By Sunday 
The Detroit Lions have built something special. From lovable underdogs to legitimate contenders, Dan Campbell’s squad has clawed its way into NFL relevance with grit, smart drafting, and a locker room full of fighters. But as the 2025 season nears, reality sets in: even on a great roster, not everyone sticks.
With a deeper-than-ever squad and minicamp in the rearview, a few Lions find themselves on shaky ground. Let’s break down three players who might not make it to training camp, let alone the final 53.
1. Ronnie Bell: Crowded Out in the Receiver Room
Ronnie Bell has done everything you’d expect from a guy fighting for a spot. Hard work, quiet grind, showing up early, staying late. But sometimes, hard work meets a numbers game you just can’t beat.
The Lions made waves this offseason by trading up for Isaac TeSlaa in the third round—then added Dominic Lovett for extra depth. Combine that with stars like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and special teams weapon Kalif Raymond, and the math isn’t in Bell’s favor.
Bell will be fighting alongside camp warriors like Tom Kennedy and Jackson Meeks—guys who’ve made preseason highlight reels their brand. It’s a battle, and Bell may be on the outside looking in.
2. DaRon Gilbert: A Linebacker in Limbo
The Lions linebacker corps is stacked, plain and simple.
Between Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, and Malcolm Rodriguez (working back from an ACL tear), there’s already a firm hierarchy. DaRon Gilbert, unfortunately, sits near the bottom.
With guys like Grant Stuard, Ezekiel Turner, and Anthony Pittman bringing more NFL reps and special teams prowess to the table, Gilbert has a mountain to climb—and not much time to climb it. He may hang around into camp for depth, but it feels like a temporary stay.
3. Brodric Martin: The End of an Experiment?
Brodric Martin was a gamble in the 2023 draft—a big man with upside and raw potential. The Lions even traded up for him, so expectations were baked in. But in two seasons, Martin’s impact has been minimal: five games played, four tackles, and more questions than answers.
Now? The Lions D-line is absolutely loaded. Alim McNeill, D.J. Reader, first-rounder Tyleik Williams, Roy Lopez, and Mekhi Wingo are all ahead of Martin on the depth chart. That’s six guys. It doesn’t leave much room for a developmental project who hasn’t developed.
The writing’s on the wall. Martin could be cut before camp, or stashed on the practice squad. Either way, the experiment seems all but over.
It’s Business—Brutal, Cold, and Real
The Lions are contenders, and contenders don’t carry passengers. As Detroit pushes to finally get over the Super Bowl hump, the front office will make hard cuts. These three guys may not be in Honolulu blue much longer—not because they didn’t work, but because that’s the NFL.