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2025 Detroit Lions: 4-1 Lions win battle of the big cats. (33 Viewers)
- Thread starter Da Guru
- Start date
Ilov80s
Footballguy
It would have been funny to have Goff and Wentz since they went 1 and 2 in the same draft. However, I am totally fine not signing Wentz. I am pretty sure I've read things that he isn't generally a well liked teammate.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
I'm not 100% sure but I believe it's the Dolphins and Jets.Maybe I missed it, but do the Lions have any joint practices scheduled for this preseason?
Date| Visiting | Host | Location
8/13 Miami Dolphins Detroit Lions Allen Park
8/21 Houston Texans Detroit Lions Allen Park
We play the Dolphins the 16th & the Texans the 23rd. Per the team website there will be 2 days of joint practices with Miami and 1 day with Houston.
darksideofoz
Footballguy
Maybe I missed it, but do the Lions have any joint practices scheduled for this preseason?
depends on how the rookies did in the joint rolling practice
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
S Dan Jackson also got hurt today, lower leg.
Skipper will be out a weak with ankle sprain.
Decker working on the side today, they’re going to ramp him up slowly.
Arnold has a hammy but just being cautious with him. Should be back by Wednesday.
Will post a press conference summary & practice report later today.
Skipper will be out a weak with ankle sprain.
Decker working on the side today, they’re going to ramp him up slowly.
Arnold has a hammy but just being cautious with him. Should be back by Wednesday.
Will post a press conference summary & practice report later today.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Campbell recap: Decker practicing, Hooker starting, Arnold injury update and Manu's preseason performance
Allen Park — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell met with the media for the first time since the team’s preseason opener. Here are the takeaways from that Sunday morning conversation.
Decker had an offseason cleanup procedure performed on his shoulder, and Campbell had set the recovery timeline for early August at the start of camp. With no setbacks, the veteran offensive lineman was back on the practice field for the team's first session following the Hall of Fame game.
Entering his 10th season, Decker is being reacclimated slowly. With the team in full pads on Sunday, he only participated in individual drills during his first day of on-field work.
As for Decker’s replacement at left tackle to open camp, Dan Skipper will be out approximately a week with the ankle injury he suffered Thursday against the Chargers.
The other injury from that contest wasn’t nearly as significant, despite how bad it looked live. Tight end Kenny Yeboah wasn’t out there on Sunday for personal reasons, but he's expected back for Monday evening’s practice.
Finally, cornerback Terrion Arnold remained sidelined with the hamstring strain he suffered early last week. Still, Campbell confirmed it wasn’t serious. The team is hopeful to have the second-year cornerback back at practice mid-week.
Campbell noted the outing was a pleasant surprise from an otherwise dismal performance from the team.
“It was better,” Campbell said. “That’s the best way to say it. The beginning of camp has probably been more downs than ups, and then the game was more encouraging. And actually, I will say this, I thought his last practice before this game was better. I do feel an uptick here. Now, you just have to build off of that. Always going to be things to work on, but it was better.”
Talking to reporters after practice, Manu seemed surprised by Campbell’s praise. The young offensive lineman was harder on himself, proving that players live up to the cliche that they’re often their own harshest critics.
Manu, a fourth-round pick in 2024, has primarily been repping as the second-team left tackle behind Skipper during camp. On Sunday, Manu saw a little more action on the right side, still with the second group.
“Yes, I see Hooker starting this first half versus Atlanta, and then Kyle will take the back half,” Campbell said.
Both quarterbacks struggled against the Chargers, with Allen turning it over twice and Hooker unable to move the offense with four second-half possessions before ending his night with an interception.
“It goes without saying, they’re frustrated with the way that went,” Campbell said. “They both want to improve and get better, and they will.”
I asked Campbell if there was anything they hoped to see going into the Hall of Fame game, but didn’t, for one reason or another. After quipping he’d have liked to see more first downs from the offense, Campbell noted they’d like more opportunities to see how the offense operates inside the 20-yard line.
“If anything, you’d like to have felt like you got down in the red zone a little, more offensively, and gotten some of those reps,” Campbell said. “I mean, defensively I felt like we got a little bit of everything, probably minus a good two-minute drive. Everything else, we pretty much saw defensively. Offensively, you like to see — just to get down there in that red zone a little bit more. And that requires not turning the ball over, as we know, converting on first downs, but that would be the big thing. Whereas joint practices, you know you’re going to get those. You’re going to get plenty of your base reps, red zones, third downs, all of those.”
“We do this once a year, we do this night practice,” Campbell said. “I just know I always liked it as a player. It was a good changeup. It just kind of breaks the monotony of camp a little bit. And then it’s, as to what our schedule has been over the last two to three years, you don’t know when you’re playing. You’re playing in the afternoon, you’re playing at night, you’re playing five days away, four days away, six days, seven across. So, it’s just how do we mix up things a little bit and get them used to a little bit of the chaos in a good way.”
“There are a number of things he can do,” Campbell said. “We’d like to start working him at some safety, too.”
Less than an hour later, Ya-Sin was taking his first safety reps of camp. No, scratch that. They were his first safety reps since high school.
