A dozen Detroit Lions players who could merit expanded playing time in the season finale
Allen Park — The Detroit Lions have one more game remaining. With the possibility of the playoffs removed from the equation after the team’s Christmas Day loss to Minnesota, Sunday’s contest with the Chicago Bears might feel devoid of meaning.
Of course, those are outside sentiments, not necessarily shared inside the building. Obviously, there will be some established veterans thinking more about the offseason than the Bears. That's human nature. But most of the roster and coaching staff will put in a normal week of work, trying to squeeze out a little more development, find ways to improve, and hopefully get a win.
As competitors at the highest level, it’s how they’re wired.
Still, with the roster banged up, Sunday could offer a chance to get a look at some underutilized talent who have been champing at the bit for an opportunity.
Below are a dozen players we’d like to see get more snaps than they have to this point in the season.
Defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo
Wingo logged nearly 180 defensive snaps as a sixth-round draft pick a year ago, and he would have seen more playing time had he not suffered a season-ending knee injury in late November.
Wingo’s rehab from the meniscus issue lingered far longer than expected, into the back half of this year's training camp. He eventually debuted in Week 2 and played quite a bit in that victory over Chicago.
We haven’t seen him since. Initially, coaches framed the step back as giving Wingo extra time to get his legs under him, but after being a healthy scratch for months, it raises questions about the smaller-framed defender’s schematic fit.
Teammates have raved about Wingo’s intensity and disruptiveness in practice. Given his size, he won’t offer much against the run, but it would be good to see the Lions carve out a sub-package role to see what he can provide as a pass-rusher.
Offensive tackle Gio Manu
Manu made his first start against Cincinnati in Week 5 and promptly went on injured reserve after that contest, requiring surgery to repair an injured meniscus. He’s been practicing the past two weeks, and if he gets the green light from the medical team, it would be an excellent opportunity to get him a second start.