BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Penei left practice today and is being evaluated for a foot injury
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2025 Detroit Lions: 2-1 Lions beat Ravens (194 Viewers)
- Thread starter Da Guru
- Start date
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
@KyleMeinke
Brace yourself for this one.
Penei Sewell left today’s scrimmage with a foot injury. Trainers took his shoe and sock off to evaluate the injury, then Sewell put the shoe back on to limp into the locker room.
Another report said this happened at the end of practice. He was under his own power but walking very slowly.
Brace yourself for this one.
Penei Sewell left today’s scrimmage with a foot injury. Trainers took his shoe and sock off to evaluate the injury, then Sewell put the shoe back on to limp into the locker room.
Another report said this happened at the end of practice. He was under his own power but walking very slowly.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
[Justin Rogers]
Allen Park — No matter what efforts go into protecting your starters during training camp and the preseason, injuries happen. On Wednesday, the Detroit Lions experienced some of that misfortune when All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell suffered a foot injury.
As part of the final practice of this year’s training camp, ahead of the team’s preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Lions conducted a full-contact scrimmage to simulate the work the starters would miss by being held out of that matchup against Pittsburgh.
After a second-down pass play — a deep shot intended for tight end Brock Wright — Sewell remained on the ground, requiring attention from the team’s training staff. He eventually got to his feet and hobbled to the sideline, where his shoe was removed for a closer look at the injury.
Sewell grimaced as the trainer worked down his lower leg, from his ankle to his toes. He eventually made the long walk back to the locker room, slowly but without assistance, for further medical evaluation.
The team doesn’t have media access the next two days, so it might not be until after Saturday’s game that an update becomes available.
Colby Sorsdal replaced Sewell at right tackle for the remainder of practice. The second-year lineman out of William & Mary has been competing with Dan Skipper to serve as Detroit’s top backup behind Sewell and left tackle Taylor Decker.
Skipper has been sidelined this week by an ankle injury and is expected to return to practice next week.
Allen Park — No matter what efforts go into protecting your starters during training camp and the preseason, injuries happen. On Wednesday, the Detroit Lions experienced some of that misfortune when All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell suffered a foot injury.
As part of the final practice of this year’s training camp, ahead of the team’s preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Lions conducted a full-contact scrimmage to simulate the work the starters would miss by being held out of that matchup against Pittsburgh.
After a second-down pass play — a deep shot intended for tight end Brock Wright — Sewell remained on the ground, requiring attention from the team’s training staff. He eventually got to his feet and hobbled to the sideline, where his shoe was removed for a closer look at the injury.
Sewell grimaced as the trainer worked down his lower leg, from his ankle to his toes. He eventually made the long walk back to the locker room, slowly but without assistance, for further medical evaluation.
The team doesn’t have media access the next two days, so it might not be until after Saturday’s game that an update becomes available.
Colby Sorsdal replaced Sewell at right tackle for the remainder of practice. The second-year lineman out of William & Mary has been competing with Dan Skipper to serve as Detroit’s top backup behind Sewell and left tackle Taylor Decker.
Skipper has been sidelined this week by an ankle injury and is expected to return to practice next week.
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
does anyone know if Brian Branch majored in Kinesiology at Alabama?
[Birkett - Freep]
The Detroit Lions closed their last full practice of training camp with an intra-squad scrimmage Wednesday, some good-on-good work for their starters who are not expected to play in Saturday's preseason finale.
It was a lively practice with big hits, big plays and simulated crowd noise - until it all petered out when Penei Sewell went down with a foot injury.
"When Penei went down I was like, 'Ah, not Penei,' cause you know, shoot, that’s our No. 1 offensive lineman right there," Lions safety Brian Branch said. "And hopefully it wasn’t nothing major or anything. I don’t think it was, so just prayers up."
Sewell was injured on the third play after the Lions returned from the locker room and a simulated halftime. He sat on the ground briefly after blocking on a Jared Goff incompletion downfield and was tended to by trainers before limping to a bench on the sideline.
There, he removed his shoe and sock as trainers examined his left foot. A few plays later, Sewell hobbled to the locker room under his own power with a trainer in tow.