Wellness check
There were a few, largely positive injury updates ahead of Sunday’s practice, starting with the return of starting left tackle Taylor Decker.Decker had an offseason cleanup procedure performed on his shoulder, and Campbell had set the recovery timeline for early August at the start of camp. With no setbacks, the veteran offensive lineman was back on the practice field for the team's first session following the Hall of Fame game.
Entering his 10th season, Decker is being reacclimated slowly. With the team in full pads on Sunday, he only participated in individual drills during his first day of on-field work.
As for Decker’s replacement at left tackle to open camp, Dan Skipper will be out approximately a week with the ankle injury he suffered Thursday against the Chargers.
The other injury from that contest wasn’t nearly as significant, despite how bad it looked live. Tight end Kenny Yeboah wasn’t out there on Sunday for personal reasons, but he's expected back for Monday evening’s practice.
Finally, cornerback Terrion Arnold remained sidelined with the hamstring strain he suffered early last week. Still, Campbell confirmed it wasn’t serious. The team is hopeful to have the second-year cornerback back at practice mid-week.
Righting the ship
Developmental prospect Giovanni Manu replaced Skipper in the second quarter of the Hall of Fame game, showcasing some of his year-to-year improvement from rookie to sophomore season.Campbell noted the outing was a pleasant surprise from an otherwise dismal performance from the team.
“It was better,” Campbell said. “That’s the best way to say it. The beginning of camp has probably been more downs than ups, and then the game was more encouraging. And actually, I will say this, I thought his last practice before this game was better. I do feel an uptick here. Now, you just have to build off of that. Always going to be things to work on, but it was better.”
Talking to reporters after practice, Manu seemed surprised by Campbell’s praise. The young offensive lineman was harder on himself, proving that players live up to the cliche that they’re often their own harshest critics.
Manu, a fourth-round pick in 2024, has primarily been repping as the second-team left tackle behind Skipper during camp. On Sunday, Manu saw a little more action on the right side, still with the second group.
Changing places
After starting Kyle Allen at quarterback in the preseason opener, it will be Hendon Hooker’s turn against the Falcons on Friday.“Yes, I see Hooker starting this first half versus Atlanta, and then Kyle will take the back half,” Campbell said.
Both quarterbacks struggled against the Chargers, with Allen turning it over twice and Hooker unable to move the offense with four second-half possessions before ending his night with an interception.
“It goes without saying, they’re frustrated with the way that went,” Campbell said. “They both want to improve and get better, and they will.”
Hole in the evaluation process
The beauty of joint practices is teams can be purposeful with each day’s script to get the specific evaluations they need. In a preseason, you’re left more to the game’s flow.I asked Campbell if there was anything they hoped to see going into the Hall of Fame game, but didn’t, for one reason or another. After quipping he’d have liked to see more first downs from the offense, Campbell noted they’d like more opportunities to see how the offense operates inside the 20-yard line.
“If anything, you’d like to have felt like you got down in the red zone a little, more offensively, and gotten some of those reps,” Campbell said. “I mean, defensively I felt like we got a little bit of everything, probably minus a good two-minute drive. Everything else, we pretty much saw defensively. Offensively, you like to see — just to get down there in that red zone a little bit more. And that requires not turning the ball over, as we know, converting on first downs, but that would be the big thing. Whereas joint practices, you know you’re going to get those. You’re going to get plenty of your base reps, red zones, third downs, all of those.”
Intent of schedule change
The Lions have consistently run their early camp practices at 8:30 a.m. On Monday, they’ll switch it up, getting their work in at 6:30 p.m. Here’s what Campbell had to say about the schedule change.“We do this once a year, we do this night practice,” Campbell said. “I just know I always liked it as a player. It was a good changeup. It just kind of breaks the monotony of camp a little bit. And then it’s, as to what our schedule has been over the last two to three years, you don’t know when you’re playing. You’re playing in the afternoon, you’re playing at night, you’re playing five days away, four days away, six days, seven across. So, it’s just how do we mix up things a little bit and get them used to a little bit of the chaos in a good way.”
A different look
I'm not going to get too much into the topic, because I plan on expanding on it later after talking to the player. However, Campbell noted the team has liked how veteran cornerback Rock-Ya Sin has fit in during his first camp with the team. So much so that they’re looking to expand his usage and versatility.“There are a number of things he can do,” Campbell said. “We’d like to start working him at some safety, too.”
Less than an hour later, Ya-Sin was taking his first safety reps of camp. No, scratch that. They were his first safety reps since high school.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Lions camp observations: Reed shines defending Williams, Rakestraw suffers new injury
Allen Park — Here are some notes and observations from the Detroit Lions’ Sunday morning training camp practice.
● Much like it was last season, Detroit’s secondary has been something of a revolving door, with top options in and out of the lineup with minor injuries.
The team got back two key pieces on Sunday, with safety Kerby Joseph and starting slot cornerback Amik Robertson returning to action.
That was the good news. Unfortunately, Ennis Rakestraw — slotted for first-team reps with Terrion Arnold still nursing a sore hamstring — was removed after suffering a shoulder injury on the first rep of a one-on-one tackling drill.
