Detroit Lions Training Camp Report. (1 Viewer)

Lions expect to sign second-rounders

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

By Tom Kowalski

ALLEN PARK -- Tom Lewand, the Detroit Lions chief operating officer, doesn't do predictions. His negotiating history, though, would indicate the team will have its trio of second-round draft picks signed by the official start of training camp at 4 p.m. today.

The Lions signed fourth-round cornerback A.J. Davis to a deal on Tuesday, leaving four rookies unsigned: first-round wide receiver Calvin Johnson and second-rounders Drew Stanton (quarterback), Ikaika Alama-Francis (defensive end) and Gerald Alexander (safety).

"We've impressed upon all of them the importance of being in on time. All of those guys love football and they want to be here,'' Lewand said.

While the second-rounders are expected to sign at Wednesday, nothing is imminent with Johnson. Negotiations with most of the players at the top of the NFL's first round have gone slower than usual and there's almost nothing happening with the players selected before and after Johnson -- first overall pick JaMarcus Russell with the Oakland Raiders and Joe Thomas with the Cleveland Browns.

Lewand, though, is hopeful the Lions can get Johnson signed regardless of the status of talks with other rookies.

"I don't feel any need to wait on anybody else,'' Lewand said. "We have enough info to do a fair deal with Calvin. We'll work as diligently and aggressively as possible to get it done.''

Several veterans are likely to be put on the Physically Unable to Perform list going into camp, including running back Kevin Jones, who might face the longest stretch on the PUP list.

Jones is recovering from Lisfranc surgery on his left foot and while he's ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation, he's not ready to take part in full-contact team drills. Jones is running full speed in straight-line drills, but is still not confident doing drills that involve cutting, planting and shifting.

Other players who may go on the PUP list include defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (shoulder/knee), Alama-Francis (chest), left guard Edwin Mulitalo (triceps), tight end Dan Campbell (triceps), cornerback Dee McCann (knee) and running backs Brian Calhoun (knee) and Shawn Bryson (knee).

To go on the PUP list, it must be done before the first practice of camp. That player is allowed to go through individual drills with a trainer on the sideline, but cannot be part of team activities.

The team can shift that player from the list PUP to the active roster at any time, up to the final cutdown date. At that time, the team must make a decision to either activate the player or keep him on the PUP list, which means he'd miss the first six games of the regular season.

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After Kitna's 10-win prediction, expectations high for Lions

Thursday, July 26, 2007

By Tom Kowalski

ALLEN PARK -- As the Detroit Lions reported to training camp for the 2007 season on Wednesday, they did not shy away from the off-season prediction of quarterback Jon Kitna, who said the team would win at least 10 games this year.

"I told him that he added fuel to my fire,'' defensive tackle Cory Redding said.

"The expectations are high and we set a bar. When you set a bar, you've got to be secure in your feelings that you'll reach that level of expectation,'' said Lions head coach Rod Marinelli. "The biggest thing now is action and taking a step every day, and that's what camp is for. No excuses, no explanations.

"Sometimes when you undersell, there's a chance to have built-in excuses, and I'm not interested in that.''

The only person who didn't show up for camp was first-round draft pick Calvin Johnson, a wide receiver. The Lions signed their three second-round picks on Wednesday -- quarterback Drew Stanton, defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis and safety Gerald Alexander.

The Lions also restructured the contract of veteran guard Damien Woody, who had to take a significant pay cut from his scheduled salary of $4.5 million. They likely would have released Woody, who will struggle to win a starting job, if he didn't accept the restructured deal.

In addition, the Lions released defensive end Bill Swancutt.

As for Johnson, Marinelli said he's been encouraged by his discussions with Lions chief operating officer Tom Lewand.

"Talking to Tom, he feels it (contract) has a chance (to be completed) in the next three days,'' Marinelli said.

Marinelli also talked about a significant signing the Lions had a few weeks ago -- getting Cory Redding to agree to a seven-year, $49 million contract that includes $13 million in guaranteed money. Redding, who has played just a half-season at the position, became the highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL. But, Marinelli said he was worth it.

"The worst scenario? That he's not here. That's the worst scenario,'' Marinelli said. "I couldn't imagine going to camp without this guy and doing the things we're doing. The under tackle position is key. If you don't have the motor for that position, you don't have a chance. That thing is nonstop motor. He's got to be disruptive, he's got to create havoc.''

And it's not just Redding. Marinelli is counting on all of his defensive linemen to step up and produce.

"The defense is generated by the front because you've got to get a four-man pressure. The worst thing to have to do is blitz because you have to blitz. This system is about creating havoc upfront. Those ends have to come alive,'' said Marinelli, adding that he believes end Kalimba Edwards will finally come into his own. "He's got to. I'm putting the heat on. The saddle's on -- and I'm in the saddle.''

During last year's camp, his first as a head coach, Marinelli rode all the players hard and almost never pulled back on practicing them in full pads for both daily workouts.

That's going to change this season. The players will be in pads for the morning sessions, but only helmets and shoulder pads for afternoon workouts. There will even be times when Marinelli takes them out of helmets.

"This team has earned my trust. I'll be smart about it and there will be days we take the pads off. There won't be any rewards unless they're earned,'' said Marinelli, who believes he can get a lot of fundamental work done in camp while also keeping his team fresh.

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Blog: Impressions from the first day of camp

Posted by Tom Kowalski July 26, 2007 11:30AM

Impressions from the first day of training camp ...

# There are five players on the PUP list: Kevin Jones, Shaun Rogers, Shaun McDonald, Dan Campbell and Devale Ellis. Jones is expected to be on the list the longest and probably the only candidate to possibly miss the first six regular season games. Ellis could also be sidelined for awhile, but the other three could come back at any time.

Brian Calhoun did not practice this morning, but is expected to work out this afternoon.

There's no question Rogers looked overweight but, with apologizies to bishopdon, I don't think he looked terrible. Jones was also packing on a few extra pounds and, as I said a few days ago, that means he'll need a few extra weeks after his foot is completely healthy to get into football-playing shape.

# There were two roster moves: Marcus Robinson was placed on the injured reserve list and is lost of the year (I'm still trying to find out the exact reason). Also, Shawn Bryson was released because he failed the physical (knee).

# Damien Woody is back at the starting right guard position. He looks in pretty good shape and, in talking to him afterward, he's definitely serious about getting his reputation back.

# Casey FitzSimmons is playing a great deal at the fullback and flex positions.

# With Dan Campbell sidelined, Eric Beverly is the starting tight end. Sean McHugh also got a lot of work in the two-tight end sets.

# MLB Paris Lenon made an excellent play during team drills when he knocked away a pass from RB Tatum Bell who was coming out of the backfield and then tried to cut across the middle.

# There wasn't a great deal of hitting on the first day, but WLB Ernie Sims delivered a pretty good pop to WR Edell Shepherd.

# Dan Orlovsky took the No. 2 snaps at quarterback but Drew Stanton got some work, too. In an hour or two, I'll have more on Stanton's first day -- I thought it was pretty interesting.

# Stanley Wilson and Fernando Bryant lined up as the starting cornerbacks and Bryant made several good plays in coverage.

# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

# Apparently, offensive coordinator Mike Martz doesn't believe in easing into the first day of camp. The offense was running a ton of different plays utilizing an assortment of formations, shifts and motions. I couldn't see that anything was scaled back. More will be added as camp continues, but the players have already been hit with a full load.

