Detroit Lions snap counts from preseason win over New York Giants

Detroit Lions snap counts from preseason win over New York Giants

The 2023 preseason has kicked off for the Detroit Lions, and their initial outing provided both challenges and glimpses of brilliance. Navigating a difficult first half, the Lions were spurred on by Maurice Alexander‘s impressive 95-yard punt return and an unyielding defense, culminating in a 21-16 victory at Ford Field. Delving deeper, a detailed analysis of player involvement during the game can offer insights into the team’s strategic game plan and which athletes are primed to have breakout seasons.

Detroit Lions Snap Counts

Here are the Detroit Lions snap counts from Friday’s game:

Offense

Quarterbacks

• Nate Sudfeld: (51) 71%
• Adrian Martinez: (21) 29%

NOTE: Look for Sudfeld and Teddy Bridgewater to get almost all of the snaps next week against the Jaguars.

Running backs

• Devine Ozigbo: (27) 38% 
• Benny Snell: (21) 29%
• Jahmyr Gibbs: (18) 25% 
• Jason Cabinda: (13) 18% — 5 special teams snaps (20%)
• Mohamed Ibrahim: (6) 8% 

Tight ends

• James Mitchell: (34) 47% — 6 special teams snaps (24%)
• Daniel Helm: (33) 46% — 11 special teams snaps (44%)
• Sam LaPorta: (16) 22% 
• Brock Wright: (9) 12% — 3 special teams snaps (12%)

Wide receivers

• Jameson Williams: (51) 71% 
• Chase Cota: (42) 58% — 9 special teams snaps (36%)
• Dylan Drummond: (35) 49% — 6 special teams snaps (24%)
• Antoine Green: (28) 39% — 13 special teams snap (52%)
• Trey Quinn: (17) 24% — 9 special teams snaps (36%)
• Maurice Alexander: (10) 14% — 9 special teams snaps (36%)

NOTE: Dan Campbell was not lying when he told us he was going to get Jameson Williams a ton of snaps!

Offensive linemen

• Brad Cecil: (63) 88% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Matt Nelson: (51) 71% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Germain Ifedi: (51) 71% — One special teams snap (4%)
• Colby Sorsdal: (37) 51% — Two special teams snaps (8%) *Also played 2 defensive snaps
• Darrin Paulo: (37) 51% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Kayode Awosika: (35) 49% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Bobby Hart: (35) 49% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Connor Galvin: (19) 26% 
• Obinna Eze: (19) 26%
• Ross Piersbacher: (9) 12%
• Max Pircher: (2) 3%
• Ryan Swoboda: (2) 3%

NOTE: Ross Piersbacher left the game with an injury

Defense

Defensive linemen

• Benito Jones: (24) 41% — Four special teams snaps (16%)
• Chris Smith: (22) 37% — Two special teams snaps (8%)
• Levi Onwuzurike: (22) 27%
• Brodric Martin: (21) 36% — Four special teams snaps (16%)
• Christian Covington: (14) 24% — Seven special teams snaps (29%)
• Cory Durden: (13) 22% — Four special teams snaps (16%)
• John Cominsky: (12) 20%
• Josh Paschal: (12) 20%
• Isaiah Buggs: (11) 19% — Two special teams snaps (8%)

Linebackers

• Romeo Okwara: (44) 75%
• Julian Okwara: (30) 51% — 10 special teams snaps (40%)
• Jack Campbell: (25) 42% — One special teams snaps (4%)
• Anthony Pittman: (24) 41% — Seven special teams snaps (28%)
• James Houston: (23) 49% — 10 special teams snaps (40%)
• Jalen Reeves-Maybin: (21) 36% — Seven special teams snaps (28%)
• Malcolm Rodriguez: (18) 31% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Trevor Nowaske: (15) 25% — 14 special teams snaps (56%)
• Derrick Barnes: (15) 25% — Three special teams snaps (12%)

NOTE: The Okwara brothers both played well into the fourth quarter

Defensive backs

• Saivion Smith: (32) 54% — 19 special teams snaps (75%)
• Starling Thomas V: (32) 54% — 12 special teams snaps (48%)
• Ifeatu Melifonwu: (32) 54% — Nine special teams snaps (36%)
• Khalil Dorsey: (27) 46% — 10 special teams snaps (40%)
• Brady Breeze: (27) 46% — 10 special teams snaps (40%)
• Brandon Joseph: (27) 46% — Seven special teams snaps (28%)
• Chase Lucas: (26) 44% –12 special teams snaps (48%)
• Steven Gilmore: (22) 37% — Eight special teams snaps (32%)
• Will Harris: (22) 37% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Tae Hayes: (20) 34% — Eight special teams snaps (32%)
• Brian Branch: (16) 27% — One special teams snap (4%)

NOTE: It did not take many snaps for rookie Brian Branch to prove himself

Special teams

• Scott Daly: (6) 24%
• Jack Fox: (6) 24%
• Parker Romo: (6) (24%)
• Riley Patterson: (2) 8%

TL;DR (too long didn’t read)

Bottom Line – State of the Roster

In the Detroit Lions’ preseason opener against the New York Giants, the intricacies of their personnel usage peeled back the curtain on the current state of the roster. We don’t just look at who’s playing – it’s about when and how much. Detroit’s decision to rest its mainstays while allotting substantial minutes to the younger crop offers a roadmap of the coaching staff’s evaluations. Each snap, and the timing thereof, is a tacit endorsement or critique of a player’s standing. The gridiron doesn’t lie, and this opener might have told us more than the final score ever could.