Fairley, Whitehead, Waddle Among Starters For Monday Night Game
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - The Detroit Lions released an updated depth chart Monday, revealing expected starters for the team's upcoming season opener on Monday Night Football.
Perhaps the most noteworthy inclusion in the top tier is defensive tackle Nick Fairley, whom the team demoted a few weeks ago because it wanted more consistency from him. In the offseason, the Lions declined to pick up Fairley's fifth-year option for the same reasons.
Fairley's weight has also been a topic of discussion since Lions general manager Martin Mayhew stated in the offseason that Fairley could stand to redistribute some of his bulk, and Fairley has admitted that his weight has fluctuated this offseason and preseason.
When the Lions placed Fairley on the second string, however, he reached out to his agent and asked him to find a chef.
"That's something that we've been having planned from even OTAs last year," Fairley said. "It's just I never really got along with it. I just felt like I could do it on my own, but I went to him afterward and I was like, 'Look, let's give it a shot. Let's give it a try.'"
Fairley said Monday he is now down to his ideal weight of 305.
"305, 310 - like I said, it depends on what I eat throughout the week," Fairley said. "If I go to fast food, I'm going to be 315. I go eat in the cafeteria, salad, salmon, baked chicken, stuff like that, I'm going to be 305."
C.J. Mosley had been starting at defensive tackle before Fairley took back the first spot on the depth chart.
Also starting for the Lions will be linebacker Tahir Whitehead, who burst onto the scene in Detroit's preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Whitehead looked dominant with three sacks amid 10 solo tackles in the game. He is currently listed ahead of rookie Kyle Van Noy, who is recovering from surgery to repair what many believe to be a sports hernia.
Whitehead played in 14 games in 2012 and in all 16 games in 2013, his biggest contributions coming on special teams. Whitehead said he will not let himself get too excited about getting the start in week one.
"It's always a numbers game - what position you need any given week due to injury or whatever," Whitehead said. "At the end of the day, it's all about performance, so if you go out there, you perform, you pretty much have your job for another week, and if not, then they're going to try to find someone else.
"I can't worry about that, and I don't worry about it," Whitehead continued. "That's what's helped me thus far. It's helped me in high school, it helped me in college - just focus on day-to-day and getting better."
The release of the depth chart revealed the resolution of another competitive battle - the one for the right tackle spot. LaAdrian Waddle, one year removed from a rookie season in which he started eight games, won the job over veteran Corey Hilliard. In 2013, Waddle took over for Hilliard midseason after Hilliard - who was originally second on the depth chart behind Jason Fox - suffered an injury.
Aside from the inclusions of Fairley, Whitehead and Waddle as starters, the rest of the first string looked as expected.
Offense
WR Golden Tate
LT Riley Reiff
LG Rob Sims
C Dominic Raiola
RG Larry Warford
RT LaAdrian Waddle
TE Brandon Pettigrew
WR Calvin Johnson
QB Matthew Stafford
RB Reggie Bush
FB Jed Collins
Defense
DE Ezekiel Ansah
DT Nick Fairley
DT Ndamukong Suh
DE Jason Jones
LB Tahir Whitehead
LB Stephen Tulloch
LB DeAndre Levy
CB Rashean Mathis
CB Darius Slay
S James Ihedigbo
S Glover Quin