# The starting linebackers are Sims, Lenon and Boss Bailey and all three of them made some plays, especially in the passing game. Bailey made a very good instinctive and athletic play when he made a nice outside pass drop and then leaped high in the air to bat away a pass on a deeper "out'' route.

The backups are Anthony Cannon (WLB), Teddy Lehman (MLB) and Alex Lewis (SLB). Cannon jumped out on a few plays and you can clearly see his development from a year ago.

# Backup tackle Shaun Cody, who played the nose in Rogers' absence today, has changed his hairstyle again. He was shaved bald as a rookie, had a full mop of hair last year and then had a mohawk during this off-season. Now, his short-styled haircut has been dyed blonde.

# The Lions are expected to bring in former Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball, who will get a shot to land a job as a receiver.

# By the way, with Woody back in the fold and Stephen Peterman moved to backup guard, the Lions are now using Rex Tucker as a backup right tackle.

# T.J. Duckett is still running with the ball high and tight, a la former Giants RB Tiki Barber. Duckett looks very good, very solid. He's going to be a load in the Lions short-yardage and goal-line rushing attack.

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Blog: Stanton's first day is cause for encouragement

Posted by Tom Kowalski July 26, 2007 17:03PM

First things first -- the kid still has a long way to go. Having said that, rookie quarterback Drew Stanton's performance in the first workout of training camp was better than anything I had seen in the off-season practices.

Stanton looked a lot more relaxed in the pocket and appeared more sure of himself under center. Remember, from the very beginning, coordinator Mike Martz tore apart just about all of his mechanics, including his grip on the ball and his delivery. Not to mention the change in his dropback steps -- Martz has several different dropbacks depending on the play.

"There are a lot of different reasons,'' Stanton said, explaining his improved play. "Just trying to understand everything and it's easier to digest everything that's going on. It's getting used to taking those drops. I haven't been under center very long, except for the OTAs. It's a chance to work on that and progress with that and I've got a better comfort level being in there.''

Stanton said that he isn't trying to be the perfect quarterback in one day, but is taking it in small steps.

"It's one of those things that I'm just trying to progress and perfect one little thing at a time. I'm still working on my mechanics and making sure I focus in on those things and perfect that and then move on to the next thing and then the next thing,'' he said. "That's the best way to learn. I'm asking questions. Even asking Jon (Kitna) and Dan (Orlovsky) the different things they might do within their mechanics that Coach Martz is looking for that will ultimately make me a better football player. Those are the things I've been working on.''

While most of the players were gone in early July on vacations, Stanton kept working out at Allen Park with a couple of other hopefuls.

"Throwing with Troy Walters and lifting and running and getting acclimated to the heat a little bit. It was definitely quiet and it was nice because I could come in here and get my work done,'' Stanton said. "I got a chance to get in and watch game films from last year and different (film) cutups of different protections and blitzes. It's all here for you, it's just a matter of getting out there and utilizing it.''

Stanton knows he needed the extra work because he's required to know all of the protection schemes. He said at Michigan State, the Spartans had "six or seven, maybe eight. Here, I don't even know how many there are. Probably 30 or 35.''

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Blog: Will Lions look at Simeon Rice?

Posted by Tom Kowalski July 27, 2007 06:33AM

We'll know more about this when we talk to head coach Rod Marinelli after the morning practice, but here's my guess: The Lions will bring in Simeon Rice for a physical and, if his shoulder is OK -- and his contract demands aren't too outrageous -- the Lions will do everything they can to sign him.

Now, those are two pretty big hurdles to clear. The Bucs cut the three-time Pro Bowl defensive end because he failed their physical after he underwent shoulder surgery last season. Also, Rice was scheduled to make about $7 million in salary this season. His demands will be linked to how much interest other teams in the league have. I don't suspect the Lions will get into an extensive bidding war.

Acquiring Rice would be excellent "Kalimba insurance.'' While the Lions have three players --- Kalimba Edwards, Dewayne White and rookie Ikaika Alama-Francis -- who they want to give a lot of playing time to, that position is absolutely vital to the success of the defense. Rice would start out taking Corey Smith's spot in the rotation, but if Edwards doesn't live up to expectations -- or Rice still has that spark -- then he becomes a bigger factor.

Some of you have also asked about the possibility of acquiring Warren Sapp if he becomes available and I think the very same principles apply. It'll come down to health and money but if those two factors can be satisfied, the Lions should take a serious look.

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Blog: Lions downplay interest in Simeon Rice

Posted by Tom Kowalski July 27, 2007 11:32AM

As expected, Lions head coach Rod Marinelli downplayed any interest the team has in Simeon Rice, the defensive end who was released by the Bucs because he failed his physical. Marinelli said the Lions will discuss bringing him in for a physical but that he likes the guys he has and it's not a big priority right now.

Because the Lions would still need to negotiate a free-agent contract with Rice, it doesn't make any sense for them to gush about what a great player he still is and how much the team could really use him. Instead, the Lions will low-key it and, if they can't afford him, they'll act like they really didn't need him because they're thrilled with the line they have.

First, though, the Lions have to find out if Rice is healthy enough to play -- or when he's expected to be healthy enough to play. The fact that he failed his physical with the Bucs is meaningless. Any guy who has played more than three years in the league could qualify as a "failed physical.'' It's all up to the individual teams and what they're willing to accept in terms of "passing'' the physical.

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Blog: Furrey taken for granted; Drummond disappears

Posted by Tom Kowalski July 27, 2007 11:47AM

Impressions from Friday's morning practice ...

# We're only three days into camp, but it's still a little funny at the lack of attention WR Mike Furrey is getting. Here's a guy who came out of nowhere and had a tremendous year last season -- second in the NFL in receptions with 98 -- and nobody pays much attention to him. He's so professional and simply goes about his job with the same intensity day-to-day that he gets overlooked and taken for granted.

He missed a couple of passes he thought he should've caught in practice and was visibly upset with himself. One was a tough catch in traffic that he normally would've had while the other would've required a super-human effort. Not that it matters, he thinks he should catch everything.

# CB Keith Smith keeps popping up from time to time. I'm anxious to see him in the preseason games to see if he can't maintain that kind of intensity and production with the "lights on.''

# It's still early, but none of the rookie or free agent receivers have jumped out. Normally, a player or two will catch your eye because of their speed or hands, but that hasn't happened yet. (This obviously doesn't include Calvin Johnson who isn't in camp yet -- but could be within a day or two).

# QB Jon Kitna has been extremely sharp throughout the early stages of camp. Not every play is working perfectly, but when receivers get open, he's snapping the ball quickly and accurately. The guy is just honed in on this offense.

# Eddie Drummond made a nice catch on a long ball halfway through practice and then I didn't see him take another rep the rest of the workout. He seemed healthy -- he fielded a lot of punts after practice -- so that didn't appear to be the reason for his inactivity. Not getting in a lot of work isn't a good sign for Drummond, especially with Shaun McDonald and Devale Ellis sidelined. When those guys get healthy, the reps will be even more scarce.

#The Lions are hoping to have their kick returners do double duty, either at receiver or running back -- they don't want a one-dimensional specialist. It'll be interesting to see how much work Drummond gets from here on out.

# The athleticism of LB Anthony Cannon, now in his second year, is really starting to reveal itself. You can see his confidence building and his comfort in the system because he's playing more and thinking less. Don't be surprised if he moves Teddy Lehman out of one of those backup nickel linebacker spots.

