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As the Detroit Lions finalize their 53-man roster, head coach Dan Campbell made it clear that roster cuts don’t necessarily mean the end of the road for many players. In fact, he sees the practice squad as one of the most important parts of building a contender in Detroit.
More Than Just Depth
Every year, tough decisions have to be made. Nearly 30 players won’t make the active roster, but Campbell emphasized that many will remain firmly in the Lions’ plans.
“We love our practice squad,” Campbell said. “That’s another one of those things that we’ve done a really good job of here, found guys that fit us and that we can count on, really over the last two or three years. You know, those guys are a big part of what we do.”
The Lions have leaned on the unit as more than just emergency depth. Several players who began on the practice squad have ended up playing meaningful roles on Sundays, something Campbell believes speaks to both the front office’s scouting and the coaching staff’s development.
A Proven Pipeline
Campbell pointed to past examples, including wide receiver Tim Patrick, who joined Detroit after being cut elsewhere and became a steady contributor in 2024. That kind of story reinforces the importance of monitoring league-wide cuts while also investing in the players Detroit already knows and trusts.
The Lions don’t plan to simply fill the practice squad with names for the sake of it. Campbell stressed the importance of being passionate about every player they bring in.
“We’ll do our legwork,” Campbell explained as quoted by Justin Rogers. “We have enough people who have an idea of who that person was. What was their background in college coming out? That’s always going to be big. Chances are, if it’s somebody we weren’t really fired up about coming out, because of character, we’re probably not going to look at them if they’re available now.”
Setting the Tone for 2025
With roster cuts looming, Campbell admitted the process is grueling. But his message shows the Lions are thinking beyond Tuesday’s deadline. The practice squad isn’t just about development, it’s about having reliable, battle-ready players who can step up whenever their number is called.
For Detroit, the practice squad has become a cornerstone of how they build and sustain depth. And for the players who don’t hear their name on the 53-man roster this week, Campbell’s words provide hope: the door to making an impact in 2025 is still wide open.
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Jeff Bilbrey
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