The way the Detroit Lions used their personnel during the preseason opener against the New York Giants can be very telling as to where the roster currently stands. Starters were rested, and young players got a lot of playing time, but the amount of playing time—and when they came into the game—typically indicates what the coaching staff currently thinks of each player.
So let’s break down the snap counts from Friday night’s game and see what we can deduce from the performances.
Offense
Quarterbacks
Nate Sudfeld: 51 snaps (71% of snaps)
Adrian Martinez: 21 (29%)
Jared Goff: Did not play (DNP)
Teddy Bridgewater: DNP
Sudfeld essentially got three quarters of play on Friday, and while you may think Martinez outplayed him and could take over the QB3 battle behind Bridgewater, coach Dan Campbell thoroughly squashed that.