# In watching rookie second-round pick Ikaika Alama-Francis in a few one-on-one pass-rushing drills, the defensive end looks very quick. Very raw, but very quick. He has excellent hand speed and he's still learning how to best utlilize his hand placement. I'll stick with my earlier assessment of this guy -- he looks like a young Robert Porcher.

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Woody commitment to Lions means weight loss, salary cut

by Tom Kowalski

Saturday July 28, 2007, 9:01 AM

ALLEN PARK -- Dominic Raiola was sitting in the meeting room on the first day of training camp when he noticed an empty desk nearby with a bag of grapes sitting on it.

"Then I see Damien (Woody) come walking down and sit at that desk,'' said Raiola, the Detroit Lions veteran center. "I had to look twice.''

Based on the facts - Woody has lost nearly 50 pounds and he took a huge pay cut to stay with the Lions - the veteran offensive lineman means business. When talking to reporters, the normally jovial Woody was focused and to the point.

"It's night and day, and I'm moving around great but it's not over,'' said Woody, who is currently the starter at right guard. "I've got lofty goals for myself and I've got a lot of pride in my game, so I'm looking forward to having a career year this year. I have lofty goals - I want to be the best and that's what I aim for.''

Woody came to Detroit in 2004 from the New England Patriots, where he had earned Pro Bowl honors and helped win a Super Bowl. The Lions wanted his kind of muscle and leadership on the team and gave him a six-year, $31 million contract that included a $9 million signing bonus.

But weight problems and personal off-field issues sidetracked him and he never became the kind of player the Lions had hoped for. Last year, Woody reported to camp overweight again and quickly fell into the doghouse of head coach Rod Marinelli. When Woody sustained a significant foot sprain in the fifth game, he was sidelined for the rest of the season and never got a chance to crawl out of the doghouse.

In the off-season, Woody, who was 378 pounds, made a commitment to lose weight and try to regain his Pro Bowl form. Still, rumors swirled that Woody would ultimately be cut.

"You've got to hand it to him,'' Raiola said. "I'm sure he heard all the rumors, from them releasing him to them being unhappy with him and his weight and all the off-the-field stuff. You've got to hand it to the man - he did what he had to do and came into camp and he seems as focused as he did the first day he got here.''

Woody arrived in Allen Park under his reporting weight of 330 pounds.

"Now that I've hit this target, anything under this is gravy. I'm going to continue to work. My goal was between 315 and 320 and I'll continue to work toward that,'' Woody said.

Woody also reported to Allen Park a little lighter in the wallet. Scheduled to make $4.5 million in salary this season, Woody's pay cut was significant, perhaps a couple of million dollars.

"I don't really want to talk about the numbers and all that,'' Woody said. "I'm just concentrating on football and anything that has to do with practice; we can talk about that. Let's hold it to football questions.''

Woody said he wasn't worried when the Lions gave his starting job to Stephen Peterman in the off-season.

"I took it in stride, it's no big deal to me,'' Woody said. "I was focused on the long term, I wasn't focused on OTAs (off-season team activities). Nothing is proven in OTAs, everything is proven when you've got pads on in training camp. That's my whole focus, that was my whole focus throughout the off-season - get ready for training camp. I've done a good job and I'm going to continue to improve.''

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Lions Tracks

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Inside the training camp in Allen Park

Friday's news: While the Lions are hoping to get a new contract with first-round draft pick Calvin Johnson wrapped up in a day or two, the team is downplaying its interest in veteran defensive end Simeon Rice. Cut by Tampa Bay because of a failed physical following shoulder surgery last year, Rice has become a free agent. The Lions are expected to bring Rice in for a physical, but head coach Rod Marinelli said he's happy with the players he's got and adding Rice is not a high priority. Rice is expected to get a high salary on the free-agent market and the Lions might not be able to meet his demands. If the money isn't too outrageous, the Lions are expected to pursue Rice, who played for Marinelli when he was the defensive line coach in Tampa Bay.

Tough decisions: Blaine Saipaia is getting a lot of work at backup guard and that kind of position flexibility is going to make him more valuable. The chase for those three or four backup offensive line positions is going to get interesting. Even if the Lions decide to keep four, they've got seven worthy candidates: Saipaia, Stephen Peterman, Frank Davis, Jonathan Scott, Rex Tucker, Barry Stokes and rookie Manny Ramirez.

Coach's slant: Marinelli meets with the rookie players every week or so and, among other things, reminds them not to look at the roster. "They look at the numbers and say `Wow, how can I make this team?' They can't do that. They just have to keep working,'' Marinelli said.

Sideline view: It doesn't really mean anything, but it's kind of interesting that in the five-year span the Lions trained at Saginaw Valley State University, rain forced them to take their practice indoors just once. And that was the very last day they trained at that site. Since the Lions moved camp to Allen Park in 2002, it's not uncommon for poor weather to move them indoors. This season, rain has forced the team to practice indoors for two of their first three practices.

Bumps and bruises: Defensive end Dewayne White sustained a minor groin pull in the morning workout and was pulled from action as a precautionary measure. . . . Wide receiver Shaun McDonald was taken off the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list and worked out with the team during the afternoon practice.

What's next: The team will continue daily workouts until their first preseason game on Aug. 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals at Ford Field (7:30 p.m.). Also, the Lions will hold an open practice at Ford Field on Sat., Aug. 4. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. and practice will begin at 5 p.m. and conclude about 6:30 p.m. Admission is free to the public -- no ticket is necessary for entry. Fans can enter Ford Field at Gate A or Gate G.

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Lions Tracks

Saturday, July 28, 2007

LIONS TRACKS

Inside the training camp in Allen Park

Saturday's news: The hope of getting wide receiver Calvin Johnson signed to a contract by the end of the weekend doesn't look good. Johnson, the Lions' first-round draft pick (and second overall choice), has already missed three days of camp and negotiations are moving slowly. The problem appears to be that Johnson's agent, Bus Cook, wants to tie his client's contract to that of quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the NFL's first overall draft choice. However, the Oakland Raiders aren't close to signing Russell. The Lions remain optimistic -- these kinds of negotiations can get completed in a single phone call -- but there was no indication Saturday that a signing will happen soon.

Off PUP: Tight end Dan Campbell (triceps) was removed from the Physically Unable to Perform list Saturday morning and briefly took part in some padded drills. Campbell spent most of the workout lifting weights. The Lions are going to be cautious with him and ease him back into the routine.

Coach's slant: One of the points of emphasis in camp has been turnovers, both forcing them and preventing them. That's why, after a play is basically over, defensive coaches are encouraging the players to try to strip or punch the ball out of a ballcarrier's hands. Conversely, the offensive players have focus on ball security even when a play is over.

Sideline view: The Lions have taken a couple of significant steps in trying to avoid unnecessary injuries this season. First, head coach Rod Marinelli has pulled back on his grueling camp schedule and, second, he has "handcuffed'' the defense by telling defenders to pull back more quickly before contact. That means fewer hits absorbed by running backs (and defenders) and fewer collisions between receivers and defensive backs. There's no telling how much it'll help but at least the coaching staff won't look back with regret that they hadn't done it earlier.

Bumps and bruises: DE Dewayne White (groin) remained sidelined, but Marinelli hopes he can get back on the field by Monday. WR Kevin Kasper missed the morning workout with a hamstring injury while WR Edell Shepherd aggravated a hand injury but returned to practice. LT Jeff Backus missed both of Saturday's workouts because of personal reasons.

