CHARLOTTE – Friday night was a chance for backups and players on the roster bubble to make one last good impression on Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell with Tuesday’s deadline to trim the roister from 90 players to an initial 53 fast approaching.
“I mean to me, they all need to show up,” Campbell said this week. “I think a lot of guys need to show up for us and there’s a lot of guys that we’ll be looking for that we consider depth players, spot starters, guys fighting for jobs, practice squad spots, so I think you’re looking for it all. We need everybody to step up.”
While Friday was mostly about getting some good evaluation work in, getting a notch in the win column is always fun too, as the Lions finished the preseason with a 2-1 record after defeating Carolina 26-17.
Touchdowns from running back Craig Reynolds (5-yard run) and wide receiver Antoine Green (70-yard catch), plus two Riley Patterson field goals (25, 27) gave Detroit all the points they needed as their defense forced three turnovers (Chase Lucas interception, Brady Breeze fumble recovery and Steven Gilmore pick six) as they cruised to victory.
There were a number of standout performances that could solidify a roster spot or give Holmes and Campbell more to talk about over the next few days.