Skyler Gill-Howard arrived at Detroit Lions training camp as a sixth-round rookie competing for a roster spot in one of the team’s deepest position groups. After a strong preseason, however, the defensive tackle may have become too valuable for Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes to risk losing.
Gill-Howard delivered another impressive performance in Detroit’s 25-16 preseason win over the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, finishing with two tackles, one sack and two quarterback hits. Once again, he created disruption from the interior of the Lions’ defensive line.
One strong game does not guarantee an NFL roster spot, but a month of consistently making himself harder to ignore can significantly change the equation.
Gill-Howard Finished the Preseason Strong
The play that likely stood out most to Detroit’s coaching staff came on third down. Gill-Howard worked into the backfield and brought down Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson for a five-yard loss, ending Indianapolis’ possession and getting the Lions’ defense off the field.
It was officially Gill-Howard’s first sack of the preseason, but it was not an isolated flash from an otherwise quiet player. He had steadily generated pressure throughout August, including two quarterback hits in Detroit’s preseason opener against Cincinnati.
That performance prompted Campbell to single him out afterward.
“He’s another one of these players for a young guy who is very conscientious and he has a serious approach about him. You don’t have to tell him something five times. You tell him once and he’s got it and he locks in,” Campbell said.
That is meaningful praise for any rookie. For a sixth-round defensive tackle competing for one of Detroit’s final roster spots, it carries even greater weight.
Why the Lions Like Gill-Howard
Gill-Howard is not a typical NFL defensive tackle physically. At approximately 6 feet and 280 pounds, he is smaller than many interior defensive linemen. Detroit knew that when it selected him 205th overall out of Texas Tech.
The Lions also knew which traits made him intriguing: quickness, leverage, physicality and relentless effort.
Campbell has repeatedly highlighted those qualities. After Gill-Howard generated more pressure against Washington, the Lions coach offered perhaps his clearest explanation of why the rookie has continued to rise.
“Sun Bleach just continues to make plays. He does it at practice. You can feel him out there, you know, and he just is relentless. He plays snap to whistle, and he’s all out. And he’s got to be right, you know he does, because he’s not a huge guy. But he knows who he is and he knows how he has to play. He plays with high effort, and he’s crafty, man. He’s explosive and he’s violent,” Campbell said.
Campbell acknowledged Gill-Howard’s size limitation while explaining how the rookie compensates for it. The description sounds less like a developmental project and more like an evaluation of a player the coaching staff believes can contribute immediately.
Detroit’s Defensive Line Competition Is Tight
The Lions already had one of the toughest roster battles on the team along the defensive line. Gill-Howard’s performance in the preseason finale only made the final decisions more difficult.
Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams, D.J. Wonnum and Derrick Moore appear to be roster locks. Tyler Lacy has played an important role, while Ahmed Hassanein has also put together an impressive summer.
That leaves Gill-Howard competing with Chris Smith, Levi Onwuzurike, Mekhi Wingo, Ben Stille, Eric O’Neill and others for the remaining spots. There is no painless way for Detroit to resolve the competition.
Gill-Howard’s progress has not been limited to preseason games. He received increased first-team work late in training camp, an important signal given where he began the summer. Coaches do not typically move sixth-round rookies up the depth chart by accident.
Detroit’s final 53-man roster projections entering the preseason finale already included Gill-Howard. His performance against Indianapolis only strengthened the argument for keeping him.
Gill-Howard’s Unusual Path to Detroit
Gill-Howard took an unconventional route to the Lions. He began his college career at Division II Upper Iowa before transferring to Northern Illinois. His opportunity at the FBS level required him to change positions and move to defensive tackle after previously playing linebacker.
He eventually became a team captain at Northern Illinois before transferring to Texas Tech for his final college season. Gill-Howard has therefore played defensive line for only a handful of years.
That background matters when evaluating his potential. He entered Detroit as a 23-year-old rookie who was still relatively new to the position, yet he has already produced consistent disruption against NFL competition.
The Lions may be evaluating not only what Gill-Howard is now, but also what he could become with another year or two of development.
The Lions Face Difficult Roster Math
Gill-Howard’s emergence does not give Detroit an easy decision. It makes the roster math even more challenging.
The Lions could realistically keep nine or even 10 defensive linemen, depending on how they classify players capable of lining up at multiple positions. But every additional defensive lineman would likely mean one fewer receiver, cornerback, linebacker or offensive lineman.
That is the difference between identifying the best 53 players and constructing the most balanced roster.
Even so, Gill-Howard offers the traits coaches want from a player near the bottom of the depth chart. He can rush from the interior, disrupt running plays and continue working after his initial move fails. He repeatedly created negative plays throughout August.
There is also a risk that Detroit could lose him on waivers. Gill-Howard is young, inexpensive and under team control, making him the type of developmental defensive lineman another organization could claim rather than allow the Lions to place him on the practice squad.
That possibility must factor into Holmes’ final decision.
Gill-Howard Made the Decision Difficult
Players on the roster bubble do not control how many defensive tackles a team keeps or which injuries force the front office to protect another position. They can only make the decision more difficult.
Gill-Howard did exactly that. He flashed against Cincinnati, created more disruption against Washington and ended the preseason with a sack and two quarterback hits against Indianapolis.
The Lions selected him 205th overall four months ago, but by the time Detroit finalizes its roster, draft position may matter far less than the film.
Gill-Howard spent the past month giving the Lions more reasons to keep evaluating him. At some point, a roster-bubble player stops merely trying to win a job and starts forcing the organization to explain why it would let him go.
Gill-Howard may have reached that point.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