What's next: The team will continue daily workouts until their first preseason game on Aug. 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals at Ford Field (7:30 p.m.).

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Drummond not getting reps at receiver, but stays prepared

Saturday, July 28, 2007

By Tom Kowalski

ALLEN PARK -- Eddie Drummond isn't sure what's going on because, well, nothing is going on.

The Detroit Lions wide receiver/return specialist said he hasn't taken part in any team drills at a receiver position for the last several months, including the off-season workouts.

"I really don't know what's going on,'' Drummond said. "I asked and they (coaches) said they wanted to take a look at some of the younger guys.''

Because he's not doing much running during practices, Drummond said that in the hours between the two-a-day sessions, he goes though his regular off-season workout so he can stay in top physical condition.

"I don't know what they're thinking, but I've got to be in good shape if I go in there,'' Drummond said.

Offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who wasn't available for comment, has had Drummond in his doghouse before. It happened last year during training camp when Drummond ran some poor routes and didn't get a lot of playing time. Drummond worked his way back into Martz's good graces but seemed to fall out of favor again early in the season. Drummond had one catch in each of the first two games, but didn't catch a pass in the final 14 games of the season.

In past years, the lack of work at receiver wasn't an issue because the Lions kept Drummond strictly for his return skills -- he went to the Pro Bowl following the 2004 season.

Under head coach Rod Marinelli, though, the Lions want their return specialists to also be available as either a running back or receiver. They don't want to use a roster spot for a one-dimensional player, and Drummond knows it.

"We'll have to wait and see what happens,'' he said.

The sudden retirement of tight end Eric Beverly, 33, surprised everyone in the organization and will put the Lions in a bit of a jam until they can find a suitable replacement, if possible.

With Dan Campbell recovering from a triceps injury, Beverly was the starting tight end. The Lions had planned to use the 11-year NFL veteran a lot during the season.

"Yeah, that caught me off-guard, but I respect it,'' Marinelli said. "He came into my office and he's a heckuva man. He said, `I'm done, it's too much. I've had a heckuva career.' He said he wanted to tell us early (in camp) so we could make plans. Now you adjust and you're prepared for things like this to happen.

"We have to find someone with position flexibility. The biggest thing is the pounding that position takes at camp. You can go out and find a guy, but it's the learning (that takes time) --just getting aligned correctly is so much.''

One of the interesting developments has been the decision to add free agent J.T. O'Sullivan to the competition for the backup quarterback job. Like Dan Orlovsky and rookie Drew Stanton, O'Sullivan doesn't have a lot of NFL experience.

"(O'Sullivan) came from the World League and Mike (Martz) sees some good things in him so we're going to try to get these guys in the (practice) rotation and take a look at him,'' Marinelli said. "Mike has a great feel for that position and he's gotten guys like that from the World League and had great success.

"It's not like `This guy is the guy.' We just want to look at him, we don't want to miss something. This system is so much about knowledge and poise and toughness and knowing what to do.''

For the first time since the Lions moved camp to their Allen Park facility in 2002, fans are allowed to attend the workouts. Right now, it's just a select group of season-ticket holders, but Marinelli is hoping to expand that in the future.

"It's awesome. They like football so much and that means a lot to me. This is something I wanted and it's good,'' he said. "We're going to keep looking for ways to get more stands and more ways to get more fans. The players like it, they make a good play and they're (fans) cheering for them and it brings some energy. Guys appreciate that.''

Marinelli stops and signs autographs for the fans after every morning session.

"I owe that, that's part of the deal,'' said Marinelli, adding that he wasn't much of an autograph hound as a youngster.

"In those days, we really didn't do that, we'd just watch 'em,'' he said. "You'd see them and -- whoa -- I really didn't care about a piece of paper. That was me, I'd throw it away. But the vision, I still have that.

"I can still remember a guy taking me to an exhibition game with the L.A. Rams (when they were still in Los Angeles) and it's so vivid in my mind. For these young kids, there are memories here.''

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Anthony Borbely said:

Kowalski says Alama-Francis reminds him of Robert Porcher.

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Anthony Borbely said:

The offensive line looks to be much better and deeper than last year, when injuries ravaged a suspect group. Some proven NFL linemen are battling for jobs.

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-OZ- said:

Anthony Borbely said:

Kowalski says Alama-Francis reminds him of Robert Porcher.

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I have high hopes for the kid

Anthony Borbely said:

The offensive line looks to be much better and deeper than last year, when injuries ravaged a suspect group. Some proven NFL linemen are battling for jobs.

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This will be the key.

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Camp in Full Throttle

Soreness is Setting in for Lions' Players, but Spirits Remain High

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit Lions training camp is officially in full throttle.

Having been through five full-team practices since the start of camp on Thursday, Lions players are at that point where hobbling and limping is the way they get from point A to point B.

But players are in good spirits. Any who are asked if they are hanging in there are responding with a look of confidence and an affirmative “yes.”

Adding even more to the excitement of a new season has been fans in attendance at the Lions’ practice and training facility in Allen Park. This year the Lions are conducting a trial run of opening camp to the public by inviting special guests – season ticket holders, suite holders and premium seat holders – to watch certain practices.

It has energized both the players and coaches, who enjoy having support on the practice field.

“It’s awesome,” said Head Coach Rod Marinelli. “It’s what I want. The most important thing: we all have a chance sit and see that they like football so much. They appreciate everything about it. It means a lot to me and is something I wanted. I just hope someday we can keep working ways to get more stands and more ways to get more people.

“This is a first run right now, so it’s something I’m really excited about. The players like it. They make a play (and) everybody is cheering for them. It brings some energy, so you’ve got to appreciate that. It’s special.”

Lions Still Working to get WR Johnson Signed

Obviously Marinelli and the rest of the team want rookie wide receiver Calvin Johnson – the second-overall pick in the draft – signed and in camp.

But the realities of the NFL are taking hold of the situation and Johnson remains unsigned. The upside is that Johnson is not only a great athlete but a fast learner and diligent worker.

“It’s a business deal,” said wide receiver Roy Williams. “Once he gets signed he’s going to be here for six or seven years. He’s smart enough to learn this offense, but we do need him out here. Once he gets that all finished, he’ll be out here.”

Johnson will pick everything up quickly once he arrives but he will also undoubtedly be the recipient of “fresh legs” heckling by his teammates – meaning he will be without soreness upon arrival as opposed to the rest of the players.

“Any position is hard if you’re missing practice,” said Williams. “You need to go through the soreness, what we’re all fighting right now. He’s going to be sore on that, but hopefully he’ll be here by the first preseason game and be able to practice with us and get some reps.

“He’s a large part to this offense; he brings a lot of speed and he brings a lot of hype to this football team. Hopefully he can bring some wins with him.”

Emphasizing Turnovers

On the defensive side of the ball, Marinelli is emphasizing the turnover ratio with his players every chance he gets in every practice conducted.

At the beginning of camp, he presented the team with staggering statistics showing the success rate of teams who constantly led in the turnover ratio and those who were constantly behind.

“It just comes down to if we can get those things done, do it right, and we’ll have a chance,” said Marinelli. “The defense is, every day, they’re stripping (the ball), going after every ball, so they’re locking it in. I can never be happy at the end of the day, right?”

The Lions struggled with the turnover ratio last year, which is why Marinelli is impressing it upon his players early. Detroit led in the turnover ratio five times last season: they were plus-2 against Buffalo, plus-2 against Atlanta, plus-2 at Dallas and plus-1 in both Green Bay match-ups.

