Detroit's preseason finale versus Cleveland Thursday night won't exactly be dripping with excitement.
Unless you're one of those players on the dreaded bubble, trying to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. In that case, the fourth game of the preseason looms large.
And the nerves will be real.
Here are five Lions to keep an eye on Thursday night, including three 2019 draft picks. Their fates likely hang in the balance.
Tom Savage, QB
Signed in the offseason, Savage seemed like a lock to be Matthew Stafford's backup. Then he suffered a concussion in the preseason opener. The Lions brought in Josh Johnson shortly thereafter. Savage returned to practice earlier this week and will get a chance to re-establish his claim to the job Thursday night. With a good performance, the job is probably his. Otherwise, the door is open for Johnson.
Travis Fulgham, WR
Here we go with the draft picks. The Lions had nine this year, and four in the final two rounds -- hence the uncertainty. Fulgham, the wide receiver from Old Dominion, has shown his talent, but only in spurts. He didn't help himself last week with a fumble on his lone reception versus the Bills. If he wants to make a push for the fifth receiver spot, which remains wide open, he needs a strong game against the Browns.
Isaac Nauta, TE
Nauta, a seventh-rounder, was in a tough position from the start. The Lions brought in a host of new tight ends this offseason after that position group flopped in 2018, and there may not be any room for the Georgia product after T.J. Hockenson, Jesse James and Logan Thomas. On top of the numbers crunch, Nauta hasn't played all that well in the preseason. Thursday night is his time to prove he was worth the pick.
P.J. Johnson, DL
The same numbers crunch applies to Johnson. The Lions are loaded on the defensive line, particularly on the interior. It's hard to see where Johnson, a seventh-rounder from Arizona, fits in the picture. Detroit likes his size and athleticism, no doubt. He fits what Matt Patricia is looking for. But Johnson hasn't really stood out since arriving, while other bubble players at his position have. Can he change that Thursday night?
Teez Tabor, CB
This might be the juiciest storyline Thursday night and into Saturday. Will the former second-round pick live to see a third season with the Lions? That seemed like a given just a month ago, when Tabor came into training camp pushing for a starting job. But then he went down with a leg injury that sidelined him until this week. His draft pedigree can only protect him for so long. It still feels like Tabor's on the right side of the bubble, but if he stumbles versus the Browns...look out.
