Detroit Lions who need a strong showing in preseason Week 1

The play their first preseason game on Thursday against the . The two teams have been and will now square off on the field to open the preseason.The Lions recently released their first and there were . Obviously, this depth chart is unofficial for a reason and nothing is set in stone.At the same time, though, some players would appear to be in trouble based on that depth chart.With the first preseason game on Thursday, players who have underperformed thus far have the perfect opportunity to right the ship. Lets identify five players on the roster who need to have a strong showing against the Giants.Lions who need to shine in Troy Brown Jr. Jersey preseason Week 1K Jake BatesComing into camp, Jake Bates had all the momentum in Detroit. The former UFL standout inked a two-year deal with the Lions and was noted for his ability . Things looked even better for Bates when veteran kicker Michael Badgley in July.Unfortunately, Bates has not lived up to expectations thus far. The former Michigan Panther has consistently mi sed kicks and recently had a practice where he connected on just . If Bates mi ses a kick or two in the preseason opener, expect the Lions to quickly add a veteran kicker.WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, Donovan Peoples-Jones appears to be quickly losing ground in the Lions wide receiver race. The former once appeared to be a shoo-in for a spot this season, but the receiver has failed to impre s this summer.On the first depth chart, Peoples-Jones is listed as a third-stringer behind the likes Jerian Grant Jersey of Daurice Fountain, Tom Kennedy, and Antoine Green. Head coach Dan Campbell also said out of the veteran.Peoples-Jones has previously been an effective returner, but hes listed as a backup to Kalif Raymond there, as well.The bottom of the wide receiver depth chart is far from set, but Fountain, Kennedy, and Green have been more impre sive than Peoples-Jones so far. A solid performance against the Giants would help DPJ get back in the running.QB Hendon HookerHendon Hooker would seemingly have all of the advantages in the race for the Lions backup quarterback job. Hooker is a former third-round pick who excelled in college for the Tenne see Volunteers and has more potential than the veteran Nate Sudfeld.Unfortunately for Hooker, injury kept him sidelined for his Garrison Mathews Jersey rookie season. This summer, Hooker is healthy, but he has failed to stand out for much of camp. Hooker has had flashes, but hes been consistently inconsistent. As a result, Sudfeld is currently listed ahead of Hooker on the depth chart.Its unlikely the Lions would give up on Hooker already, but the team is making it clear he . One strong preseason performance is exactly what Hooker needs.DT Brodric Martin Brodric Martin, like Hooker, was a third-round pick in 2023. Also like Hooker, Martin has disappointed this summer and could be in danger of not securing a role.Martin is listed as a third-stringer on the teams first depth chart behind veteran newcomer Kyle Peko, who even saw reps instead of Martin recently.However, Peko is a journeyman whos never been special, so Martin is far from buried. A great start to the preseason would get Martin right back in the thick of things Jeff Green Jersey for a depth role.Slot corner candidatesFor the final selection, were going with three separate players instead of just one. With the news of Emmanuel Moseleys injury, there is one le s competitor for the slot corner job.The candidates appear to be Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Amik Robertson, and Ifeatu Melifonwu. With Moseleys injury and Brian Branch po sibly being a full-time safety now, the job is wide open for someone to take over.Rakestraw, who has seen reps in the slot, had a slow start this offseason as the Lions eased him in during the offseason program, but he has come on strong in camp Thomas Bryant Jersey had three interceptions in practices last week.Dan Campbell has specifically pointed to Melifonwu as an option at the nickel, and Robertson has been getting reps there all offseason. A suming they all play, one of these guys needs to have a big start to the preseason to vault themselves above the competition.