[Birkett - Freep]
The Detroit Lions closed their last full practice of training camp with an intra-squad scrimmage Wednesday, some good-on-good work for their starters who are not expected to play in Saturday's preseason finale.
It was a lively practice with big hits, big plays and simulated crowd noise - until it all petered out when Penei Sewell went down with a foot injury.
"When Penei went down I was like, 'Ah, not Penei,' cause you know, shoot, that’s our No. 1 offensive lineman right there," Lions safety Brian Branch said. "And hopefully it wasn’t nothing major or anything. I don’t think it was, so just prayers up."
Sewell was injured on the third play after the Lions returned from the locker room and a simulated halftime. He sat on the ground briefly after blocking on a Jared Goff incompletion downfield and was tended to by trainers before limping to a bench on the sideline.
There, he removed his shoe and sock as trainers examined his left foot. A few plays later, Sewell hobbled to the locker room under his own power with a trainer in tow.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Pressers and scrums: Dan Campbell shares how he's improved and which safety is Brian Branch studying?
JUSTIN ROGERS
AUG 22, 2024
Allen Park — Last week, I received an email from a reader with a bunch of questions they wanted me to ask Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell. Not that any of them were bad, but many were big-picture philosophy queries that wouldn’t organically fit into the flow of a day-to-day press conference.
But as these emails often do, it got me thinking about the topic of Campbell’s growth as a coach during his three-plus years at the helm. This week, he’s often talked about his staff’s desire to see steady improvement from individual players, so with that in mind, I asked Campbell where he’s seen personal growth, even throwing in the coach’s signature hand gesture to symbolize improvement.
I found Campbell's answer interesting and informative. He said his biggest area of growth is his ever-expanding understanding of situational football, which is an area of emphasis with the team’s offseason (and likely regular season) practice routine.
“That’s why I try to keep those (situations we practice) as fresh as possible, and you try to fabricate as many difficult decisions that you can put your team in, and yourself,” Campbell said. “…You get in the middle of those and the players need to live it — (backup quarterback Hendon) Hooker needs to live it, I need to live it, (offensive coordinator) Ben (Johnson) needs to live it. And those make you better.
“So as many of those as you can fabricate, I think it makes you a much sharper, much more prepared coach.”
As a coach, nothing gets put more under a microscope than how you manage the clock and handle situational decisions. It’s no secret Campbell is one of the NFL’s most-aggressive coaches.
Between the special teams fakes and regularly going for it on fourth down, all while leaning on his gut as much as the analytics, consistently opens himself up to criticism.
But what people don’t understand is how much thought and preparation go into those decisions long before they’re made. I followed up, asking Campbell how his process for making those in-game decisions has evolved since taking the helm in 2021.
As he’s done in the past, Campbell shared credit the team’s lead football counsel, Jon Dykema, for his role before, after and during games.
“He gets the eye in the booth, before I do, and so I've got to rely on him on some things,” Campbell said. “We worked together, really the first time was 2022. We had to get through some rough spots and now we flow pretty well. …He knows exactly what my thought process is.”
In addition to providing immediate input during a game, Dykema compiles postgame reports of every decision the Lions faced that week, noting the situation and time on the clock. The two then analyze what went right and where the coach can be better.
But just like all things in football, the biggest factor with improvement is repetition.
“I just think when you do those over a certain amount of time, you get better,” Campbell said.
● Speaking of gradual improvement, I checked in on how Campbell feels defensive tackle Brodric Martin has developed during his second offseason. To this lesser-trained eye, the former third-round pick has been flashing more frequnetly, both in practice and the preseason games.
“When it’s good, it’s good, and then when it’s not, it can be glaring,” Campbell said. “And so it’s just that consistency of it. The good news is that he can get in there, use his wing(span), strike blocks. He’s strong, he’s physical, and then it’s just a matter of doing it over and over and over. He’s got to be able to just do a yeoman’s job, play in, play out.
“Look it’s a thankless job, it’s selfless,” Campbell continued. “You’re in for the long haul when you play that position, the nose tackle. But he has grown, he’s gotten better, and that’s ultimately what you’re looking for.”
The comments are about what we’ve come to expect from Campbell. He’s not going to hand out over-the-top praise to a player not yet deserving. But the team is clearly encouraged by Martin’s progress.
