The Detroit Lions are projected to be one of the best teams in the NFL this season and it creates some good problems to have. The Lions’ roster is loaded heading into OTAs with stars at the key position and enough depth that can help them account for injuries better than they did last season.
With the goal of reaching the Super Bowl within reach, cracking the Lions this season will be a challenge for even the most established veterans. That includes one Lion who became a favorite last season but had plenty of competition added this offseason. While he can still make the team, he faces an uphill battle and may not make it to July.
Returning Lion Pat O’Connor on the Roster Bubble During OTAs
The Lions weren’t expecting much when they signed Pat O’Connor in the early stages in last year’s training camp, but he exceeded his value over the course of the 2024 season. O’Connor had spent the previous six seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but saw most of his action on special teams. With 1,500 career snaps, O’Connor brought some experience and a standout performance with a 77.8 grade in 2022, but it was his versatility that earned him notoriety in the Lions locker room.
O’Connor is a defensive tackle by trade but expanded his game to play on the edge last season. While he spent 206 snaps as a defensive tackle, he also logged 29 as an edge rusher, making him a rotational player in Aaron Glenn’s defense. That came in handy when the Lions had 13 players wind up on season-ending injured reserve and O’Connor averaged 30.6 snaps over the final five games.
“The guys love him. I love him,” Former defensive line coach Terrell Williams said of O’Connor last November. “I mean, he works his butt off. He does a good job on special teams, but more than anything, the position flexibility. Like, he can play nose tackle, end – and you guys have heard me say that’s a big, big part because when you go to the games, you can only bring so many guys. So we’ve had our share of injuries, so when guys go down, it’s easy to just plug another guy in a spot, so that’s really what Pat brings for us.”
Those comments reveal why the Lions decided to re-sign O’Connor this offseason. But they also added plenty of competition along the defensive line. DJ Reader and Levi Onwuzurike are returning for another season and the Lions added Tyleik Williams with their first-round pick in April’s draft. Incoming free agent Roy Lopez, 2024 sixth-round pick Mekhi Wingo and 2023 third-round pick Brodric Martin are also ahead of O’Connor on the depth chart with Alim McNeil returning from a torn ACL at some point next season.
That’s a lot of bodies on the roster and at 31 years old, it might be hard for O’Connor to make the practice squad. That could leave the Lions to make some moves early and O’Connor could be one of the first names on the chopping block.