Head coach Dan Campbell wasn’t shy about which position groups will be the hardest to cut for the Detroit Lions this weekend. Campbell told reporters this week the defensive line room might be the hardest to narrow down when the roster gets trimmed. That’s because of the tremendous depth the team has built along the defensive line this year.
Since early August, that depth has included journeyman defensive lineman Ben Stille. He is far from a household name, and the Lions don’t have the same invested in Stille as other high-profiled defensive line free agents and draft picks.
But Campbell appeared to suggest Stille is very much in the mix to be part of the Lions this fall.
“He’s a pro, smart, really smart. He’s got versatility, strong, very strong. He can shed blocks, shock, shed, make plays, kind of knows himself, knows what he is, knows his own limitations and can play fast enough to cover up for some of those,” Campbell said to the media Tuesday. “But that’s what’s the intrigue with him is the versatility, man. He can play some big end we think, he can play the nose certainly, and then three if you needed it.
“So the more you can do and the more that you can prove you can do, that is always going to help your case.”
The Lions signed Stille on August 7. He will have one final preseason contest to push toward a roster spot before Sunday’s deadline.
Lions’ Dan Campbell Compares Stille to John Cominsky
GettyDetroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell addressed Ben Stille days before the team is set to trim its roster to 53 players.
Early in Campbell’s tenure, the Lions found a quality depth defensive lineman in John Cominsky in free agency. Cominsky was a fourth-round defensive end who never flourished in three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
Cominsky started 11 games during the Lions first NFC North title campaign in 2023. He didn’t fill the stat sheet with sacks and tackles for loss, but he contributed and did a lot of quality things to help Detroit’s defense allow the second-fewest rushing yards in the league.
In Stille, have the Lions found the next Cominsky? Campbell compared the two defensive linemen Tuesday.
“[Stille is] more suited inside out, Commish was a little more three big end that could swing on some other things,” Campbell said. “But the versatility is real, we feel like when you just kind of watch it and what they’re able to do.
“I think that’s a fair comparison of the versatility.”
After started 11 games in 2023, Cominsky suffered a season-ending injury in August 2024. He then retired from the league the following spring.
Stille has followed a similar but different path during his NFL career. He was an undrafted free agent in 2022. Over his first four seasons, Stille played for four different teams.
In 2025, Stille finished the campaign on the Falcons practice squad. Over 18 career games, he’s posted 17 combined tackles and two sacks.
Lions Defensive Line Depth Entering Preseason Finale
GettyThe 2026 preseason finale could be pivotal for Detroit Lions roster hopeful Ben Stille.
In many ways, the Lions have been battling to find defensive linemen like Cominsky to support Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit appears to have a group to do that this fall and beyond.
During NFL free agency, the Lions added DJ Wonnum and Payton Turner. Then during the second round of the draft, they selected Derrick Moore.
Also in the draft, the Lions found defensive linemen Skyler Gill-Howard and Tyre West on Day 3. Gill-Howard has been particularly impressive during the preseason.
Undrafted rookies Eric O’Neill and Anthony Lucas have also shown flashes. The team still has defensive linemen Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams, Levi Onwuzurike and Mekhi Wingo as well.
In summary, Stille might not make the Lions because of the depth the team has along the defensive line. But if he plays well in the preseason finale, based on the high praise Campbell offered him, Stille could be a practice squad target early next week.
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