The games Detroit was plus-2 resulted in the team’s three victories.

“Anytime you’re leading in turnover ratio, you win about 90-percent of the time,” said veteran cornerback Fernando Bryant. “That’s where we’ve been losing. If we can just turn that around, we’ll give ourselves a chance to win.”

As far as teaching the defense how to create turnovers, it is all going back to the classroom and having a full understanding of what is expected.

“(We’re) just being more aggressive,” said Bryant. “A lot of the time you’re not aggressive because you don’t understand. We go into the meeting rooms and everything is being explained a lot better, so you can play faster.”

The Lions’ offense is already feeling the affects of the work-in-progress.

“They’re trying to strip the ball every chance that they get,” said Williams. “They’re getting interceptions and catching the football as well. They’re playing really well right now. Hopefully that will carry over into the season.”

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Mike O'Hara: On the Lions beat

Marinelli gives thumbs up to fans at practice

LLEN PARK -- Training camp countdown -- fans, Simeon Rice, Calvin Johnson and other weighty and light-weight issues of the weekend:

Lions coach Rod Marinelli has a routine at the end of every practice. He never skips it.

Marinelli starts at one end of the bleachers where the fans sit during practice, and he walks slowly to the other end, signing his name for every fan who wants an autograph. He signs helmets, footballs, notebooks, slips of paper -- whatever is put in front of him. Several players sign, too, but no one is as conscientious as Marinelli.

The Lions have invited fans back to training camp this year on a small scale as a test run for future years. Fans at training camp were a Lions tradition until 2002, when the team began holding camp at its Allen Park headquarters.

"The most important thing to me -- you all have a chance to sit with us -- is they like football here so much," Marinelli said after Saturday morning's practice. "They appreciate everything about it. It means a lot to me. It's something I wanted. It's good.

"I just hope that someday, we can find more ways to get more fans in here. It's kind of a first run right now. It's something I'm really excited about. And the players like it. They make a play and everybody is cheering for them. I appreciate them. It's special.

"I respect them. People come out and watch football like this and cheer -- we owe that. I owe that. It's part of the deal. This game is awesome. It's good stuff."

Camp has been opened to people who own season tickets. There is room for about 300 to 400 fans for each practice.

The excuse given for barring fans in previous years was that the Allen Park facility was not built with fans in mind. In truth, there is plenty of room to put up bleachers to accommodate at least 1,000 fans and perhaps more. There would be issues related to parking, but they could be solved.

Through Saturday, the test run was successful for three days of practice. There is no reason not to expand it next year.

Simeon Rice

I'd bet against the Lions bringing Simeon Rice in. There doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm inside the organization for signing him.

When Rice was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday, the drums began beating for the Lions to sign him immediately because they need a pass-rushing defensive end.

Rice has 121 career sacks, 56.5 of them from 2002-05, when Marinelli was his position coach in Tampa.

However, Rice played only eight games last year and had two sacks. There is no guarantee that he'll be healthy or productive in Detroit. It could send a wrong message to the rest of the defensive line if after working all offseason, the head coach brought in one of his old players who had just been cut.

If the Lions are to make any move on Rice, it's better to wait until the end of camp to see if the players Marinelli has been coaching can perform.

Calvin Johnson

After it appeared the Lions could have their first-round draft pick signed before the end of the weekend, it looks like there is a lot more work to do.

There is no indication that Lions COO Tom Lewand has made any headway with Johnson's agent, Bus Cook , in negotiating a contract. Johnson was drafted second overall, and the two players taken immediately after him -- offensive tackle Joe Thomas by Cleveland and defensive end Gaines Adams by Tampa Bay -- have signed contracts.

It doesn't look like there will be any movement on Johnson until Oakland signs the top pick, quarterback JaMarcus Russell .

We'll see how this plays out, but if I were Calvin Johnson and had to wait until JaMarcus Russell is signed, I'd wonder why I have an agent.

Arms race

J.T. O'Sullivan , signed late in the offseason, has generally been pegged as a training-camp arm without much chance to compete for the backup job and make the regular roster. Ahead of him are starter Jon Kitna , rookie Drew Stanton and Dan Orlovsky , who was used seldom in his first two seasons.

O'Sullivan got considerable work with the offseason Saturday. The backup job has not been settled, and he can make an impression -- or push Orlovsky and Stanton to improve.

O'Sullivan has never thrown a pass in the NFL. He played in NFL-Europe last year.

"The thing that's kind of surprising is how he's absorbed this material so quick," Marinelli said. "He's been in a lot of different places, and he's bright. We see some things in him. We're just trying to give these guys a look and really try to come up with that No. 2 for this season."

Personnel dept.

Tight end Eric Beverly 's unexpected retirement is noble in one respect. After two days of training camp, Beverly knew he didn't have the passion to continue playing and told the front office and Marinelli that he was through.

Beverly had a nice run. He played 10 pro seasons, beginning in Detroit in 1997, and made the roster off the practice squad. He left the Lions in 2004 to play for Atlanta and returned this offseason as a backup tight end and blocking specialist.

Beverly was a good citizen who was well regarded in the locker room and throughout the organization.

However, his departure leaves a hole. The Lions spent the offseason with the expectation that Beverly would be the No. 3 tight end -- primarily a blocker, and an occasional receiver.

Now they have to find someone to play that role. Whoever it is won't have the benefit of a full offseason of mini-camps and workouts.

Dan Campbell , the No. 1 tight end, was taken off the physically-unable-to-perform list Saturday and began practicing. He is recovering from elbow surgery.

Players on the PUP list can't take part in any team drills. Campbell will be used sparingly, to keep him healthy for the regular season.

"It allows us to do walkthroughs," Marinelli said, explaining the move. "We're going to be smart with him."

Secondary issues

Travis Fisher and Keith Smith are making their presence felt in specified roles early in camp.

Fisher signed a one-year contract in the offseason to leave St. Louis for Detroit. He has been working as the nickel back, an important position in the Lions' defense.

"Ours isn't just a nickel to match up (in coverage)," Marinelli said. "That nickel back in our system is like a Sam (strong side) 'backer. He got to be a blitzer, a run fit, a zone player and a man player. It's the toughest spot.

"It's a hard position. There are a lot of skills he has to have. We're hoping he has a shot at it. It's not just man-to-man coverage."

Smith was a third-round draft pick in 2005 and has shown some flashes at cornerback. His responsibilities have been scaled down this year, to let him use his natural ability. His role can be expanded later.

"He's physical," Marinelli said. "He's got really good feet. He's a willing tackler, but he's also a guy who's got the great speed to play man (coverage). You get these guys and coach them every day, and not add a lot of the stuff to them. I don't want to slow his progress down at all right now."

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# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

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Blog: Maybe the Lions don't want Rice after all

Posted by Tom Kowalski July 29, 2007 12:14PM

Impressions from Sunday's morning practice:

# After the workout, head coach Rod Marinelli said that he hasn't talked to free agent defensive end Simeon Rice and didn't give any indication that the organization was in hot pursuit of him. Maybe the Lions aren't all that interested in Rice after all. Yes, he still might have some talent left when he gets healthy, but there are several other things to consider:

First, how long will he stay healthy? That's got to be an issue for a player of his age (33).

Second, how much is he going to want and will it cripple Detroit's salary cap? Going back to the health/age thing, the Lions don't want to give him a long-term deal and end up with more dead money down the road.