How much last year's third-round pick will see the field to start this season will likely be determined by how quickly DJ Reader is ready to go. As of now, veteran Kyle Peko is looking like the primary fill-in for Reader’s reps, while Martin has a good chance of scooping up the scraps in the early-season rotation.
● For Georgia fans and the family members of quarterback Jake Fromm who were hoping to see the former Bulldog in the preseason finale, don’t get your hopes up.
“That’s tough, because we haven’t really gotten to see much of him,” Campbell said. “When we brought him in, it was dependent on when Hooker can or can’t come back (from his concussion earlier this month).
“I don’t anticipate really getting to see him,” Campbell said. “I don’t want to say absolutely not, but I think the priority (against Pittsburgh) will be Hooker, and I think we need to get Nate (Sudfeld) some reps. Then we’ll see what’s there with Fromm.”
Our of curiosity, I looked up how much Fromm would earn as a short-term insurance option for the Lions. The 2024 training camp salary for veteran players is $3,200 per week, so he’ll get double that after signing on the 12th.
That’s not a lot, relative to NFL salaries, but not too shabby for a couple weeks of minimal work. Of course, I imagine he’d take less if he got a chance to put down some tape against Pittsburgh.
● Behind the scenes, the Lions have been running their annual rookie talent show. According to Sports Illustrated’s John Maakaron, running back Sione Vaki wowed teammates with his singing.
Campbell, doing his best Simon Cowell impression, tempered the enthusiasm.
“Well, I don't know if it's the best performance, but as far as the best voice that I've heard, probably, it's up there,” Campbell said. “Now, (rookie defensive lineman Isaac) Ukwu has got a damn good voice too, all right. They may be singing a duet today after practice.
“(Vaki's) performance was, ‘Meh,’” Campbell said. “The voice, it was pretty phenomenal. It really is. So maybe he'll sing for you guys sometime. You need to ask him.”
Well, guess what? We did. And damn, voice of an angel. I guess Vaki just didn’t bowl his coach over with his stage presence.
● Brian Branch prepared for his shift to safety through extensive film study, even more than usual for the former Alabama standout. And he’s been watching one NFL safety closer than others: Atlanta’s Jesse Bates III.
“You can tell he be in the film room, just how his instincts are and just how cerebral of a player he is,” Branch said.
It’s almost too perfect. Like Branch, Bates is both a playmaker and underrated. A two-time, second-team All-Pro, he intercepted a career-high six passes in his first year with the Falcons, while also establishing a new personal best with three forced fumbles.
Branch has shown a knack for popping the ball free from his teammates' grasp this camp, jarring one out of the hands of Jameson Williams earlier this week.
“Just seeing how the receiver holds the ball, there’s a tell to it,” Branch said. “And AG (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) is always preaching ‘punch at the ball.’ So just create habits and hopefully I can do it in the game.”
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
[Pride of Detroit]
Breathe deep, Lions fans.
Calm the pulse, keep the heart rate in check and swallow the fear that swept across Lions fandom on Wednesday afternoon.
When news broke out of the final Lions practice of the preseason that All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell left the session with a foot injury that required further evaluation, it set off panic alarms.
Fortunately, an initial report from well-sourced Lions reporter Justin Rogers indicates things should be fine.
“He’s good,” Rogers quoted a Lions team source regarding Sewell and his injured left foot.
That’s an optimistically ambiguous statement.
The same basic message was shared about cornerback Terrion Arnold after he suffered a chest injury nine days ago in practice, and he still hasn’t returned to action. However, it’s a great harbinger that Sewell’s injury isn’t a serious one that will require any surgery or extended absence from the lineup.
Detroit kicks off the regular season on September 8th, which gives Sewell 18 days to heal up and get ready for the Rams.
Justin Rogers | Detroit Football Network |
@Justin_Rogers
Got a simple, but encouraging update on Sewell from a team source.
"He's good.“
x.com
Breathe deep, Lions fans.
Calm the pulse, keep the heart rate in check and swallow the fear that swept across Lions fandom on Wednesday afternoon.
When news broke out of the final Lions practice of the preseason that All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell left the session with a foot injury that required further evaluation, it set off panic alarms.
