10 Players to Watch In Lions Preseason Opener

The Detroit Lions begin their 2025 season with the Hall of Fame Game Thursday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Many of the team's starters are not expected to play, and as a result the preseason opener will give fans their first chance to watch the team's depth players.

While the current roster will be whittled down to 53 players for the regular season, there should be several young players participating Thursday that are a part of the team's plans, both short-term and long-term.

Here are 10 players to watch when the Lions open the preseason Thursday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

WR Isaac TeSlaa

TeSlaa has popped early in camp with highlight reel catches and crisp route-running. His speed and frame projects well, and he has developed a nice connection with Hendon Hooker early in training camp. As a result, he could get plenty of targets in Thursday's game.

The Lions' latest 'Inside the Den' was revealing in that Campbell admitted the team sees an immediate role for the rookie. If TeSlaa wants to see extended snaps in the regular season, dominating in the preseason as a top option would go a long way. There's plenty of excitement surrounding his professional debut.

EDGE Ahmed Hassanein

Hassanein is another intriguing 2025 draft pick who should get plenty of snaps on Thursday coming off the edge. While he's still relatively new to football, his production as a pass-rusher at Boise State is hard to ignore.

The rookie has admittedly been a sponge throughout the early stage of camp and is willing and eager to learn. While it may not be a perfect debut as he's a developmental player, his first opportunity against NFL competition will provide the coaching staff and fan base a solid evaluation of where he's at and where he can grow early in his career.

QB Hendon Hooker

The preseason will be pivotal for Hooker, a third-year pro who is looking to prove he belongs as the backup behind Jared Goff. Last year, there were some ups and downs in the preseason, which was his first opportunity to get game action. According to Pat McAfee, Hooker will come off the bench with Kyle Allen to start.

Now, Hooker has strung together some solid performances in training camp as he continues to develop. The next step is consistency in moving the offense, and leading scoring drives on Thursday would go a long way toward generating confidence in him from the coaching staff.

LB Zach Cunningham

A veteran who at one point in his career led the NFL in tackles, Cunningham is looking to prove he can still produce at a high level at 30 years old. To this point in camp, he has shown a nuanced understanding of the defense and physicality as a run defender.

Cunningham has the necessary talent to contribute in certain packages for Detroit's defense. However, he'll need to show enough to force the Lions to choose him over potentially a younger and more intriguing option. With starters not expected to play, Cunningham could wind up being the defensive leader for his time on the field Thursday.

OL Giovanni Manu

The developmental project has his first game opportunity to show some growth on Thursday. After spending all of last season as a healthy scratch, he's been repping with the second-team offensive line throuhgout this year's camp.

Manu should play plenty on Thursday, which will provide a look at just how much he has grown since last season. This preseason will be a big opportunity for him, as good performances could lead to a spot in the game day rotation when the regular season starts.