6 immediate reactions to Detroit Lions' 52, yes, 52-man roster

Allen Park — There are always a handful of surprises when it comes to the setting of the initial 53-man roster. It’s no different for the Detroit Lions this year, including the fact the roster is one shy of the limit.

I note that fact acknowledging the curious void could be filled minutes after this analysis publishes, and almost certainly no later than a few days. But beyond that to-be-determined addition, there’s plenty to talk about, so let’s get to it.

Fewer QBs than expected

The first surprise of the day came hours before the 4 p.m. cutdown deadline, when the NFL Network reported Nate Sudfeld was being released.

This might seem like an attempt to massage the roster, with Sudfeld returning to the 53-man roster in a day or two after some procedural adjustments, but given the way the NFL Network regurgitates whatever agents tell them, it feels like that information would have been attached to the announcement.

Look, I’ll readily acknowledge many readers are on board with this move. I, too, believe it’s OK to go with only two quarterbacks when you have a reliable, durable veteran starter. But there was never a hint that Lions didn’t consider Sudfeld the safer option to back up Jared Goff over the still-developing Hendon Hooker, including pretty clear comments from coach Dan Campbell on Monday.