Fortunately, an initial report from well-sourced Lions reporter Justin Rogers indicates things should be fine.
“He’s good,” Rogers quoted a Lions team source regarding Sewell and his injured left foot.
That’s an optimistically ambiguous statement.
The same basic message was shared about cornerback Terrion Arnold after he suffered a chest injury nine days ago in practice, and he still hasn’t returned to action. However, it’s a great harbinger that Sewell’s injury isn’t a serious one that will require any surgery or extended absence from the lineup.
Detroit kicks off the regular season on September 8th, which gives Sewell 18 days to heal up and get ready for the Rams.
Justin Rogers | Detroit Football Network |
@Justin_Rogers
Got a simple, but encouraging update on Sewell from a team source.
"He's good.“
x.com
x.com
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Da Guru
Fair & Balanced
[Pride of Detroit]
Breathe deep, Lions fans.
Calm the pulse, keep the heart rate in check and swallow the fear that swept across Lions fandom on Wednesday afternoon.
When news broke out of the final Lions practice of the preseason that All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell left the session with a foot injury that required further evaluation, it set off panic alarms.
Fortunately, an initial report from well-sourced Lions reporter Justin Rogers indicates things should be fine.
“He’s good,” Rogers quoted a Lions team source regarding Sewell and his injured left foot.
That’s an optimistically ambiguous statement.
The same basic message was shared about cornerback Terrion Arnold after he suffered a chest injury nine days ago in practice, and he still hasn’t returned to action. However, it’s a great harbinger that Sewell’s injury isn’t a serious one that will require any surgery or extended absence from the lineup.
Detroit kicks off the regular season on September 8th, which gives Sewell 18 days to heal up and get ready for the Rams.
Justin Rogers | Detroit Football Network |
@Justin_Rogers
Got a simple, but encouraging update on Sewell from a team source.
"He's good.“
x.com
Good news! Was hoping it was not the dreaded Elizabeth Frank foot injury.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
[Pride of Detroit]
Breathe deep, Lions fans.
Calm the pulse, keep the heart rate in check and swallow the fear that swept across Lions fandom on Wednesday afternoon.
When news broke out of the final Lions practice of the preseason that All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell left the session with a foot injury that required further evaluation, it set off panic alarms.
Fortunately, an initial report from well-sourced Lions reporter Justin Rogers indicates things should be fine.
“He’s good,” Rogers quoted a Lions team source regarding Sewell and his injured left foot.
That’s an optimistically ambiguous statement.
The same basic message was shared about cornerback Terrion Arnold after he suffered a chest injury nine days ago in practice, and he still hasn’t returned to action. However, it’s a great harbinger that Sewell’s injury isn’t a serious one that will require any surgery or extended absence from the lineup.
Detroit kicks off the regular season on September 8th, which gives Sewell 18 days to heal up and get ready for the Rams.
Justin Rogers | Detroit Football Network |
@Justin_Rogers
Got a simple, but encouraging update on Sewell from a team source.
"He's good.“
x.com
Good news! Was hoping it was not the dreaded Elizabeth Frank foot injury.
Yeah I missed the update, we were at an annual dinner event & got home late
was great to that in my feed 1st thing today
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
It has to to the Chargers game which I went out to. 41-38 slugfest won on a last second 41-yard FG by the legendary Riley Patterson. Lions put up 533 yards of offense (hmmm, maybe I should be projecting 9,000 yards for the Lions instead a mere 7,000 yards). Monty running for a 75- yard TD with Jamo calmly jogging by throwing the key block taking out two would be tacklers who had the angle. The downside was watching Keenan Allen torching our secondary for 175 yards and 2 TDs, highlighting things to come.
Apple Juice
Footballguy
The one that jumps to mind was the Tampa Bay game. Tampa was playing well and it was considered a test at the time. Monty went out early and Goff played his best game of the year in my opinion. So many throws that hit the receivers in stride. That was also the Reynolds block game and Jamo's first huge touchdown bomb.
steelcityman
Footballguy
Do the Lions play starters in preseason? This week vs Steelers? Steelers starters need work vs other teams starters. Hoping to see that this weekend.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Probably not.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Starters will not play. They scrimmaged 1s v 1s Tuesday to give them a game simulation practice. Any 2s who will be contributors will also have the night off.
