Detroit Lions won't have many difficult roster decisions this summer, but three familiar players could still become surprising training camp cuts before Week 1.
The Detroit Lions open training camp in less than a week, and this year's roster might be the most straightforward group Brad Holmes has ever assembled. The starting lineup is mostly set. There's really only one battle for a starting job, the left guard competition. Beyond that, it's a bunch of guys fighting for depth spots. But even on a roster this clean, the Lions will have to trim down to 53, and a few familiar names could be on the outside looking in.
I went through the roster and found three players who qualify as surprise cuts. None of them would shake the foundation of the organization, but they're guys fans have grown accustomed to seeing in Honolulu blue. That doesn't mean they won't land on the practice squad, but I think all three have a real shot at missing the 53-man roster. Let's break it down.
This is probably the least surprising of the three. Onwuzurike has been here since the beginning. He was Holmes' second-ever draft pick, a second-round selection in 2021. In a lot of ways, he's shown flashes. The 2024 season was his best stretch. He was second on the team in pressures. He was getting home. He was doing things.
Then he went down with a knee injury at the end of the season. He appears to have torn his ACL, though the severity at the time remains unclear. He still played in the playoff game against Washington, then missed all of 2025. One of the big reasons he's still on the roster is a quirk in the NFL's collective bargaining agreement that essentially pushed his one-year contract from 2025 into 2026 . The same quirk kept Josh Paschal around, but Paschal has already been cut.
Onwuzurike has a shot to make the roster, but I have a hard time putting him ahead of guys like Ahmed Hassanien, Tyler Lacy , Anthony Lucas, or Skyler Gil-Howard. There are so many players on this roster who can do what he does, and you don't have to worry about the health angle. The back issues were one thing. He seemed to get those under control, and then a torn ACL stacked on top. I just don't know if the Lions are going to get out of him what they hoped to.
Nowaske has been the backup Sam linebacker, and when Derrick Barnes wasn't able to play there for a stretch, we got to see more of him. I thought he played fairly well. The problem now is a numbers game. He's not beating out Barnes. He's not beating out Jack Campbell . He's not beating out Jimmy Rolder or Malcolm Rodriguez .
If the Lions carry six linebackers, Nowaske has a real shot. But even then, he still has to beat out the undrafted free agent Erick Hunter, veteran Joe Bachie , and Damone Clark , who I think probably has the best chance of being that sixth linebacker. Nowaske's skills at this point are limited to that Sam linebacker role where he can give you some pass rush, but I don't know if he can really cover all that well. There just might not be enough roles to go around. This is one of those good problems to have, where you've got so many decent linebackers that you might have to let go of one who's been pretty good for you. If I'm the Lions, I'm trying to get him back on the practice squad immediately.
This is probably the big one. I think everybody has Brock Wright penciled in as the No. 2 tight end on this team. Maybe I'm alone on this, but I don't see it.
Wright is a decent football player, but he's struggled with blocking at a position that requires him to block. Beyond the one time a year where he breaks out a huge 35-yard touchdown, I don't see him as much of a threat in the receiving game. His 2025 grades tell the story: a 53.2 pass block grade and a 55.5 run block grade. Those aren't outliers. Those are the grades Wright has always had.
Compare that to Tyler Conklin , who posted a 73.6 pass block grade in 2025 and a 78.8 pass block grade in 2024. Conklin is a better receiving tight end and a better pass blocker, and I think that gives him the edge as the No. 2 tight end. Then you look at guys like Miles Kitselman and Zach Horton, who are strong run blockers, capable pass blockers, and can even give you some fullback reps. They can do what Wright does at a much cheaper rate.
And that's the other factor. Wright is making $4.7 million. That's not Sam LaPorta money, but for a tight end 3, it would likely make him the highest-paid third tight end in the league. That number is going to come into play when camp opens.
None of these cuts would be earth-shattering. Wright would probably generate the most reaction, but when you've got a roster this deep, somebody has to go. These are the three names worth watching.
Detroit Lions News
Mike Payton July 15, 2026
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: 3 surprise cuts the Lions could make before the 2026 season, including a familiar fan favorite
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