Detroit Lions' Preseason Goal: Find a Second String

Within a few hours of me posting this, the Lions will begin their preseason schedule, and thus the inevitable march towards the kickoff of the 2010 NFL season.

Everybody has a different idea of what preseason games mean to them, but the general consensus is “nothing,” almost to the point where it has become cliché.

While that’s true in a team sense — your team is most certainly not any better or worse based on preseason performance — saying that the preseason truly means “nothing” is a bit reductive.

The preseason is really about personnel evaluation. More than teams winning preseason games, it might be more appropriate to think of “winners” and “losers” in terms of individual player performance.

For the Detroit Lions, the best thing that could come out of Saturday’s preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is a clear distinction between a second team and the cut list.

Arguably, the Lions’ greatest weakness right now is lack of depth. Sure, it doesn’t seem like that big a deal at the beginning of the season, but when has any NFL team gotten through an entire season with no injuries, much less the Lions?

You don’t think about depth until you see Vinny Ciurciu run on the field for an injured DeAndre Levy, or Maurice Morris for Kevin Smith or Jahvid Best. And right now, if you’re anything like me, those scenarios make you more than a little uncomfortable.

That’s why this preseason is important. With a few exceptions, the Lions’ starters are all set. Beyond that, there is much in limbo.

The Lions’ roster is so full of question marks, it’s perfectly conceivable that a solid preseason game or two will make the difference between a player finding himself a play away from the field and that same player finding himself out of work.

Caleb Campbell, who has been the subject of a bit of buzz during training camp, is one such example. He’s considered a long shot to make the roster, and yet has been seen running with the second team defense at times in camp.

Will his preseason performance result in him being an invaluable backup, or an underdog story that fell just short?

Will undrafted rookie Randy Phillips continue to impress in game situations as he has in training camp?

Will Aaron Brown prove he still has value to the team now that they have a high-end version of him in Jahvid Best?

Is Derrick Williams a bust, or a viable project receiver capable of earning the fourth WR slot, OR even a decent kick returner?

These players are all walking a thin line between important backup player and newly acquired free agency.

So don’t watch the Lions’ preseason and think about the regular season. Don’t even fool yourself into believing that winning preseason carries a “winning attitude” or a “roll” into the regular season, because it’s not true. That’s why you’ll see somebody go for it on fourth-and-16 at their own 20-yard-line.

Instead, do what the coaches are doing.

Think about which of those bargain-bin guys out there you feel the most comfortable with jogging onto the field if the worst happens.