DETROIT — Without yet having the benefit of reviewing the film, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell left Saturday’s preseason loss to the Houston Texans rather unimpressed with most of the 52 players who saw snaps at Ford Field. Particularly, there was little “glaring in a positive manner, if you will,” from those not locked into spots on Detroit’s 53-man roster.
Local product Trevor Nowaske was an exception. The Canton native and former Saginaw Valley State standout was already trending positively, but he cemented his standing with a “pretty cerebral” performance at Mike (middle) linebacker. Nowaske is Detroit’s natural backup at Sam (strong side) linebacker, behind starter Derrick Barnes, but the Lions wanted to add more to his plate. The preseason was the perfect opportunity to see what he could handle.
Nowaske, who finished tied with safety Loren Strickland for a team-high nine tackles, passed the test. He also donned the green dot, serving as the liaison between coaches on the sideline and in the booth and his teammates on the field.
“I did think (Nowaske) played at a high level. You could see the physical(ity), but I thought, man, he was in it mentally — like, he was pretty locked in,” Campbell said. “Which, look, some of that is raw for him playing the stack-backer, and he was running the Mike, the middle linebacker, making the calls. And I just thought he played a pretty cerebral game, too, which is good to see. That means he’s growing and developing.”
Of the nine tackles (three solo) Nowaske was involved in, eight came on plays in which the offense gained 3 or fewer yards. He teamed up with edge defender Mitchell Agude for a tackle for loss in the second quarter, with Agude corralling Woody Marks before the running back could reach the edge, and Nowaske sifting through middle-of-the-field traffic to help bring him down.
Nowaske played 54 snaps on defense and eight on special teams. His larger-than-usual role in an off-ball capacity against the Texans should help him when he’s on the field as a Sam linebacker, a position that requires both coverage and pass-rush abilities.
“I feel good. … I know I’ve had a good camp, and I just wanted to close it out with a bang,” Nowaske said. “I feel like I did that, and I felt like there was some big plays out there. Obviously, we didn’t get the job done. But I definitely feel like, from an individual standpoint, I did all right.”
The Lions were hurt to lose Nowaske to the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the 2023 season, when they waived him in an unsuccessful attempt to sneak him through waivers and get him on the practice squad. They turned the tables last year, claiming him after the Cardinals moved on. Nowaske played a key role for the Lions last season, stepping in after Barnes’ injury in Week 3 and tallying 23 tackles and 17 pressures on 348 defensive snaps.
Don’t expect the Lions to risk losing him again.
“I think last year was a huge benefit to me. You have no choice but to go in there and do what you’re told. You do some good things, you do some bad things and you learn from it,” Nowaske said. “That’s the biggest thing. As long as you’re growing and progressing, that’s what Dan always preaches on, as long as you’re trending in the right direction. I feel like I’ve done that this camp. We’ll continue to go from here. I’m happy with how I played.”
Whiteside ‘grateful’ for opportunity
Cornerback Nick Whiteside, another player from the area (Auburn Hills Avondale) and a teammate of Nowaske’s at Saginaw Valley State, said it’s been a blessing to play for his hometown team. Whiteside hopes to stick around in Detroit, but with cutdown day looming (53-man rosters must be established by 4 p.m. Tuesday), nothing is guaranteed for the summer addition.
Whiteside was signed July 28 and rapidly scaled Detroit’s depth chart, taking advantage of some first-team reps available with Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (shoulder) done for the season and Terrion Arnold (hamstring) nursing an injury that he’s since returned from. Whiteside’s momentum seem to be slowed over the last two preseason games, though he still may have done enough to earn himself a spot, even if it’s on the practice squad.
“Wherever the chips land, just continue to get better, whether I’m here or somewhere else,” Whiteside said. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity to suit up and play for the home team, the team I grew up watching.”
An undrafted free agent who spent the 2023 season with the Washington Commanders before having to prove himself with the United Football League’s St. Louis Battlehawks last season, Whiteside said playing for the Lions and making plays against NFL competition “lets me know that I can play ball at the highest level, and I can compete.” He had multiple interceptions on the practice field in Allen Park, and he nearly came away with a takeaway against the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 8.
“Just get back to work, honestly,” Whiteside said, when asked what the next few days look like while he awaits a decision from the Lions. “The work doesn’t stop, regardless of what happens in my situation. God hasn’t brought me here this far just to leave me.”
A potential RB5
The Lions are set at running back, with Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Craig Reynolds and Sione Vaki. It’s the same four running backs they had on the active roster last season, though Jermar Jefferson, who spent 2024 on Detroit’s practice squad and was elevated for two games, is now with the Tennessee Titans.
Will the Lions carry a fifth running back on the practice squad in 2025? That’s a decision for Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, but Jacob Saylors is a name to watch for that role.
“Look, I’ve said this before, I kind of like Saylors, and I mean that in a good way,” Campbell said Saturday. “There’s something about him, he’s kind of a football player. He’s pretty crafty, pretty nifty. He’s got detail to what he does — the runs, the landmarks, the check downs. There’s something there, and we like him. It was good to see him go back in there and play a little bit. I think he’s a football player.”
Saylors, also a member of the UFL’s Battlehawks last season, finished the preseason with 112 rushing yards on 33 carries. He also caught seven of his nine targets for 52 yards, including three catches for 27 yards against the Texans on Saturday.