Detroit Lions Preseason: Week 4 Stock Report

The last preseason stock report is finally here.

The Detroit Lions will play honest-to-goodness consequence-riddled football this month. Heck, we're cruising toward a single-digit-day count.

But all that optimism comes with a heavy price for some. The first cutdowns have already gone down, and there are still more dreams that will at least be delayed soon.

That's the harsh reality of professional football. Every team and player can't be riding high when September comes calling. Click through to find out which way the wind is blowing for five particular Lions.

Up: RB Joique Bell

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Admit it. Despite Ameer Abdullah's explosive beginning and Zach Zenner's continued insistence on piling up yards and catches, you were starting to get nervous for Joique Bell.

He is, as head coach Jim Caldwell put it, this team's "bell cow," per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.

Caldwell later seemed like he was backpedaling when asked whether Bell or Abdullah would be the Week 1 starter. Or at least that's how people took the following, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press:

"

You know, obviously right now, he’s just getting back. We’ll see where he is. Nobody’s even said he’s going to be ready to go (Week 1), you know? He’s out there practicing. We’re trying to get him there, but, you know, there’s no guarantees at this point, so we’ll wait and see.

"

You must realize that he's actually discussing an injury here. That means Caldwell slips into "coach speak," an indecipherable language that uses a lot of words that carry zero meaning. This type of rhetoric is also the go-to when politicians are admitting something occurred without owning up to their participation.

The Lions love the Ferrari they picked up with a second-round pick, but it's not an everyday car. For that, Detroit will turn to its reliable, older model to handle the heavy lifting and eat up those miles.

Down: TE Joseph Fauria

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Actions speak much louder than anything a microphone may catch from a coach—especially when that action nets a 6'4" tight end who has averaged 5.5 scores per year.

The Lions shipped off Kyle Brindza—a legitimate professional kicker with no chance in Detroit—to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Timothy Wright, seemingly sending a message to Joseph Fauria about his job security.

It should be noted that Wright has now been traded by the offensively challenged Bucs twice in two years. He also saw his reception number drop from 54 to 26 with the New England Patriots.

However, Wright is a healthy red-zone target. While Fauria has proved to be an end-zone asset, he missed nine games in 2014, which trumps the total number of catches (six) he had on the year.

General manager Martin Mayhew used cryptic cadences the last time the team reportedly tried to pick up Wright in June. It could be gleaned that he didn't completely buy Fauria's dog urination explanation.

And this franchise puts a premium on character and accountability. Now that it might have found those two traits in another talented tight end, Fauria needs to prove his on- and off-field reliability to keep his current gig.

Up: DT Haloti Ngata

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

It wouldn't have mattered how much of training camp Haloti Ngata missed with his nagging injury. His spot was secure.

What wasn't secure, however, was whether he'd take the field in San Diego for the season opener. And those odds have taken a huge jump in Detroit's favor.

The five-time All-Pro defensive tackle took to the practice field with gusto this week, as the Detroit Free Press' Monarrez reported, knocking defensive end Darryl Tapp to the ground during drills. Ngata was only allowed to participate on a limited basis, but that's more than anyone has seen from him in awhile.

Detroit couldn't afford for his injury to linger much longer. Caraun Reid's status is still unknown for Week 1 because of an ankle sprain, meaning rookie Gabe Wright was slotted to start with Tyrunn Walker. Obviously, Ngata kicks everyone down a notch, as well as lowering defensive coordinator Teryl Austin's blood pressure.

Down: WR T.J. Jones

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

T.J. Jones was always facing an uphill battle.

The second-year receiver from Notre Dame injured his shoulder shortly after being drafted in 2014, which cost him his entire rookie year. While he was able to benefit from exposure to the playbook, it's not the same as running the routes and completing the reps.

So with a number of receivers bunched up near the bottom of Detroit's receiving chart, Jones needed to stand out quickly. Unfortunately, there weren't enough sparks to start a fire.

He was an aggressive return man in the preseason opener but has been quiet ever since. Plus, only the most ardent of fans would remember his offensive contribution (three catches).

Throw in the fact that he only saw seven snaps in last week's dress rehearsal, per Pro Football Focus, and you probably have a player being hidden away so he'll clear waivers. The staff wants to stash him on the practice squad, and the endeavor will likely succeed.

Up: LB Brandon Copeland

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

Quarterback Kellen Moore survived the first round of cuts and will presumably be given a lot of work in the last preseason game. He needs a strong performance to convince the team to carry three quarterbacks.

That spot could be used for Zach Zenner if the team wants to keep George Winn too. They both bring something to the table, although a fifth running back who only contributes on special teams seems excessive.

That's why Brandon Copeland could outlast the roster bubble. He took advantage of his 28 snaps against the Jacksonville Jaguars, racking up two quarterback hurries and two defensive stops (rushing plays that constitute an offensive failure). And he's done well enough on coverage teams to warrant inclusion.

Special teams contributors can come from almost any position. Copeland might be able to provide some pass-rushing depth that could prove useful. The same can't be said for Winn.

All advanced stats, positional rankings and grades are courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist who has written about the Lions on multiple sites. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter about how wrong he is @BrandonAlisoglu.