Hendon Hooker probably starts and gets a lot of reps. Sudfeld will relieve him. They’ve already said the 4th string QB won’t play.
There are 5-6 roster spots so we’ll see the contenders get a last chance. Right now I’d say the last man in these position groups is potentially on the roster bubble.
- WR4
- WR5
- TE4 (largely decided)
- OL9
- OL10
- DL10
- DL11
- LB6
- S4
- LS
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Gonna be some tough cuts, it will be interesting which ones get snagged before they can make it to the practice squad.
Moonlight
Footballguy
Favorite was blowing out GB on their home field. Least favorite was GB blowing out the Lions on Thanksgiving.
Watching Baltimore beat the snot out of the Lions was like having a root canal. But the GB games have such an impact on the future of the NFC North that seeing the Lions fail at home on Thanksgiving was the most disappointing.
IMHO, it would be a mistake if we keep Sudfeld on the 53-man roster. We have at least 3 or 4 players who are going to get sniped, Sudfeld is not one of them. I am worried most about losing Houston. There are also a few other OL and DL who will also be targeted. Cut Sudfeld and resign him to the PS. Campbell might be too scared to lose a veteran QB who knows the offense.
I would keep only 4 RB, 4 WR, and 3 TE and load up on depth on both the OL and DL. But who knows. There is so much that goes into these decisions (injuries, special teams usage, position versatility, contract structure, salary cap impacts, age, developmental potential, future planning, culture fit, their willingness to re-sign). So we really have very limited insight into the decision-making process. There will be surprises.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Houston get traded for a WR before cutdowns
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
The most interesting thing is there are no set limits how many can be carried at a certain position. So we could argue about which of 2 guys at a certain position will make the cut but there is always the chance they both make it and another position gets one less player.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
babe wake up - Lions media team dropped a new episode tonight
Inside the Den 2024 Episode 3: Keeping a Winning Culture
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
4 rookie UDFAs with the best chance to make the Lions 53-man roster
With roster cuts on the horizon, these four Lions rookie UDFAs should all have a chance to make Detroit’s 53-man roster.
By Erik Schlitt @erikschlitt Aug 23, 2024
Every offseason there are surprise players who ascend throughout training camp and do enough to warrant a spot on an NFL roster. For the Detroit Lions, they have had an undrafted rookie free agent (UDFA) make their roster in each of the last 14 seasons, a remarkable record that could be in jeopardy in 2024.
While the Lions' previous rosters have never been as deep as the current installment, this regime bases its decisions on meritocracy, meaning it doesn’t matter how a player made it onto the 90-man roster, it’s all about what they do with their opportunity.
Earlier this week, with cutdowns looming, coach Dan Campbell noted that there were still five or six roster spots up for grabs on the Lions soon to be determined 53-man roster. Could another UDFA find his way to the Lions roster? Let’s take a look at the four most likely candidates.
Kingsley Eguakun, IOL
When the Lions were working to add undrafted players following this year’s NFL draft, interior offensive lineman Eguakun was at the top of the Lions’ wish list, leading all Detroit UDFAs with $245,000 in contractual guarantees.The Lions signed three offensive linemen capable of playing center and guard—Bryan Hudson and Duke Clemens being the others—but it was Eguakun who opened camp as the team’s third-team center. It wasn’t long before he worked his way up to second-team center, and this past week, he was filling in at right guard with the starters.
“Yeah he’s a guy that has certainly caught our eye,” Campbell said of Eguakun’s progress. “He’s put the work in, he’s pretty polished for a young guy, he’s got good feet, he’s quick, he’s smart, he’s tough. So, we’re just getting him some reps in there (at guard) and seeing what it looks like. He didn’t look out of place yesterday doing that. He’ll get some more today at that position. So, we like Kingsley, he works his tail off.”
Despite the Lions drafting two other offensive linemen in this past draft—Giovanni Manu and Christian Mahogany—Eguakun has positioned himself perfectly to compete for a roster spot. Keeping three rookies on the offensive line would be unusual, especially for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, but if he’s the team's best interior option, they won’t hesitate to keep him on the roster.
