The Lions kicked off the preseason Thursday night in Cincinnati with a 16-14 loss to the Bengals. While Cincinnati played quarterback Joe Burrow and most of their starters for two series, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell sat quarterback Jared Goff and most of his starters on both sides of the ball with the plan to play them some next week when the Lions host Washington at Ford Field.
It gave Detroit's reserves and depth players an opportunity to make a good impression, and there were several players who did just that.
Here's a look at five players in particular who stood out Thursday night:
1. Defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard
Gill-Howard has come on strong recently in practice and translating it to the preseason is huge for his chances to earn a roster spot and a role on this defensive front.
He may be a little undersized at 6-foot, 280 pounds, but he has a quick first step, can run and is stronger than you might think just looking at his frame.
"He's another one of these players for a young guy (who) is very conscientious and he has a serious approach about him," Campbell said of Gill-Howard after the game. "You don't have to tell him something five times. You tell him once and he's got it and he locks in."
Campbell said Gill-Howard has handled the dirty work inside really well for his size and he loved the play Thursday night when he chased down Bengals quarterback Josh Johnson on a 3rd & 5 play for a one-yard gain in the fourth quarter that forced a Bengals field goal.
Gill-Howard had just the one tackle, but he also had two quarterback hits. He did the inside work and gave teammates opportunities to make plays. He's come on the last week or so earning some first-team reps during training camp and it was a good start to the preseason for the rookie sixth-round pick.
2. Edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein
How about sacking Burrow on his first snap of the game. Not a bad way to start. Later, Hassanein beat the left tackle outside for a strip sack. He finished with two sacks, a forced fumble and four tackles in Thursday night's contest as he continues his impressive play in training camp.
His performance Thursday wasn't that surprising given the way he's played during the first 11 practices. Hassanein is all-out all the time, and that's making an impression on coaches and teammates. His move from rush edge to the big end has been a great fit for him, and he's carving out not just a roster spot but a role on gameday if he continues practicing and playing the way he has.
3. Running back Jacob Saylors
The third running back role behind Jahmyr Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco is Sione Vaki's to lose because of his impact on special teams. Can Saylors push Vaki for it? We'll see. But if the Lions keep four running backs on the initial 53-man roster, that looks like Saylors' to lose early on.
He was the bulk of the offense for Detroit in the first half against Cincinnati, racking up 55 rushing yards on just eight attempts for a 6.9-yard average per rush. He also caught three passes for 28 yards (9.3 average). Saylors runs tough with some explosiveness and has ability in the passing game too.
The fourth running back role must be a contributor on special teams, and Saylors has that in his game. This should be a fun contest to watch the rest of training camp and preseason.
4. Kicker Jake Bates
Bates is a gamer. Big moments. Big kicks. He's just shown a knack for it in his first two seasons, putting the ball through the goal post when needed most.
In rainy and wet conditions Thursday, Bates stepped up and nailed two field goals from 41 and 52 yards and added a late extra point try. He also made a touchdown-saving tackle on a kickoff return.
Bates saw his field goal percentage drop from 89.7 percent in 2024 to 79.4 percent in 2025, mostly because he went from six-for-eight from 50-plus yards in 2024 to four-for-nine from that same distance. Bates has been really good from 50-plus so far through camp and nailed his one attempt from that distance Thursday. Campbell has a ton of confidence in him heading into his third season.
5. Cornerback Keith Abney II
The rookie fifth-round pick is earning a reputation at training camp practice as a physical nickel cornerback who isn't afraid to put his head down in support of the run. He has also shown the ability to blitz and play behind the line of scrimmage.
That physical brand of football was on display Thursday with a suplex tackle against the Bengals, one of his team-leading five tackles on the evening. He also recovered a fumble at the Lions' 10-yard line to stop an early Cincinnati scoring threat.
It's going to be tough for Abney to supplant veterans like Roger McCreary and Christian Izien in the slot, but he's got some versatility to his game and is showing some playmaking prowess. That's a good sign for young secondary players, especially young nickel cornerbacks given it's such a demanding position to play in the NFL.
