The Detroit Lions have gotten off to a disappointing start to the season. Their two wins have been against struggling teams with a combined 2-6 record, and they could barely get their offenses on the field.
While Drew Petzing's unit continues to do a good job, Kelvin Sheppard should be on thin ice. Head coach Dan Campbell still stands by his defensive coordinator, but that can all change with more terrible performances.
Considering that, and given that this team will inevitably have to make some moves unless they want to miss the playoffs again, someone will have to be the odd man out. Here are the three players who might be on the chopping block until the November 10 trade deadline.
3 Lions players who might be out of the team before the trade deadline
Christian Izien
Christian Izien was one of the main players responsible for the debacle against the Carolina Panthers. He just couldn't keep up with Tetairoa McMillan, and even in the few times he was actually where he was supposed to be, the Panthers' wideout still manhandled him.
With Brian Branch set to return at some point, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety is more than likely to ride the pine. And if the right trade opportunity comes knocking, they won't hesitate to pull the plug on him and put that roster spot to better use. He's been dreadful in coverage.
Tyler Conklin
Veteran tight end Tyler Conklin missed time in training camp and looked like a roster casualty. Thus far, he's played a grand total of 14 snaps, all on special teams, and he was a healthy scratch in the past couple of games.
Unless the Lions trade Sam LaPorta after failing to reach a contract extension, or there's a major string of injuries, it's hard to believe Conklin's role will be any different. He's stuck behind Brock Wright and even Jackson Meeks in the pecking order.
Rock Ya-Sin
The Lions pretty much singled out Rock Ya-Sin. Benching him didn't do much — or anything — to solve the team's defensive woes, but it showed they were far from satisfied with his shaky performances — as they should be.
This team desperately needs to trade for a starting-caliber cornerback, and even though D.J. Reed hasn't been much better, the team will likely stick with him as a starter for the remainder of the season. Even if they don't add anyone, it looks like they've already given up on Ya-Sin.
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