Detroit Lions: 5 Cut candidates sitting on roster bubble
By Samuel Teets
Building the Detroit Lions roster for 2020 could result in these players being cut.
It’s put up or shut up time for Matt Patricia and the Detroit Lions. With the other NFC North teams suffering losses in free agency or making questionable decisions in the draft, Detroit could capture its first division crown since 1993 this coming season. However, that relies on the Lions maximizing the potential on their roster.
As with all NFL teams, the Lions have several well-known veterans on their roster who could lose their jobs before the regular season begins. Today, we’ll examine five players walking the thin line between the bottom roster spots and unemployment.
Marvin Jones potentially saved his tenure with the Lions last season. Jones cracked 1,100 receiving yards in 2017, but injuries limited him to nine games and 508 yards in 2018. Luckily, he rebounded with 779 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games last year. Detroit could save around $6.5 million by releasing Jones this offseason, but that seems highly unlikely after his 2019 contributions.
Instead, the Lions can address their bloated wide receiver room by releasing several less productive veterans, like our No. 5 cut candidate.
5. Geronimo Allison, WR
The Lions currently have 11 wide receivers on their roster. Detroit carried between four and six receivers on its active roster during the 2019 regular season. That means roughly half the team’s current receivers won’t keep their jobs this coming fall. Despite his previous experience, Geronimo Allison is a prime cut candidate.
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Allison signed a one-year deal with the Lions after his previous deal with the Green Bay Packers expired. During his four seasons in Green Bay, the Illinois product caught 89 passes for 1,045 yards and six touchdowns. While Allison recorded less than 300 receiving yards this past season, he showed some flashes of potential in 2018.
Two years ago, Allison averaged 60.6 receiving yards per game. Unfortunately, injuries limited him to five appearances. On a team like the Lions, Allison could provide some veteran depth and play a role on special teams. However, Detroit already has 2019 sixth-rounder Travis Fulgham and 2020 fifth-rounder Quintez Cephus for those roles.
Marvin Hall could also miss the final cut when Detroit trims its roster to 53 players. Hall arrived in Detroit last year and made seven receptions for 261 yards and a touchdown. He finished last season on injured reserve (IR).