Lions' 2025 Week 12 Depth Chart

The Detroit Lions are looking for a big bounce back win in the first of three straight home games.

On Sunday, the Lions will host the New York Giants. After falling last week to the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit is hoping to regain its mojo against another NFC East opponent. They will be boosted by the returns of two defenders, including a starting cornerback who has been out for nearly two months.

Here's a look at the Lions' depth chart entering their Week 13 matchup against the Giants.

Quarterbacks

Starter: Jared Goff
Backup: Kyle Allen

Goff struggled last week, and the Lions will be counting on a return to form from the veteran on Sunday. He's operating behind a banged up offensive line, but if he can stay in a clean pocket he should be able to pick apart a struggling Giants secondary.

Running backs

Starter: Jahmyr Gibbs
Backup: David Montgomery
Reserves: Sione Vaki (Questionable, ankle), Craig Reynolds, Jacob Saylors

The Lions gave Gibbs the majority of the action last week, but at their best it's closer to an even split between he and Montgomery. It appears that Vaki and Saylors may have moved ahead of Reynolds as the veteran has been a scratch as of late.

Wide receivers

Starters: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond
Backups: Isaac TeSlaa (Questionable, oblique), Dominic Lovett

With Sam LaPorta on injured reserve, the Lions could call on TeSlaa to play more snaps. Last week, Detroit rarely deployed two tight end packages and as a result there were more snaps available for the rookie.

Tight end

Starter: Brock Wright (Questionable, ankle)
Backup: Ross Dwelly, Anthony Firkser (Practice squad elevation)
Out/Injured: Sam LaPorta (Injured reserve), Shane Zylstra (Injured reserve)

Detroit elevated Firkser to give them more depth at this position on game day. With LaPorta expected to be out for the remainder of the season, Wright will be called upon as the top option and counted on to be a safety blanket for Goff in key situations.

Offensive line

Starters: Taylor Decker (LT, Questionable, shoulder), Kayode Awosika (LG), Graham Glasgow (C, Questionable, knee), Tate Ratledge (RG, Questionable, knee), Penei Sewell (RT, Questionable, ankle)
Backups: Dan Skipper (OT, Questionable, back), Trystan Colon (C/G), Michael Niese (C/G)
Out/Injured: OG Christian Mahogany (Injured reserve), OT Giovanni Manu (Injured reserve), OG Miles Frazier (PUP), OT Jamarco Jones (Injured reserve), OG/OT Colby Sorsdal (Injured reserve)

Defensive line

Starters: DJ Reader (NT), Alim McNeill (3T)
Backups: Roy Lopez, Tyleik Williams
Reserves: Tyler Lacy, Quinton Jefferson, Mekhi Wingo
Out/Injured: Levi Onwuzurike (PUP)

The Lions have had a nice combination at the nose tackle position between Reader and Lopez, as both have been stout against the run. Williams had gone through a lull in playing time, but his snap count jumped significantly against the Eagles and could be establishing himself as a bigger piece of the rotation.

EDGE

Starters: Aidan Hutchinson, Al-Quadin Muhammad
Backup: Tyrus Wheat
Out/Injured: Josh Paschal (NFI), Marcus Davenport (Injured reserve)

Paschal and Davenport are both in the midst of their return to practice windows, so boosts to the pass-rush could be coming soon. However, it won't be this week and as a result the Lions will need to continue being creative with their depth.

Linebackers

Starters: Jack Campbell (MIKE), Alex Anzalone (WILL), Derrick Barnes (SAM)
Backups: Trevor Nowaske (SAM), Grant Stuard (WILL), Malcolm Rodriguez (WILL)
Injured: Zach Cunningham (Injured reserve), Ezekiel Turner (Injured reserve)

With Rodriguez returning to the active roster, the Lions parted ways with Ty Summers. Rodriguez will make his season debut, and it will be interesting to see how big of an impact he'll have on defense. Detroit hasn't deviated much from its starters, as they're all every down players, but perhaps Rodriguez is allotted some snaps on Sunday.

Cornerbacks

Starters: D.J. Reed, Amik Robertson
Backups: Rock Ya-Sin, Arthur Maulet, Khalil Dorsey
Reserve: Nick Whiteside
Out/Injured: Terrion Arnold (Concussion), Ennis Rakestraw (injured reserve)

For the first time since Week 4, Reed is expected to suit up on Sunday. This will be a big boost for a secondary that has gone without its top two starters for several weeks this season. Robertson could slide back inside, or the team could continue to roll with him on the outside and Maulet as the slot. Dorsey's return will give the team a big special teams boost.

Safeties

Starters: Brian Branch, Thomas Harper
Backups: Avonte Maddox, Daniel Thomas
Out/Injured: Kerby Joseph (Knee), Dan Jackson (Injured reserve)

Joseph will miss his fifth-straight game, meaning Harper will remain in the starting lineup in the secondary. Branch was limited in practice this week with a toe injury but does not have an injury designation.

Specialists

Kicker: Jake Bates
Punter: Jack Fox
Holder: Jack Fox
Long-snapper: Hogan Hatten
Kick returners: Sione Vaki, Jacob Saylors
Punt returner: Kalif Raymond