Allen Park — When edge defender Eric O’Neill arrived in Detroit as an undrafted free agent in mid-May, he had no illusions about his chances of making the Lions’ roster.
Undersized, having played out of position his senior season at Rutgers — which subsequently cratered his production — O’Neill would have been more than satisfied showing he had enough potential to merit a spot on the practice squad.
His own perception of his roster odds hadn’t changed when he returned for the start of training camp in late July. They were zero when he left and zero when he returned. Two months later, O’Neill quips that coach Dan Campbell “probably didn't even know my name.”