Just when I thought I had a handle on what the Detroit Lions roster will look like heading into the 2021 season, a few players have decided to step up and they could be on the verge of forcing themselves onto the final 53-man roster.
Of the three players I am talking about, two were barely on my radar two weeks ago. Those players are WR Tom Kennedy and CB AJ Parker. The third player on this list is QB David Blough.
Tom Kennedy
Kennedy has led the Lions in receiving yards in each of their first two preseason games and though some of that is due to other receivers missing time or sitting out, he has certainly made the most of his opportunities. On Monday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said how much he likes Kennedy but putting him on the final 53-man roster may come down to whether or not he can help out on special teams. According to Campbell, Kennedy will get an expanded role on special teams this week against the Indianapolis Colts.
“Do you like Tom? Do you like him a lot? I like Tom,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said on Monday.
AJ Parker
I will not lie. I had no clue who AJ Parker was when they signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Kansas State. That being said, I not only know exactly who Parker is now but I am 99% sure that he is going to make the Lions 53-man roster at as a nickel cornerback. And guess what? You should not be surprised if he is the starting nickel cornerback heading into the 2021 regular season.
“Consistency, accountability, and trust,” Lions DBs coach Aubrey Pleasant said about Parker. “We trust him as a staff to be where he needs to be and last game he was able to make some tackles in the open field and I kinda challenged him from the week prior and the young man’s doing a great job.”
David Blough
David Blough is a great person and I am rooting like hell for him to have a successful NFL career. That being said, heading into training camp, my thought was that the Lions would only keep two QBs on the roster and Blough would be the odd man out. Well, I now believe the Lions are leaning toward keeping three QBs on their initial 53-man roster, which would mean Blough is safe. But even if the Lions decide to roll with two QBs to start the season, Blough has earned the No. 2 spot over Tim Boyle.
Nation, which of these three players do you think are safe?
