John MaakaronAug 26, 2026
Maakaron suggests several Lions players could be cut and land on other rosters: linebacker Joe Bachie, defensive linemen Ben Stille and Chris Smith, and running back Sione Vaki.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What John Maakaron said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromA few players that could find landing spots elsewhere include lineback Joe Bachie, defensive lineman Ben Stille, defensive lineman Chris Smith and running back Sione Vaki.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Detroit Lions Expect to Cut Players Who Will Help Other NFL Teams
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 26
- GradedSep 23–Oct 27
- 1Chris Smith to move to Detroit Lions“A few players that could find landing spots elsewhere include lineback Joe Bachie, defensive lineman Ben Stille, defensive lineman Chris Smith and running back Sione Vaki.”
- 2Joe Bachie to move to Detroit Lions“A few players that could find landing spots elsewhere include lineback Joe Bachie, defensive lineman Ben Stille, defensive lineman Chris Smith and running back Sione Vaki.”
- 3Sione Vaki to move to Detroit Lions“A few players that could find landing spots elsewhere include lineback Joe Bachie, defensive lineman Ben Stille, defensive lineman Chris Smith and running back Sione Vaki.”
- 4Ben Stille to move to Detroit Lions“A few players that could find landing spots elsewhere include lineback Joe Bachie, defensive lineman Ben Stille, defensive lineman Chris Smith and running back Sione Vaki.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Smith to move to Detroit Lions1 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | 100 | 0 | +200 | |
| Joe Bachie to move to Detroit Lions2 | Trade and Signing Calls | Ended up with DET | 100 | 0 | +200 | |
| Sione Vaki to move to Detroit Lions3 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Ben Stille to move to Detroit Lions4 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 2 hits · 2 waiting | 100 | 0 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive4 checkable claims — 4 trade and signing calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
2 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Trade and Signing CallsChris SmithDetroit Lions
Chris Smith to move to Detroit Lions
VerdictHit100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×2difficulty=+200skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Chris Smith
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he leaves
- was with:
- DET
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- reported:
- released (from DET)
- settled by:
- a confirmed report from the crawl (reported outcomes)
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he stays where he is
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
2Trade and Signing CallsJoe BachieDetroit Lions
Joe Bachie to move to Detroit Lions
What happenedEnded up with DETcalled DET100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×2difficulty=+200skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Joe Bachie
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- DET
- was with:
- IND/TEN
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he stays where he is
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- ended up with:
- DET
- weeks left when called:
- 18
3Trade and Signing CallsSione VakiDetroit Lions
Sione Vaki to move to Detroit Lions
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Trade and Signing CallsBen StilleDetroit Lions
Ben Stille to move to Detroit Lions
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 2 settled calls, each counted once
100naive 0
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Christian Booher · Roster Spot Calls · Anthony Lucas · Miss 0
Booher previews the Lions' Week 9 trip to Miami, predicting Derrick Barnes takes over as the green-dot linebacker in Jack Campbell's absence, Juice Scruggs starts at center, and boldly forecasting Detroit's first defensive touchdown of the season on an Aidan Hutchinson strip-sack recovered and returned by Barnes.Evan “Foxy” Fox · Score Predictions · Detroit Lions · Close 67
Foxy predicted a blowout Lions win over the Dolphins by a score of 45-21.Chris Simms · Score Predictions · Detroit Lions · Hit 100
Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game.Nick Wright · Game Outcome Picks · Detroit Lions · Hit 100
Wright made several outright game calls for Week 9 alongside their spread picks: Kansas City beating the Jets 31-20, Detroit winning at Miami, New England edging Green Bay by a field goal or so, Carolina winning outright over Denver, and Houston blowing out the Chargers 27-12.Richard Sherman · Score Predictions · Detroit Lions · Hit 81
Sherman ranked the 49ers first in their Week 9 top five ahead of Buffalo, Chicago, Jacksonville and Denver, picked every Week 9 game with scores, and gave midseason award picks headlined by Brock Purdy for MVP and Kyle Shanahan for Coach of the Year.
More trade and signing calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.Patricia Traina · Trade and Signing Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery.Michael David Smith · Trade and Signing Calls · Keenan Allen · Hit 100
Smith suggests the Colts are likely to grant Josh Downs' trade request given their contract situation and their recent sell-off, and that they could also try to trade Keenan Allen.