout team, when your starter has only one of those things.

Lions probably would have wanted this roster spot for a different position, but with Boyle's thumb injury requiring time they've got Blough sticking around.

Still possible they scour the wire for a more permanent solution at QB2.

D'Andre Swift is the starting RB for the #Lions, as long as he remains healthy. That has largely been the issue, and it's not made easier by how few viable receiving options Goff has to throw to. Best of luck to him.

Jamaal Williams is a great dude and a solid RB2 in a rotation. He can rush, pass protect, and catch footballs on demand. Solid all around, but no standout trait in any area to push him anywhere beyond a complementary piece.

With the Lions RB room so thin, Jefferson didn't have much competition for this spot. He did pretty decent in the preseason, though he's going to need this OL to live up to their pre-preseason hype and not their preseason play to pan out. Very good vision, but not dynamic at all.

Godwin Igwebuike converted to RB in camp from safety and seems to have taken to it okay. As the only RB aside from Swift with any long speed or explosion, there's some opportunity there if he comes along quickly. As this is his first season at RB, though, expectations aren't high

Jason Cabinda comes back at fullback for another year. He's fine. Solid overall player they didn't really do anything to challenge this offeason. That's not on him, that's the coachs' jobs.

The #Lions starting WR by default, Williams is their one year bandaid while they figure this position out. No pressure, but given the rest of the group he should lead the team in targets after Hockenson (Though my money is on another!)

The #Lions starting slot receiver is Amon-Ra St. Brown. Though a 3rd round rookie, St. Brown comes to a perfect position to produce. A weak WR room means he has a chance to demand targets and as a slot guy with a QB like Goff he's likely to become a favorite. Dark horse OROY.

Kalif Raymond is the kick returner, but he's also probably going to be on offense a lot because that's the kind of group they've got this year.

Quintez Cephus was drafted for Stafford's playstyle, and he was outplayed by returner Kalif Raymond in camp.

He's explosive off the line, though, and can run a mean slant route. If the line doesn't hold up, or Goff just randomly gets jumpy, he could be an outlet for chunks.

Trinity Benson was traded for with more resources than teams usually spend on cut day guys, so they hopefully have some plan to actually use him. Schematically, if they can keep him in space and keep DBs off him, he could produce a bit.

Lions kept Tom Kennedy as another slot option, but since they've got four other slot guys, I'm not sure where he slots in on game day.

Might have been one of the last guys on.

Has a lot of tools, clearly, but we have yet to see that manifest on the field.

A whole lot of pressure on third year, top ten pick T.J. Hockenson. The only player at any skill position who'd rank nationally, he's got very high expectations.

Lions only have two TE on the roster right now and both were locks for quite a while. Not sure who the third guy will be, but Darren Fells is an adquate blocker who is decent and reliable in the pass game (if extremely undynamic).

TE3 is pending waiver wire tomorrow.

Taylor Decker is the starting left tackle until Sewell takes the job. Probably not in year one, but it'll get real interesting real quick if there are injuries with this unit as Lions spread themselves dangerously thin so they could keep more skill position players.

Jonah Jackson had an up and down, but mostly promising rookie season. Year two should be a good test, but expectations should rightly be pretty high for him under Lynn instead of Bevell.

Frank Ragnow is the best center in the league. Number two if you're being a homer for a different team and haven't watched enough Lions games to know you're wrong.

Halapoulivaati Vaitai was signed to play tackle, but injuries and general team mismanagement derailed his first season with the team. Now at guard, he's got a chance for some redemption, but with a new staff that's not tied to him the leash isn't going to be very long.

Penei Sewell is one of the most athletic big men in the last many drafts, a huge beast of an athlete, and one of the youngest players in the NFL. He's being switched from his natural LT position to the right side for now, so growing pains will be here for a bit.

Matt Nelson is a former DL who converted to OL and is currently the Lions only backup offensive tackle if you're wondering how their depth is looking.

Evan Brown is a very similar athlete to Ragnow, but there's not a whole lot to add about him in terms of the kind of depth he brings. Given Ragnow's history, it's possible he sees the field in 2021.

Logan Stenberg pretty much completely botched his rookie year and expectations were in the basement coming into 2021. He played his way onto the roster, though, and that's worth something. With little versatility, though, the Lions depth across the entire OL is suspect.

Michael Brockers was brought in to be the vet leader for this rebuliding defense. He's been a consistently above average DT in the NFL, never great but always at least good. Expecations aren't any higher than that, here, either, just keep on being a strong run defender.