“Brad [Holmes, Lions general manager] and I have gone back and forth on that as well,” Campbell said of the competition between Eguakun, Kayode Awosika, and Michael Niese. “‘How many linemen are we keeping? What does that come down to? Is potentially one of those linemen more important than one of these safeties, depth safety, or does it come down to a fullback, tight end?’ So we’re constantly playing that. [...] ‘What’s the best roster? Can one guy handle two spots, or is it worth keeping all three of them?’ So honestly, I don’t have that answer. We’re in the middle of it, and I think it’s going to sort itself out by the time we get through Pittsburgh.”
As Campbell mentioned, a player who can handle playing multiple spots could have an edge in this battle, and positional flexibility could be key for Eguakun.
Isaiah Williams, Slot WR
After Eguakun, the UDFA with the next most contractual guarantees is Williams, which illustrates the Lions probably aren’t surprised that he has been the star of Detroit’s preseason.“Yeah, look, we always put stock in the guys who are making plays, you know? And he does,” Campbell said of Williams’ preseason performances. “He is making plays. Now, that’s in the slot, which is where he excels. That’s where his game is suited for and he’s making the most of it. That’s what’s hard a little bit is, man, he is a football player, he is making plays, but we’ve got Saint, we’ve got Leaf, and so where does that fit? Some of it might need to be, well, can we put him outside? What can he do at Z? Is that a possibility? Can he survive out there? I know this, every challenge he’s had, he’s stepped up and made plays.”
While Eguakun’s positional flexibility could be his path to the roster, Williams’ lack of positional flexibility could be his undoing. The Lions' depth at wide receiver is certainly questionable outside their top three players, but Williams has rarely gotten opportunities on the outside, which is the true source of the Lions' weakness.
And while lack of depth on the outside could look like an opportunity for Williams, it may actually have the opposite effect. Because there is no clear option for the Lions WR-X role, Detroit is throwing several players into the mix, which has resulted in a lack of opportunities for Williams to get snaps on the outside.
“You still want to get a look at [Donovan Peoples-Jones] DPJ and [Daurice] Fountain and [Kaden] Davis, and they’re really suited outside, so that’s part of the trick here,” Campbell responded when asked about Williams getting snaps on the outside. “You do that, then you’re taking away an opportunity for one of those guys to give another look.”
If Williams does not make the Lions 53-man roster, they will surely want to get him onto the practice squad, but he’ll likely also have his fair share of suitors. Not only will other NFL teams be interested in him, but Williams was also drafted by the UFL, where he could have another opportunity to further his career.
The other Lions UDFA that was drafted by the UFL also made this list...
Isaac Ukwu, EDGE
Coming off two college ACL injuries, Ukwu transferred to Mississippi as a senior and played a situational pass rushing role for the Rebels. Because of that, he flew a bit under the radar entering camp but has had one of the more impressive ascensions throughout the offseason. Recently, when discussing open roster battles, Campbell unpromptedly brought up Ukwu as an example of a player who was in the fight.“I just bring up a guy like Ukwu, man,” Campbell said. “When he got in here in the spring, he was last on the depth chart, it was, ‘Well where can this guy play? He’s not the biggest guy, he’s not really a SAM, is he a defensive end?’ And he’s just steadily gotten better, and better, and better, and he plays much bigger than he is. He plays longer than his length says. Every time we give him an opportunity, he just shows up. He’s just an example of some guys that we’ve got our eyes on.”
While several other pass rushers on the Lions roster have seen their roles called back, Ukwu’s offseason successes have the opposite impact. Ukwu has two sacks and three pressures through two preseason games and has shown the positional range to line up in a variety of pass rushing spots. With the Lions' hybrid defensive front, there looks like there could be an opportunity for a rangy player with pass rushing potential, and Ukwu is firmly in the mix, which could be a threat to a player like James Houston.