Third, and perhaps most significant, maybe Marinelli doesn't want to take an unnecessary risk. Marinelli likes what he's got going on the defensive line, especially with Cory Redding taking such a positive and active leadership role. Yes, Marinelli did wonderful things for Rice -- who speaks very fondly of him -- but look at Rice's recent track record.

While he was in Tampa, head coach Jon Gruden sent Rice home from a game in San Francisco because he missed a team meeting. At the 2004 Pro Bowl, NFC coach Andy Reid sent Rice home because of poor conduct and missing practice.

It's my contention that the Lions made a huge mistake when they brought in Dan "Big Daddy'' Wilkinson several years ago. While he still had some talent left and was popular in the locker room, I think he had a negative effect on some of the other players, most notably Shaun Rogers and James Hall.

Again, Marinelli's plan is not to simply collect as much talent as he can, but to build a team with a cohesive chemistry. If the Lions really aren't going to pursue Rice, it might be because Marinelli doesn't want to disrupt the foundation he's trying to build.

# Eddie Drummond, who didn't get a single rep at receiver in any team drills during the first five practices, got four reps today ."It's a start,'' he said.

# Even though TE Eric Beverly has retired, Casey FitzSimmons and Sean McHugh both still stayed with the running backs during the individual workouts. They'll both be used more as fullbacks and flex players than as tight ends. They can both still do that, but that doesn't appear to be their primary role at this point.

# Last year, the defensive line was broken down into groups of ends and tackles during some individual drills. That's continuing this year, but the offensive line is also getting split up. The tight ends and tackles work in one group while the guards and centerS are together in another. They're each working on some zone stuff, double-teams and combination blocks.

# The receivers did a lot of work today in learning how to beat man-to-man press coverage off the line of scrimmage. They did several drills during the individual period, going against coaches and pads, but they also worked on it later in practice against the defensive backs. They didn't run full routes, just enough to beat the defender off the ball.

# RB Tatum Bell doesn't have great hands. He's got good hands and he'll be effective out of the backfield, but he's not going to pluck everything out of the air.

# The more I see running backs Aveion Cason and Brian Calhoun, the more I believe that roster spot will come down to which player is more effective on special teams. Not just as a returner, but in all phases.

# Ernie Sims plays weakside linebacker and Boss Bailey plays on the strong side, which means he's normally over the tight end. Well, there are times when the two players will switch positions. When? Why? This is the explanation I get from the coaching staff: "We'll do that sometimes.''

No further information was forthcoming. I'm not sure if it's a matchup thing, a formation thing or whatever. I'll keep trying to figure it out (if anybody out there has an idea, I'm all ears).

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Nicholas J. Cotsonika's blog

Keep an eye on Lions' QBs

July 29, 2007

The quarterbacks were the hot topic today after the morning practice at Lions training camp.

The coaches gave starter Jon Kitna a rest, using him sparingly. They feel they don’t need to evaluate him anymore. They just want to get him ready for the season.

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Drew Stanton, the second-round pick out of Michigan State, didn’t practice because of a knee problem. His knee swelled up, and he will get an MRI. Coach Rod Marinelli said it was a day-to-day thing right now.

That left Dan Orlovsky and J.T. O’Sullivan.

Marinelli singled out O’Sullivan on Saturday, praising him for catching on to the offense so quickly. O’Sullivan signed with the Lions before camp after earning co-MVP honors in NFL Europa.

O’Sullivan got a lot of reps, including some with the first team. Orlovsky responded by looking sharp. On one play during the blitz drill, he put the running back in the right position by yanking him over by his jersey, then threw a strike downfield.

This will be interesting to watch. Kitna is entrenched as the starter. Stanton is going to be the third quarterback, giving him time to develop. So the competition is between O’Sullivan and Orlovsky for the No. 2 job.

Orlovsky would seem to have the edge. The Lions drafted him in the fifth round in 2005. He has had a year in this offense. Last year offensive coordinator Mike Martz gave him a lot of action in the preseason, putting pressure on Josh McCown. But when the season started, McCown was the backup and Orlovsky was No. 3.

But you never know. Martz has a history with quarterbacks from the NFL’s now-defunct European league (Kurt Warner, Kitna), and if he really liked Orlovsky, would the Lions have drafted Stanton?

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Lions' No. 2 QB spot is still up for grabs

July 30, 2007

BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

When J.T. O'Sullivan signed with the Lions before training camp, he seemed like a longshot to compete at quarterback.

He had just been named co-MVP of NFL Europa. But he had also just been cut by Chicago, his sixth NFL team. He had not thrown a pass in five NFL seasons. And how would he learn the Lions' complex offense in time?

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But O'Sullivan has at least made things interesting early in camp. He got reps ahead of Dan Orlovsky over the weekend -- some with the first team -- and could push Orlovsky for a roster spot.

"We've got to find a really good No. 2 quarterback and a No. 3," coach Rod Marinelli said Sunday. "We've got to have that. We're lucky -- very lucky -- this is working out like this. We'll let them compete and see how things work out."

Jon Kitna is entrenched as the starter. The Lions gave him a rest Sunday morning.

Drew Stanton isn't going anywhere. The Lions drafted him in the second round this year. But on a drop Saturday, he felt something in the right knee he injured in 2003 on punt coverage at Michigan State, and Saturday night, it swelled up. It hasn't been a nagging thing.

"That's why it's surprising," Stanton said. "I don't know exactly what happened."

Stanton had an MRI on Sunday. He will get the results today, but he said the swelling was already going down. Marinelli said he was day-to-day.

Without Kitna and Stanton on Sunday morning, O'Sullivan and Orlovsky were left to compete.

Maybe it won't mean much. Maybe offensive coordinator Mike Martz just wanted to use this opportunity early in camp to see what he had in O'Sullivan. Maybe he wanted to see how Orlovsky would respond to competition.

Last year Martz gave Orlovsky a lot of opportunity and put pressure on Josh McCown. But when the season started, McCown was the backup and Orlovsky No. 3, as expected.

Orlovsky seemed sharp Sunday morning.

"He's handled it really well -- stayed focused, didn't pout, didn't get down on himself, didn't have a pity party and came out and practiced really well today," Kitna said.

But maybe Martz is considering O'Sullivan over Orlovsky. Martz has a history with quarterbacks who have played in the NFL's now-defunct European league -- like Kitna and Kurt Warner -- and there must be a reason the Lions drafted Stanton after drafting Orlovsky in the fifth round just two years ago. Orlovsky didn't throw a pass last year and has thrown only 17 total in the NFL.

O'Sullivan has impressed the coaches and his teammates by how well he has picked up the offense and how decisive he has been running it.

"He doesn't spend a whole lot of time trying to make a decision," offensive lineman Jeff Backus said. "He makes a quick decision and gets rid of the ball."

O'Sullivan said his experience as a journeyman had taught him how to learn an offense quickly.

"If I want to compete, I have to know it," O'Sullivan said. "It's just that simple for me."

Orlovsky welcomed the competition.

"I didn't come into camp thinking I was just going to be given any position," Orlovsky said. "I have no problem fighting and working for it. And if I go out every day and compete as hard as I can and I don't win, then I'm not supposed to win."

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Marinelli investing Fisher in 'nickel' position for Lions

Associated Press

ALLEN PARK -- To most NFL fans, a team's nickel back is barely on the radar.

Detroit Lions coach Rod Marinelli hopes that isn't true of Travis Fisher.

