​ALLEN PARK, MICHIGAN – JULY 29: Jabari Small #26 of the Detroit Lions look on during Detroit Lions Training Camp at Detroit Lions Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Detroit Lions dropped their initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season—see it here—and there were plenty of big surprises in their choices. Now, the Lions are likely to make some tweaks over the next 48 hours, so it’s important not to overreact until they truly settle on a Week 1 roster.But here are 6 shocking decisions the Lions front office made with this initial roster.Five running backsA few weeks ago, Dan Campbell noted that the RB4 competition between Jacob Saylors and Jabari Small was neck-and-neck. However, since then, it’s been almost all Saylors. He finished the preseason with more scrimmage yards than any other player in the NFL, while Small failed to stay on the field. Small missed the first preseason game with an injury, left Game 2 with a concussion, and left Game 3 with another injury.Yet the Lions liked enough of what they saw in Small to give him a coveted roster spot. That is perhaps the most shocking decision of all.Four receivers and no punt returners? Not far behind was Detroit’s decision to only keep four receivers. While everyone had Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, and Tay Martin on their 53-man roster predictions, a fifth almost seemed necessary and certain. Greg Dortch is a trusted veteran who looked great as a punt returner all August and had experience with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. When it was revealed that Dortch was being released, it was certainly Tom Kennedy who won the spot, right? Nope, he was released in the final cuts as well.So…. what is the Lions’ plan at punt returner? Just a few weeks ago, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said the competition was between Dortch and Kennedy. So, either one (or both) is coming back to the practice squad (or 53-man roster), or some unknown player on the roster will step up. But in all honesty, I don’t have the faintest of clues who on the current roster could take over those duties.Meeks over ConklinNot many questioned whether Tyler Conklin’s spot on the roster was in jeopardy. He frequently repped ahead of Jackson Meeks, and looked just fine in his role as TE3 behind Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright. For as many two- and three-tight end formations the Lions are expected to use, having an experienced veteran like Conklin seemed like a no-brainer—especially after the struggles they went through last year when LaPorta and Wright went down with injuries.And while many of us had Meeks on the roster as TE4, trusting him as the team’s TE3 is a risky move for a player who is still learning the nuances of the position. That said, Meeks earned it on special teams, and that’s where his initial role will be. One final thing to keep in mind: as a vested veteran, Conklin’s salary would have