Dan Campbell says some Lions cuts will “make some waves” elsewhere — these 4 immediately come to mind, and here’s where they could make those waves
Sione Vaki, Mekhi Wingo, Ennis Rakestraw and Tom Kennedy are squeezed by Detroit’s depth, but each has a potential landing spot that could offer more opportunity.
Dan Campbell said something worth paying attention to during his Wednesday press conference. The Detroit Lions head coach acknowledged what every deep roster eventually forces you to confront.
“We’re gonna have to let go of some guys that are going to be able to go to other rosters and make some waves. That could happen, that’s real, that’s hard to do.”
You have to understand what Campbell’s getting at here. I’ve been covering Dan Campbell’s team since 2021. I’ve seen all the rosters he’s had during training camps, and this is the deepest roster he’s ever had. I know people don’t want to believe that because they point to Alex Anzalone not being here anymore, or this guy or that guy being gone. But this is the one roster the Lions have had where I can look at almost every single guy and say those guys are probably going to make the roster. It’s the only roster Campbell’s had where I was able to count over 40 guys at the start of training camp and say, all right, we already know they’re going to make it. We only found about six or seven spots that were truly open. And that’s not even considering what Campbell said Tuesday about some guys potentially winning roster spots who aren’t even on the team right now.
So yeah, there are going to be players who get let go and find spots elsewhere. Here are some of those guys who may be better off if Detroit cuts them.
Sione Vaki could land with the 49ers
If the Lions cut Vaki, I think he has a much better chance to go somewhere else and get a shot at running back or maybe even safety. Teams are always looking for running backs. These guys get hurt all the time. And somebody might look at Vaki and consider putting him back at safety, where he was good at Utah. I don’t know why the Lions at no point considered doing that.
When you look at who Vaki has had to compete with at running back, he’s always had two guys ahead of him. Whether it was Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, or Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco, he’s just never been able to carve out a spot. Even at safety, he’d always have Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph ahead of him. I just think if I were Vaki, I would want to go somewhere else.
When Vaki was coming out, the 49ers were the team that really wanted him outside of the Lions. Here’s his chance. Right now San Francisco has Christian McCaffrey, and behind him they’ve got Jordan James. Vaki could totally go over there and net a spot as a backup running back. If I were him, that’s what I’d be hoping for.
Mekhi Wingo might benefit from a position change in Kansas City
If I were Mekhi Wingo, I would want to get out of here because this team doesn’t have anything for me. It’s really that simple. He’s got so many guys ahead of him at this point. Even though he’s had a fine summer, I just don’t see a spot for him.
If I were Wingo, I would want to go to the Kansas City Chiefs, where former defensive coordinator Matt House is now the outside linebackers coach. I know you’re probably thinking, what are you talking about? Wingo’s a defensive lineman. But he’s always been an undersized defensive lineman. Maybe Kansas City finds a way to make him a Sam linebacker or something along those lines. He spent the entire season last year as a healthy scratch. He’d be better off elsewhere, maybe in a different position. Kansas City has traditionally enjoyed taking former Lions defensive linemen like Isaiah Buggs and Brodric Martin. Wingo could be the next one, and maybe House can put in a good word for him.
Ennis Rakestraw doesn’t have a path in Detroit
Look, I’ve gone over this a bunch of times. I have seven cornerbacks on my 53-man Lions roster projection right now, and Rakestraw’s not one of them. I just can’t find a spot for him. Unless Detroit goes to eight cornerbacks, and then I don’t know who I’m taking off the team at another position. It’s really hard.
If I were Rakestraw, I would maybe want to go play for Brian Flores in Minnesota. The Vikings defense maybe fits him a little more, and they’re low on cornerbacks with real opportunity there. Either that or Miami. The opportunity for Rakestraw is just not in Detroit right now.
Tom Kennedy deserves a real shot, maybe with the Giants
I know Lions fans are going to be upset about the idea of Tom Kennedy not playing for Detroit, but I don’t think he’s going to make the 53-man roster. The Lions would love to have him on the practice squad, but enough teams have seen him and think they could do something with that guy. Someone’s going to sign him and offer him a real role.
If I were Kennedy, I’d take it. I’d love being in Detroit, and the fans love me, but I’m never going to get serious playing time here. The New York Giants just lost Calvin Austin, and Kennedy plays somewhat similar to how Austin plays. That’s going to be his best chance to get real playing time at this point in his career. He’s 30 years old. He could beat Braxton Berrios in New York. I know he can.
I know Lions fans would be upset about it, but you have to think about the player here. He’s not going to make the roster in Detroit. He could make it in New York, and he could actually play. We’ll see.
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