The final few spots on the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster probably won't be decided by who catches the most passes or records the most tackles during the preseason.
They may be decided by Dave Fipp.
Detroit's special teams coordinator offered several revealing comments this week about how the Lions evaluate players near the bottom of the roster. With cutdown day approaching, Fipp's observations provide clues about the competitions at linebacker, running back and wide receiver, while also showing why some apparent roster bubble players may have more security than their offensive or defensive roles suggest.
Special teams isn't simply a tiebreaker for Detroit. For certain players, it's the reason they're on the roster at all.
Fipp's most important comment wasn't about one particular player. It was about how NFL roster construction has changed.

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