Allen Park — The Detroit Lions will play the team’s second of three preseason games when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars at Ford Field on Saturday. Because the two squads conducted a pair of joint practices this week, the Lions are expected to sit their projected starters once again, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons to tune in to the tune-up.
Here are five things we’ll be monitoring during Saturday’s game:
Teddy’s debut
OK, to be fair, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater playing in this contest is not a lock. But, his slowly growing role in practice throughout the week suggests he should at least see a series or two against the Jaguars.
The Lions have praised Bridgewater’s professionalism and ability to quickly learn a playbook, but he also brings an impressive physical skill set to the table. For example, not many will go out of their way to praise the veteran’s arm talent, but on his first throw in a Lions uniform, the ball came out with striking velocity, even catching his intended target on the play off guard.
Nate Sudfeld and Adrian Martinez will likely shoulder most of the load, and both are fighting for their NFL futures, whether that’s in Detroit or elsewhere. But, everyone wants to get eyes on Bridgewater, to witness the top-tier backup the Lions have added as insurance behind typically durable starter Jared Goff.
Encore! Encore!
Two of the most impressive performances from the preseason opener came courtesy of a pair of young defensive linemen, Julian Okwara and Levi Onwuzurike.
Both players, to different degrees, have been limited by injury through the early stages of their careers. Okwara, a fourth-round draft pick out of Notre Dame in 2020, has appeared in 29 of a possible 50 regular-season contests and never played more than 40% of the team’s defensive snaps in a season.
Okwara has flashed his potential, at times, most notably, with 5.0 sacks in his final appearances in 2021, but he’s struggled to establish any consistency. Coach Dan Campbell pointed to that as the key to the young edge rusher taking the next step. So far, so good, as Okwara responded with 3.0 sacks against the Giants.
Now, he must build on it. It’s a crowded room of edge-rushing talent in Detroit, and if Okwara turns around and delivers a dud, he’s at risk of being left off the roster.
As for Onwuzurike, he likely has a little longer leash. After a back injury plagued him his first two seasons, costing him the entire 2022 campaign, he appears to finally be healthy and ready to start delivering on the promise that made him a second-round draft selection.
Onwuzurike didn’t see a massive workload against the Giants, but he was productive in those 22 snaps. And he carried that over into the joint practices with the Jaguars, regularly disrupting the backfield while defending both the run and the pass.
The Lions are still looking for some more juice from their interior pass rush, particularly on early downs, and if Onwuzurike can help provide it, that would be a pleasant surprise.
Wide-open door
The Lions have a clear grasp on the top of their receiving depth chart, but there is a job or two at the back of the roster waiting to be claimed, with a couple of undrafted rookies looking to strengthen their case this weekend.
First, Dylan Drummond has been one of the most consistent players on the practice field this offseason, steadily getting better by the week, since earning a roster spot as a tryout player back in May. But 6-foot-3 Chase Cota is charging hard, stringing together some quality practices and delivering a team-high four receptions for 60 yards against the Giants last week.
And, as much as some Lions fans have already given up on the idea, Trinity Benson remains in that mix, as well. He’s been banged up much of this offseason, but he’s looked sharp when healthy and is expected to see significant playing time against Jacksonville.
Backfield battle
Speaking of getting healthy, running backs Craig Reynolds and Jermar Jefferson returned to practice this week, keeping their hopes afloat for the No. 3 spot in the backfield behind the lead tandem of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Reynolds entered the offseason as the favorite for the role, but the competition got a jolt when the Lions re-signed Justin Jackson. The situation changed again when Reynolds got bit by the injury bug and Jackson abruptly retired.
In our opinion, it’s still Reynolds’ job to lose, but Jefferson has flashed as a runner on the practice field and has made noticeable improvements on special teams. It’s worth noting, Campbell has said special teams will likely be the deciding factor in this competition.
That makes newcomer Benny Snell a compelling threat, given his role as a four-core special-teamer in Pittsburgh for much of the past four seasons. Devine Ozigbo, another recent addition, is also in the mix, after leading the Lions in carries against the Giants.
Tackle insurance
The Lions are also still trying to figure out another key backup job at offensive tackle. Matt Nelson is the incumbent, but he hardly inspired confidence when he gave up a quarterback hit that led to an interception on the first offensive snap last week.
To his credit, Nelson settled down and played decently the rest of the way, but the Lions are still exploring an alternative possibility, swapping veteran Germain Ifedi in at left tackle during practice this week, while shifting Nelson to the right side.
There’s no denying the value of Ifedi’s experience, having started 83 games in the past seven seasons. And the Lions already know what they have in Nelson, given he’s served as an injury replacement for the past two seasons. In particular, there were some incredibly rocky moments in 2021 while Taylor Decker was hurt. If Ifedi looks better in the next two weeks, it could lead to a change on the depth chart.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers