Detroit Lions

The return of WLB DeAndre Levy and RB Ameer Abdullah should provide a needed dose of experience and playmaking.

Arguably Detroit’s most important defender, Levy was limited to 18 snaps in a lost 2015 campaign because of a hip injury. Coach

Jim Caldwell said it wasn’t a necessity to get Levy in the preseason, but he’ll likely need time to acclimate with a pair of new starters in MLB Tahir White

head and SLB Kyle Van Noy. It’s early, but Detroit’s 3.1 yards a carry through two preseason games is worse than its leagueworst 3.8 in 2015. Abdullah, the team’s most dynamic back, must show he’s over the ball-security issues that marred the early part of his rookie season.

Rookie watch: Fourth-round LB Antwione Williams is picking things up quickly, pacing the unit in tackles this preseason. … Third-round C Graham Glas

gow, now with the second string, is climbing the depth chart, but he was spotted in a walking boot Saturday. … Seventh-round RB

Dwayne Washington found the end zone out of the backfield one week after his explosive kick return for a score.

Noteworthy: Backup QB Dan Orlovsky has pick-sixes in each preseason contest. While his experience and rapport with Caldwell keep him as the frontrunner to back up Matthew

Stafford, Detroit could opt to keep three quarterbacks, including sixth-rounder Jake Rudock. … Darrin Walls, who started 16 games for the New York Jets from 2011 to 2014, appears to be a valuable insurance policy as the No. 4 corner behind young and unproven Nevin Lawson and Quandre Diggs.