Get ready for a different look in the Motor City because Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell just dropped the word that most of his starters will not be hitting the field for their preseason opener this Thursday against the Cincinnati Bengals. This is a real shift from how he’d been publicly talking all offseason, playing with the idea of giving the top guys some early reps. It turns out, that’s not happening this week.
“I really don’t see playing a lot of our guys,” Campbell told reporters, laying it out plain. He mentioned they’d play “some of them,” specifically highlighting those battling for roster spots, but a big name like Jared Goff? Forget about it. “I don’t see Goff playing,” Campbell confirmed, adding that they’d “kind of gauge it as we go here.” That means all eyes are on the guys who *do* suit up, especially with some serious competition brewing at quarterback.
The biggest story outside of Goff’s absence is undoubtedly what’s happening under center. With Teddy Bridgewater’s retirement, the Lions have a fascinating quarterback situation. Undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer has been grinding, picking up second and third-team reps in training camp since Bridgewater left. He’s now set for a “heavy load” of snaps on Thursday, a massive opportunity for the young guy. Plus, veteran Josh Dobbs just joined the squad a few days ago, and Campbell is already planning to throw him into the mix to get him up to speed. “Certainly Altmyer’s going to take a heavy load and then anybody else we get, we’ll get them up to speed as fast as we can and give them some reps,” Campbell stated. It’s a true trial by fire for these two.
So, when *will* we see the Lions’ starters? It sounds like Campbell’s original thoughts on playing his top guys are just being pushed back. He’s now eyeing Week 2 of the preseason, their only home exhibition game against the Commanders on Saturday, August 22. “I think more of mine are the questions will be coming next week, when we start getting into the Washington week, because that was kind of where I always targeted like, alright, this may be where we need to play our guys,” Campbell explained. “That’ll be the first one is kind of where I was thinking.” So, while Thursday is all about the depth guys fighting for a spot, especially at QB, mark your calendars for August 22. That’s when we might finally get a real glimpse of the Lions’ full strength.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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