Getty Tom Kennedy playing with the Lions in a 2022 game.
The Detroit Lions played their first preseason game of 2022, and while the 27-23 defeat against the Atlanta Falcons stung, there was still plenty to be gleaned from the performance.
A number of players stepped up, while others left a little bit to be desired while on the field during the game. As a result of this, the roster stock report has changed drastically after the first game.
How do things look now? Here’s an idea of where some key figures stand after Week 1 is now in the books.
Stock up: Wide Receiver Tom Kennedy
Coming out of training camp, Tom Kennedy’s stock may never have been sagging, but it’s been easy to overlook the wideout with others on the roster. That might not be the case any longer after his monster night.
Kennedy put up 104 yards against Atlanta, and was easily the most reliable of the Detroit wideouts down the depth chart. He might not generate the hype of others, but his night was so good it’s worth another look:
Check out all of Tom Kennedy’s catches against Atlanta 🙌
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After a nice finish to 2021, Kennedy looks like a serious threat to make the roster and perhaps even see a key role within the offense as a possession receiver. He’s a throwback to Danny Amendola.
Stock Down: Quarterback Tim Boyle
It was David Blough who made the most critical error of the night dropping a snap late in the fourth quarter, but ignoring that one random gaffe, Blough brought more to the game than Tim Boyle did.
Pump fake! 😳 @David_Blough10
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Boyle himself had another bad interception, and while he did look more confident, Blough simply seemed to have the “it” factor in terms of leading and being able to move his team down the field. Boyle may have came into the game ahead in terms of second-team reps, but moving forward, this should be a much closer fight at backup quarterback.
Stock up: Linebacker Jarrad Davis
Once upon a time, Jarrad Davis was a top pick playing with the first-team during the preseason. Now, that’s changed, as he was playing in the second-half of the first preseason game on Friday night.
Never mind the semantics, though. Davis was all over the field making his presence felt at linebacker, both with regards to the run as well as the pass. It seems as if Davis is a wily veteran now, and should make the team to continue to impact the defense. He looked good upon his return engagement for the Lions.
Stock Down: Wide Receiver Kalil Pimpleton
The wide receiver room is crowded, and given some of the plays he has made in camp, the hope was for Kalil Pimpleton to make a few bigger plays during the game. That didn’t happen, and Pimpleton only put together a 3 catch, 15 yard performance.
It might be short-sighted to proclaim that Pimpleton lost a step in the wideout battle so soon, but with the resurgence of Kennedy and depth elsewhere in the form of Trinity Benson and the injured Quintez Cephus, big games are needed. Pimpleton will need a solid Week 2 to redeem himself.
Stock up: Defensive Lineman John Cominsky
The Detroit defensive line is looking to form a rotation, and John Cominsky made a convincing case for himself while playing out the string late in the game.
Cominsky had a great third down run stop and showed the kind of passion and intelligence the Lions will want out of a lineman deep down their depth chart. If the team is looking for situational subs, Cominsky could be an interesting player to remember. After a big 2 tackle debut, he has to be considered firmly in the mix to steal a role given his NFL experience.