Fisher signed a one-year deal with the Lions after spending his first five years with the St. Louis Rams, and has stepped into Marinelli's beloved "Tampa Two" defense.

"In this system, the nickel has an incredible amount of responsibility," Marinelli said Saturday. "He has his cover duties, but he also has to be able to blitz and defend the run like a linebacker. It's one of the toughest jobs out there."

Marinelli knows how important it can be to have a star in that position after his days as a defensive assistant in Tampa Bay.

"We had Ronde Barber when I was with the Buccaneers, and he was fantastic at the nickel," Marinelli said. "He could do everything we needed."

Fisher was considered part of the second tier of cornerbacks in this year's free-agent market, and the Lions needed a player after trading disgruntled Dre' Bly to Denver.

After the first few days of training camp, Fisher thinks he made the right decision.

"I feel like I'm a perfect fit for this system," he said. "There's a lot of flying around and physical play, and that's what I'm good at."

While Fisher enjoys the hitting, he also knows that he only has one year to prove that his body can take it.

The Central Florida product earned a starting job with the Rams after being picked in the second round of the 2002 draft, but his last two seasons have been ruined by injury.

He played in just eight games in 2005 because of a groin injury, then missed the final seven games last season after breaking his arm.

"It's big for me to go out and prove to people that I can stay healthy," he said. "People can say anything about me that they want, but I know I'm not injury prone."

While Fisher was getting settled into life as a Lion, one of his teammates was walking away from the NFL entirely. Tight end Eric Beverly announced his retirement after 10 NFL seasons.

"He caught us a little off guard -- he just came in and said 'I'm done,'" Marinelli said. "He's a great man, and we wish him well."

Beverly played his first seven seasons as an offensive lineman with Detroit, then went to Atlanta and became a blocking tight end. He returned to the Lions as a free agent and was expected to be an important part of the tight-end rotation before Saturday's decision.

"Physically, I can still play the game, but the passion just isn't there anymore," said Beverly. "That time comes in every player's career, and it is here for me. I wanted to come back to Detroit, because they are building something good here, but I didn't want to cheat myself or the team."

Notes: WR Calvin Johnson's holdout hasn't been a surprise for Marinelli. "I was kind of planning for it," said Marinelli of the second overall pick. "I hoped he'd be here, but you have to assume it's going to be a battle. This is the NFL, and that's how it works." ... OL Jeff Backus was excused from camp for personal reasons but was expected to be back for Sunday's workouts. ... Beverly finished his career with just one catch for zero yards, but had been catching passes regularly in training camp. ... The Lions removed TE Dan Campbell from the Physically Unable to Perform list, but he will not begin to practice for a few more days.

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Lions Tracks: Stanton held out with swollen knee

by Tom Kowalski

Monday July 30, 2007, 5:54 AM

Inside the Lions training camp in Allen Park

Sunday's news: Rookie quarterback Drew Stanton was held out of practice because of swelling in his knee. "It blew up. We'll get an MRI and make sure we're OK,'' said Lions head coach Rod Marinelli, who believes it's the same knee Stanton had surgically repaired when he was at Michigan State. Also, nothing happened on the contract negotiations with first-round draft pick Calvin Johnson.

Backup battle: With Stanton sidelined and the coaches wanting to give starting quarterback Jon Kitna a break, Dan Orlovsky and J. T. O'Sullivan -- they are competing for the backup job -- took the majority of snaps at practice. "We wanted to give the other two quarterbacks a lot of work today,'' Marinelli said. "We've got to find a really good No. 2 quarterback.''

Back in, sort of: After not getting any repetitions at wide receiver in team drills for the first six practices of camp, Eddie Drummond was involved in four plays on Sunday morning. He blocked on two plays and also had a deep pass thrown to him, though it was over his head. Still, Drummond was happy to be involved again. "Hey, it's a start,'' he said.

Coach's slant: Marinelli was happy with the intensity he saw during Sunday's practice with pads: "One of the things I really wanted to stress with them today -- and they responded to it -- is they're tired and beat up a little bit but it gives you no excuse not to practice well, be on top of details, eliminate penalties, secure the ball and those things. We challenged them and I like the way they responded. There's energy to the practice and we have to keep doing it.''

Sideline view: A thought came to me while I was watching some of the free-agent wide receivers (Edell Shepherd, Troy Walters and Cliff Russell) run pass routes and try to win a job with the Lions. Each has at least four years of NFL experience. When you add the younger players, like Brandon Middleton, Ron Bellamy and Reggie Ball, you realize there are a lot of receivers fighting for just a few roster spots. And it's pretty much that way with other training camps. Considering there are six or seven rookies or free agents in each of the 32 NFL camps, that's more than 200 receivers who were at least good enough to be invited to camp. But here's the interesting part -- none of them are named Charles Rogers, the former first-round draft pick cut by the Lions last year.

Bumps and bruises: DE Dewayne White (groin) remained sidelined, but could return today. WR Kevin Kasper missed his fourth consecutive workout with a hamstring injury.

What's next: The team will continue daily workouts until its first preseason game on Aug. 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals at Ford Field (7:30 p.m.).

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acme said:

Anthony-Don't want to turn this in to an Assistant Coach question but since it's buried in the Lions TC Report I don't feel guilty. From what you've seen so far, and what you know about both the coaching staff and the players, who in your opinion will be the #2 guy behind Kitna this year? (ie. if you had to pick up a backup for Kitna RIGHT NOW, who would you take on your FF team?)Orlovsky or O'Sullivan?I had just assumed all along it would be Orlovsky, but from what I'm reading it seems like O'Sullivan is getting some serious looks from Martz. Doesn't seem to be any doubt (especially now with the knee) that Stanton will be the holding the clipboard at #3 for a while.Thanks for your home-town report.

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BigSteelThrill said:

# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

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Last year he threw 22/23 with Detroit.He had years of 23/16 in Seattle and 26/15 in Cincy.With 20% more attempts then he had in thos two stops, 27-30 TDs seems oh-so likely.

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sholditch said:

BigSteelThrill said:

# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

Click to expand...

Last year he threw 22/23 with Detroit.He had years of 23/16 in Seattle and 26/15 in Cincy.With 20% more attempts then he had in thos two stops, 27-30 TDs seems oh-so likely.

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Buyer beware: Kitna has never had two good seasons in a row.

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# RB Tatum Bell doesn't have great hands. He's got good hands and he'll be effective out of the backfield, but he's not going to pluck everything out of the air.

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Anthony Borbely said:

sholditch said:

BigSteelThrill said:

# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

Click to expand...

Last year he threw 22/23 with Detroit.He had years of 23/16 in Seattle and 26/15 in Cincy.With 20% more attempts then he had in thos two stops, 27-30 TDs seems oh-so likely.

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Buyer beware: Kitna has never had two good seasons in a row.

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They have a much deeper and better offensive line (see post 16 for details), more depth at RB, and added Calvin and McDonald to the WR core. Last year, they had Roy and Furrey and that's all. KJ gets hurt, and they have zero behind him. The line had a ton of injuries. Add his year of experience in Martz' offense to the above, and I don't see anything that tells me he will not be better than he was last year.

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LionsFan78 said:

Anthony Borbely said:

sholditch said:

BigSteelThrill said:

# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

Click to expand...

Last year he threw 22/23 with Detroit.He had years of 23/16 in Seattle and 26/15 in Cincy.With 20% more attempts then he had in thos two stops, 27-30 TDs seems oh-so likely.

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Buyer beware: Kitna has never had two good seasons in a row.

