FalconBlog--Triumphs and Trials in the BGSU Falcon Nation

Lions Roster Predictions

The cuts are coming up, and I wanted to take a quick crack at what the 53 final roster slots will look like for our Lions. Competition is tougher this year, and some players will get cut who have played for us a lot over the last few years. Such is progress. We might even have a draft pick or two not slip through.

Here are the sure things, IMO:

(Offense: 22)

QB: Harrington, Garcia, Orlovsky
HB: Jones, Bryson, Pinner
FB: Schlessinger
WR: Williams R, Williams M, Johnson, Rogers, Drummond
TE: Pollard
T: Backus, Butler, Kosier, Rogers
G: DeMulling, Woody, Murphy
C: Raiola, Guitierrez

(Defense: 23)

E: Redding, DeVries, Hall, Edwards
T: Rogers, Cody, Wilkinson, Bell
LB: Davis, Holmes, Bailey, Lehman, Lewis, Curry, Rainier
CB: Bryant, Smith, Bly, Goodman, McQuarters
S: Holt, Fox, Kennedy

(Special teams: 3)

Hansen, Harris, Muhlbach

That's 48 players, with 5 spots open. Here are the 12 players on the bubble:

WR: Vines, Kircus
G: Loverne
C: Hopson
FB: Matthews, Paul Smith
TE: FitzSimmons and Randall
DE: Swancutt
LB: Goddard
CB: Cash, Wilson
S: Walker, McGraw

OK, so who stays and who goes.

At TE, I'm going to take a flyer. Here's why. Our red zone attack blows. Pollard isn't a blocking TE, and FitzSimmons is worse. We just don't need Casey in this set. So, we take Jason Randall, UDFA (1) as reserve TE.

I think we keep Swancutt (2) because its a need position and we can't afford not to give him a shot.

I think we take one DB, and I'm saying Wilson (3), again as a draftee.

We need a FB, and I think Mooch has man-love for Matthews (4), which will jilt Paul Smith, his former object of affection.

Final spot. I'm going to say David Loverne (5) in the line.

We don't need any more receivers, and Kircus and Vines are likely to slide through waivers to the practice squad anyway. Hopson is less versatile than Loverne. Bracy Walker is old, McGraw may not be healthy, and McQuarters provides depth at safety. The hardest decisions are Goddard and to a lesser extent Cash.

Here's the final roster.

Offense: 25)

QB: Harrington, Garcia, Orlovsky
HB: Jones, Bryson, Pinner
FB: Schlessinger, Matthews
WR: Williams R, Williams M, Johnson, Rogers, Drummond
TE: Pollard, Randall
T: Backus, Butler, Kosier, Rogers
G: DeMulling, Woody, Murphy, Loverne
C: Raiola, Guitierrez

(Defense: 25)

E: Redding, DeVries, Hall, Edwards, Swancutt
T: Rogers, Cody, Wilkinson, Bell
LB: Davis, Holmes, Bailey, Lehman, Lewis, Curry, Rainier
CB: Bryant, Smith, Bly, Goodman, McQuarters, Wilson
S: Holt, Fox, Kennedy

(Special teams: 3)

Hansen, Harris, Muhlbach