Following their final preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Detroit Lions had to trim their roster from 80 players all the way down to 53 players, and head coach Dan Campbell knew that would not be an easy task.
“It’s a lot more difficult than even last year,” Campbell said Monday. “It was tough last year, but this year, because we are so much farther along, and that’s a credit to (general manager Brad Holmes). Our talent level is better, and the competition is better. The better the competition, the better the players rise to that occasion. You have a talented player, and if he’s not getting challenged every day, then he’ll never grow. But, if you have someone who can challenge that player, then they start to grow together and they get that much better.
“That’s kind of where we’re at. I feel like we’re starting to get into that phase of it, whereas last year, we weren’t really there. Credit to Brad, and these are difficult. Because ultimately we’re gonna probably have to let go of some players that were here all last year and we depended on and did everything we asked them to do and produced for us last year. But, that’s a sign of progress, too.”
Dan Campbell divulges most difficult roster cuts during meet-and-greet
On Thursday, Dan Campbell held a virtual Q&A with Detroit Lions season ticket holders and he revealed that the most improved players on the team heading into the 2022 season are LB Derrick Barnes and WR Josh Reynolds.
In addition, Campbell told the fans that the hardest cuts to make were the running backs that were cut and wide receiver, Tom Kennedy.
*H/T to Sweta Patel (Queen of the Detroit Lions) for sharing this via her Twitter account
He also said roster cuts for running backs and Tom Kennedy in WR were the hardest ones for him!!
— Sweta Patel (@sweta2311) September 1, 2022