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They have a much deeper and better offensive line (see post 16 for details), more depth at RB, and added Calvin and McDonald to the WR core. Last year, they had Roy and Furrey and that's all. KJ gets hurt, and they have zero behind him. The line had a ton of injuries. Add his year of experience in Martz' offense to the above, and I don't see anything that tells me he will not be better than he was last year.

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Anthony, great freakin stuff man. Question for you man. Living out of state I really don't have much time to follow the Lions as closely as you have. What is your opinion on Kitna being benched towards the end of the season? If a scenario plays out where they'll have another bad season, and get eliminated from playoff contention early, do you see a situation where Kitna would be sat in favor of giving Stanton (Or Orlovsky, who knows) some playing experience??? This factor goes a hell of a long ways in determining how high I personally rank Kitna.Thoughts?

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sholditch said:

BigSteelThrill said:

# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

Click to expand...

Last year he threw 22/23 with Detroit.

He had years of 23/16 in Seattle and 26/15 in Cincy.

With 20% more attempts then he had in thos two stops, 27-30 TDs seems oh-so likely.

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Buyer beware: Kitna has never had two good seasons in a row.

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2002 Cincinnati Bengals 14 12 473 294 62.2 3178 6.72 72 16 16 24/159 29 4 79.1

2003 Cincinnati Bengals 16 16 520 324 62.3 3591 6.91 82 26 15 37/249 37 11 87.4

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lord_helmet said:

Anything on the secondary ? Safeties in particular

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benson_will_lead_the_way said:

Any update on Shaun Rogers?

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lord_helmet said:

Anything on the secondary ? Safeties in particular

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bicycle_seat_sniffer said:

benson_will_lead_the_way said:

Any update on Shaun Rogers?

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he's fat. good news is he wont be charged in that off the field issue he had earlier

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Ilov80s said:

bicycle_seat_sniffer said:

benson_will_lead_the_way said:

Any update on Shaun Rogers?

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he's fat. good news is he wont be charged in that off the field issue he had earlier

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There is the possibility of a civil suit. The law firm that is filing claim against Rogers is run by the most flamboyant, egotistical, and dramatic lawyer in Michigan. Its the same lawyer who defended Dr. Kevorkian.

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Anthony Borbely said:

sholditch said:

BigSteelThrill said:

# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

Click to expand...

Last year he threw 22/23 with Detroit.He had years of 23/16 in Seattle and 26/15 in Cincy.With 20% more attempts then he had in thos two stops, 27-30 TDs seems oh-so likely.

Click to expand...

Buyer beware: Kitna has never had two good seasons in a row.

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They have a much deeper and better offensive line (see post 16 for details), more depth at RB, and added Calvin and McDonald to the WR core. Last year, they had Roy and Furrey and that's all. KJ gets hurt, and they have zero behind him. The line had a ton of injuries. Add his year of experience in Martz' offense to the above, and I don't see anything that tells me he will not be better than he was last year.

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Stanton says he's feeling better, awaits test results on knee

July 30, 2007

BY GEORGE SIPPLE

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

Quarterback Drew Stanton, who didn’t practice on Sunday because of a swollen knee, remained sidelined during today’s morning session at the team’s practice facility in Allen Park.

Stanton said he was awaiting the results of an MRI and hoped to know the results this afternoon.

Stanton didn’t practice with the rest of the quarterbacks but was on the field. He was wearing a cap, a red jersey and black sweatpants.

“It’s feeling better,” Stanton said. “Swelling’s gone down. I’m just going to wait and see, I guess."

Asked if he thought surgery was necessary, Stanton said: “I don’t know. I’m hoping not, but we’ll see. It’s gone down significantly, the swelling has. It’s almost back to normal. I just have to kind of wait and see.”

Stanton said it was potentially a flare-up of an old college injury. He tore ligaments in his right knee while covering a punt against Nebraska as a redshirt freshman at Michigan State. That happened during the 2003 Alamo Bowl.

Stanton said there wasn’t a specific incident that led to his knee swelling up Sunday.

“I haven’t done that much,” Stanton said. “Just must have been something that aggravated it.”

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Ilov80s said:

LionsFan78 said:

Anthony Borbely said:

sholditch said:

BigSteelThrill said:

# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

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Last year he threw 22/23 with Detroit.He had years of 23/16 in Seattle and 26/15 in Cincy.With 20% more attempts then he had in thos two stops, 27-30 TDs seems oh-so likely.

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Buyer beware: Kitna has never had two good seasons in a row.

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They have a much deeper and better offensive line (see post 16 for details), more depth at RB, and added Calvin and McDonald to the WR core. Last year, they had Roy and Furrey and that's all. KJ gets hurt, and they have zero behind him. The line had a ton of injuries. Add his year of experience in Martz' offense to the above, and I don't see anything that tells me he will not be better than he was last year.

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Anthony, great freakin stuff man. Question for you man. Living out of state I really don't have much time to follow the Lions as closely as you have. What is your opinion on Kitna being benched towards the end of the season? If a scenario plays out where they'll have another bad season, and get eliminated from playoff contention early, do you see a situation where Kitna would be sat in favor of giving Stanton (Or Orlovsky, who knows) some playing experience??? This factor goes a hell of a long ways in determining how high I personally rank Kitna.Thoughts?

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I see no situation that removes Kitna from the starting role short of injury. Stanton is the future and they have no plans to play him this year. I don't believe anybody in the Lions organization sees Orlovsky or O'Sullivan as anything other then career backups. There is no need to bench Kitna to give either playing time. The Lions have been 100% behind Kitna and no matter what the Lion's on-field performance is, Kitna will be the starting QB all year.

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bicycle_seat_sniffer said:

Ilov80s said:

bicycle_seat_sniffer said:

benson_will_lead_the_way said:

Any update on Shaun Rogers?

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he's fat. good news is he wont be charged in that off the field issue he had earlier

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There is the possibility of a civil suit. The law firm that is filing claim against Rogers is run by the most flamboyant, egotistical, and dramatic lawyer in Michigan. Its the same lawyer who defended Dr. Kevorkian.

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Jefferey Fieger!!!

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sholditch said:

Anthony Borbely said:

sholditch said:

BigSteelThrill said:

# Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.

Click to expand...

Last year he threw 22/23 with Detroit.He had years of 23/16 in Seattle and 26/15 in Cincy.With 20% more attempts then he had in thos two stops, 27-30 TDs seems oh-so likely.

Click to expand...

Buyer beware: Kitna has never had two good seasons in a row.

Click to expand...

They have a much deeper and better offensive line (see post 16 for details), more depth at RB, and added Calvin and McDonald to the WR core. Last year, they had Roy and Furrey and that's all. KJ gets hurt, and they have zero behind him. The line had a ton of injuries. Add his year of experience in Martz' offense to the above, and I don't see anything that tells me he will not be better than he was last year.

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Good points all. I just noticed when looking over his career that when he's had a good year he usually follows it up with a stinker. But as muscle-avatar pointed out, last year was actually pretty abysmal by NFL standards, so maybe that won't hold true. I would think the addition of an amazing talent at WR would make him better. He just doesn't seem all that accurate to me. I am avoiding him this year unless he falls way down.ETA: Never used the word great anywhere in my original post. Even good is a stretch.Borbely, good stuff about the line. Two questions: Do you see either KJ or TB taking control to the tune of about 65+% on the running plays, and if so, is the line improved enough to field a back with 1300+ rushing?

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