Nick Whiteside was one of the brightest spots of training camp for the Detroit Lions. Earlier in camp, he was arguably shining brighter than any other defender on the roster, consistently getting praise from coaches, including Dan Campbell. He was seemingly making big plays in every practice session. By the end of camp, Whiteside was widely seen as a near-lock to make the 53-man roster.
This made sense, given the state of Detroit's secondary. The Lions didn't replace Terrion Arnold following his departure. They just trusted the depth and quality they already had on the roster. Whiteside's emergence was seen as a big reason why they felt confident with the pieces they already had.
Nick Whiteside's rise wasn't enough to earn him a 53-man roster spot
Whiteside was even getting reps at safety over the last week. Since Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are going to miss the first four games of the season, the Lions have been looking for alternatives. They turned to Whiteside to see if they can establish himself as an alternative there.
At the time, this was seen as evidence that Whiteside would make the roster. The coaching staff was just trying to see where else he could contribute. It turns out that wasn't the case, and Whiteside hadn't done enough to convince the coaches. On Sunday, the Lions released the 26-year-old cornerback as part of the roster cuts.
Formerly undrafted players like Whiteside tend to have a higher burden of proof. They have to do a lot more than their colleagues with a higher profile to prove their worth.
It looks like the last two preseason games for Whiteside were enough to tank his momentum and chances of making the roster. Against the Commanders, Whiteside struggled in coverage, allowing three catches on three targets for a total of 69 yards. On Pro Football Focus, his performance in the preseason finale against the Colts was even worse, receiving a 49.0 defensive grade.
This has been a similar trend for Whiteside. He had a lot of positive moments in last year's training camp and preseason, but failed to make the roster. When he had his big break against Tampa Bay in Week 7, he was one of the best players on the field for the Lions. Yet, this wasn't enough to earn him a permanent role in the rotation.
The Lions would presumably love to get Whiteside back on the practice squad like they did last year. Whether he would clear waivers this time around, however, remains to be seen. He would certainly be a great emergency backup to have on the practice squad, especially considering the question marks surrounding the Lions' defensive backfield. Unfortunately, he will have to wait a little longer before getting a spot on the active roster.
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