One of my favorite NT prospects in years, Alim McNeill is a RARE specimen when it comes to athletic traits at nose. Excited to see him play and not surprised at all he won the starting job right out the gate.

Da'Shawn Hand is, once again, injured. Unfortunate since he's always shown promise when healthy.

Those moments are just uncommon and fleeting, and this could be his last ride in Detroit because of that.

Nick Williams is another guy that is here becuase you can't overhaul every position. Unlike last season, though, he shouldn't be expected to play as much since they have Brockers, McNeill, and Onwuzurike. Hopefully he plays a lot better as a reserve than he did as a starter.

Levi Onwuzurike is even more explosive than his testing suggests. We haven't gotten to see much of him yet, and I'm not sure when that starts to uptick, but I always like the idea of putting an explosive dude next to a powerful nose, and Lions have that.

John Penisini made a solid case for his return based on last year's tape, but it was shaky for a bit there. Good nose guy, adds some depth in that area.

Kevin Strong just won't go away, and that's a good thing. He's a tenacious fighter of a player and provides solid depth.

Trey Flowers comes back for another year, but in a whole new scheme. We've blown past any chance of him living up to his contract, but hopefully he can leave a lasting impression as a veteran defender in the early part of a rebuild.

Romeo Okwara really came into his own in the second half of last season and the Lions rewarded him for it.

Here's to hoping that's what we get always and he doesn't revert to what we had previous to that, which was all effort and little impact. Cautiously optimistic on this one.

Julian Okwara finally got to show how he can be while healthy and we saw the same thing we did in college. An explosive player who can be a terror as a pass rusher and largely a liability in the run game. He's only in year 2, plenty of time to learn.

Austin Bryant was an easy cut for me to start the season, but he's played well enough that his being on the initial 53 man roster isn't surprising anymore. Big question will be can he stay healthy, which has usually been a resounding no.

Charles Harris should never have been drafted in the first round, but thankfully some other team made that mistake and Lions get him at a good cost. He's a solid rotational piece who can take advantage of blockers who suck against spin moves.

Jamie Collins is a solid vet who can hopefully start out 2021 better than he did in 2020 with that boneheaded penalty for roughing a ref.

Should hold the Lions over while they rebuild this unit.

Alex Anzalone is a pretty good linebacker with some durability issues, but he's a pretty good stopgap for a year or two while the Lions are rebuilding. Hopefully he can stay healthy.

Derrick Barnes has looked better than advertized, so hopefully that continues. Very good athlete, but never would have been drafted under the previous staff becuase he was too small.

The Lions best special teamer returns for another year in Jalen Reeves-Maybin. He'll play a little on defense, but barring injury he's probably mostly just an ST guy. That's fine, he's awesome there.

Anthony Pittman was here last season and is a holdover, so it says a lot that he was still able to play himself onto the roster even with a weaker overall unit like what the Lions have. Explosive dude, lots of develomental upside here if he keeps progressing.

Jeff Okudah has a lot of expectations for him to play better this season, but hasn't shown much in limited preseason action. Lions have the staff and are putting their faith in him, but he needs to deliver.

Oruwariye continued right where he left off from 2020. Expecting him to continue to develop under this staff.

We didn't get to see much from Ifeatu Melifonwu yet, and with AJ Parker looking as good as he has it might be a minute yet. That's a good sign if that's the case, though, so won't complain.

AJ Parker is Brad Holmes' first possible hit for UDFA. He's looked very good as a nickel throughout camp and preseason, and he's the only UDFA that everyone should have seen coming from a mile away as the roster was solidified.

Bobby Price, now converted from safety, is an athletic phenom the Lions have been developing since last year. Making the roster is a huge step, and a good sign for the development of someone with this kind of size and traits profile.

Jerry Jacobs was a bit of a surprise and probably the only "Who?" player that made it. Can't speak to the why one way or the other, as I wasn't in camp this year.

Tracy Walker is now the grandpa of this unit at 26 years old. Still a rangy dude who can fly all over the field, hopefully we see him start progressing again after some regression under the last staff.

Will Harris may not be there yet, but he looks a lot closer to wherever there is under this staff than the last one.

Before taking a look at the room, I was a bit surprised Dean Marlowe still made the roster. Pretty shallow depth at this position, though, and with Will Harris' shaky play the last couple of seasons we might see more of Marlowe for better or worse.

Another special teams guy, C.J. Moore was pretty close to a lock for the roster given that safety room.

Beyond that, it's new long snapper Scott Daly and All Pro Punter Jack Fox.

Lions kept no kickers, becuase there wasn't one worth keeping and they can have their pick of whomever is left tomorrow.