Jabari Small lasted just six snaps against the Washington Commanders on August 22, getting pulled from the preseason game in Detroit to enter concussion protocol, and that short outing could be the final nail in his coffin for a roster spot. Coach Dan Campbell previously said Small and Jacob Saylors were neck-and-neck in the RB4 competition, but this concussion might be the tipping point. Talk about high stakes for every single snap!
QB Room Is Still A Total Head-Scratcher
Over in the QB room, things are still messy after that Commanders game. Josh Dobbs got the start, even though he barely saw any reps in training camp. His afternoon kicked off disastrously, but man, he pulled it back, orchestrating both Lions touchdown drives, including a sick 50-yard rushing touchdown of his own. Luke Altmyer rotated in, playing 38 snaps (57%) compared to Dobbs’ 29 (43%). Altmyer never made the massive mistakes Dobbs did, like those two turnovers, but he only managed to lead one scoring drive. Jared Goff? DNP. Honestly, the game gave us zero true hints about where this backup battle stands. It’s anyone’s guess who’s backing up Goff come crunch time.
RB and WR Battles Get Real
While Small’s six snaps were a gut punch, coach Campbell’s encouraging words about Sione Vaki, despite Vaki’s constant injury battles, pretty much lock in a roster spot for him. Trayveon Williams and Raheem Blackshear totally impressed in their reserve duty. Williams played 22 snaps (33%) and grabbed a special teams snap, while Blackshear got 19 snaps (28%) with four on special teams. It’s gonna be tough for either to crack the 53-man roster, but both definitely made a strong case for the practice squad, especially Williams.
Meanwhile, on the wide receiver front, Tay Martin is making moves for that WR5 job. He played a hefty 31 snaps (46%) and six on special teams (27%). His overall results were mixed, but the fact that he started the game and was a special teams beast is super telling, especially after Cedrick Wilson went down with an injury that Campbell expressed fear about. Isaac TeSlaa played 27 snaps (40%) and Tarik Black saw 24 snaps (36%) with six on special teams too. Looks like the Lions have some tough choices ahead for those final receiver spots.
With roster cuts happening next week, every single snap, every single word from Campbell, it all means everything. Will Small’s concussion be the end? Will Dobbs’ up-and-down performance earn him the backup spot? We’ll know soon enough, and this Lions roster is gonna look a lot different very quickly.
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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