Loren Strickland, DB
Another player who has shown consistent growth throughout the offseason, Strickland has stepped up and taken advantage of every opportunity in front of him. Strickland opened camp with the team’s third-team safeties group, but injuries in the slot have opened the door for him to show his positional range.“He’s a football player and he’s one of those guys that he just won’t go away,” Campbell said. “He just won’t go away. It’s like, ‘This guy?’ one more time, ‘Can he make this play?’ Well, he made the play. ‘Can he really get over?’ Well, he got over there. ‘Well, can he make this tackle?’ Well, he made the tackle. So, he just keeps making plays and that’s a great thing. He’s one of those players that I say it’s hard to ignore him. So, he’s caught our eye and he’s got a knack for playing the ball, he’s got a knack for finding the ball and getting it down, and he’s smart. Man, he’s smart. Conscientious player, and to your point, he plays all out. He is lights out and he’s an aggressive player. So, we got our eye on him. He’s doing well.”
With Amik Robertson dealing with an injury and the Lions surely not playing Brian Branch, it’s possible Strickland will start at nickel corner in the Lions' preseason game against the Steelers. If he can perform well in the slot—and also on special teams—he could find himself in the mix for one of the final defensive back spots on the roster.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Regular and preseason are night and day when it comes to the odds. Lions are a 6.5 point home dog, it would probably be flipped if it were regular season. Projected to only score 14 against Pittsburgh, we'll see what Mr. Hooker and the Great Nate can do to beat that.
What is everyone looking for in this game? I am hoping DPJ and Houston step up and solidify their roster spot. These are two guys who can really help us. I am starting to worry if there is some cultural fit issue with those two.
It sounds like Ford Field is soldold and rocking. Lots of excitement to watch backup and bubble players. I guess Kalif and Goff are dressed for some reason. Maybe they want a series with some of the ones to evaluate the other players. Hopefully Hooker sees a ton of action.
Hooker just announced as starter.
It sounds like Ford Field is soldold and rocking. Lots of excitement to watch backup and bubble players. I guess Kalif and Goff are dressed for some reason. Maybe they want a series with some of the ones to evaluate the other players. Hopefully Hooker sees a ton of action.
Hooker just announced as starter.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
I'm believing more and more that the Lions and many other teams will just start kicking it through the end zone. Gave Pitt a short field at the 40 by kicking it short and many run backs get past the 30.
2Young2BBald
Footbaldguy
That might just do it for DPJ a minute ago as it looked like he lined up on the wrong side of the ball and reacted way slow to multiple waves to move over, leading to the Lions needing to take a time out.
2Young2BBald
Footbaldguy
Conversely, nice sack by Houston.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Williams showing up on both offense and special teams, size gets trumped by play
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
And while they are at it, Jack Fox back to doing kickoffs please.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
I am not opposed to experimenting with the wildcat this season.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
2 point plays could be a place to start.
I am not opposed to experimenting with the wildcat this season.
2 point plays could be a place to start.
I am not opposed to experimenting with the wildcat this season.
Not the worst idea. If you are only hitting sub 90 percent on XP, if you can make 50 percent plus, it is a net positive. Hooker gives you real options at the goal line or 4th and short.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Fromm actually looked decent, put down some good game film for other teams to see
The Bates experiment is going to be frustrating at times this season
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
It all comes down to whether his long distance upside outweighs whatever consistency the #33 kicker out there might offer.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
yeah most guys come into the league with a minimum of 6-8 years game experience as a kicker
that's a lot of reps, and repetition is the mother of mastery
he kicked his first FG in a game in March 2024 and his first PAT in a game 17 days ago
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Manu and Sorsdal will be interesting. Can the Lions afford to keep two development OL who are not ready for primetime? Both players were considered reaches when the Lions got them. Sorsdal has been here for two camps and still is not ready. Manu's first year and it seems he has had remarkable growth during the preseason. Keeping both would mean the Lions may have to cut a quality depth piece and take away a lot of flexibility in filling in for any injuries. I think we keep 21 players between the O and D Lines.
The guys I worry most about the Lions losing are the guys in the trenches on both the OL and DL. Mahogany is almost certain to begin the season on IR. The uncertainty surrounding Iffy could land him there. That probably means they keep an additional safety.
I am not even sure Sudfeld makes our practice squad.
The guys I worry most about the Lions losing are the guys in the trenches on both the OL and DL. Mahogany is almost certain to begin the season on IR. The uncertainty surrounding Iffy could land him there. That probably means they keep an additional safety.
I am not even sure Sudfeld makes our practice squad.
Da Guru
Fair & Balanced
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