Detroit Lions injuries and offseason roster shuffles dominated the preseason storyline. Kenny Yeboah, Colby Sorsdal and Justin Herron were placed on injured reserve after the Falcons game, while Jabari Small was waived with an injury settlement. The Lions answered with veteran and prospect signings: Gunner Britton, Keaton Sutherland, Gunnar Oakes, and Deon Jackson joined the offensive line, tight end group, and backfield. Jackson is the second UFL back to land in Detroit this summer, following Jacob Saylors’ Lions-leaning performance against Atlanta. The club returns to practice Monday and has upcoming joint sessions with the Dolphins.

The dialogue around depth charts centers on Sorsdal filling a backup guard/tackle role, Ratledge stepping in after the injury, and the No. 3 tight end competition between Yeboah and Shane Zylstra, who logged limited targets in the Falcons tilt. Preseason production from Jabari Small offered marginal yardage, while Deon Jackson’s UFL resume adds intrigue for an RB rotation behind the top backs.

As the team navigates August plans, Detroit’s practice cadence and cross-team workouts with Miami will be pivotal for evaluating depth at RB and TE, while the IR designations set a clearer path for personnel evaluation as the regular season approaches.