It’s been a brutal start to camp for Rakestraw. After a strong showing in OTAs, injuries have prevented him from building on that momentum. He suffered a nasty chest contusion from a midfield collision, which sidelined him for four practices and has continued to be a lingering source of discomfort.
After whiffing while trying to bring down receiver Tom Kennedy on Sunday, Rakestraw was slow to get up. My initial thought was a reagitation of the chest contusion. However, the second-year defender was clutching the opposite arm as trainers looked him over.
The evaluation of the injury was ongoing after practice, and we should have a better understanding regarding the extent of the damage ahead of Monday’s practice.
With Rock-Ya Sin focused on practicing at safety for the first time, it was Dicaprio Bootle who took the majority of the first-team cornerback reps opposite DJ Reed. Bootle also briefly exited after he appeared to have the wind knocked out of him after a violent collision with Craig Reynolds, only to return a few minutes later.
● More from the one-on-one tackling. The linebackers made easy work of rookie tight end Zach Horton, demonstrating why he’s more of a block-first option. He was easily taken down twice by Trevor Nowaske and once by Anthony Pittman.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone, moving more into full contact after missing the start of camp with a hamstring injury, dumped running back Jabari Small on the first rep and recovered after being initially beaten on a second, even managing to punch the ball free before the whistle.
Anzalone carried that success into team drills, fitting a run and dropping Gibbs near the line of scrimmage.
After getting worked over a few times by Sam LaPorta in previous runnings of this tackling drill, safety Brian Branch got the better of the tight end in their two reps on Sunday.
Linebacker Zach Cunningham delivered the biggest hit, squaring up and dropping tight end Brock Wright.
Running back Sione Vaki, also getting reacclimated to contact after missing time with a hamstring strain, showed impressive contact balance, maintaining his feet after taking a shot from linebacker Grant Stuard. The two special teams standouts reversed roles on their next rep, with Stuard getting by the former safety with minimal issues.
Speaking of contact balance, rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa continues to be a tough tackle in the drill, twice getting by (or through) defensive back Erick Hallett.
● Transitioning to one-on-one work between the receivers and defensive backs, the attention-grabbing rep was Gibbs beating Anzalone on a go ball. It’s hardly surprising to see the speedy dual-threat get a step down the sideline. What should concern opposing defensive coordinators is how natural Gibbs looked hauling in the throw over his shoulder.
Tim Patrick continued his camp struggles. The veteran’s route was run for him by cornerback Nick Whiteside, who should have had the pick after getting both hands on the fade. Maybe this isn’t giving the defender enough credit. He’s been making some plays since signing, including jumping a route intended for TeSlaa and breaking up the throw in full-team work later in the day.
Rookie Jackson Meeks continues to flash. He won with a spin move in the tackling drill, beat Bootle on a slant pattern, then went up over cornerback Tyson Russell on a fade to the right sideline, earning some appreciation from the fans in the stands to that side of the field.
● Cornerback DJ Reed was the star of Sunday's practice, in my opinion. Jameson Williams got the best of the defender on a hitch during an early rep of one-on-ones. Reed rebounded by blanketing Williams deep twice, once in individual and against in full-team work, forcing incompletions on both. Reed also smothered a comeback route for an incompletion and stopped Williams short of the sticks in the open field on a third-down play.
Reed’s ability to turn and run with one of the league’s fastest receivers bodes well for Detroit’s defense this season.
● It was a good day for Marcus Davenport, particularly against the run. He had multiple stops near the line of scrimmage. He also should have been credited with a sack, letting up before quarterback Jared Goff got rid of the ball.
● Dominic Lovett got separation on a deep ball in one-on-ones, but disappointingly dropped the throw. The speed rookie made up for it with a massive gain on a crossing pattern to convert a third down during team work.
● Trystan Colon earned second-team center reps coming off a good showing in the Hall of Fame game. Michael Niese was snapping for the third unit, with Kingsley Eguakun, Thursday's starter, working at guard with both the second and third-team offense.
● Detroit’s linebackers struggled to affect the pocket as blitzers more than they typically have during camp. Stuard got shut down twice, once by Vaki and a second time by Colon.
Vaki’s pickup afforded backup quarterback Hendon Hooker the time to find Kalif Raymond across the middle for a third-down conversion.
Derrick Barnes also got put on his backside by Tate Ratledge, who came over to offer a thunderous assist after the back initially took on the rushing linebacker.
Ratledge had another noteworthy block, pulling across the formation to hammer Aidan Hutchinson and lead Gibbs for a big gain around the edge.
● Jake Bates was a perfect six-for-six on field goal tries, ranging from 34 to 49 yards.
● Much like it was last season, Detroit’s secondary has been something of a revolving door, with top options in and out of the lineup with minor injuries.
The team got back two key pieces on Sunday, with safety Kerby Joseph and starting slot cornerback Amik Robertson returning to action.
That was the good news. Unfortunately, Ennis Rakestraw — slotted for first-team reps with Terrion Arnold still nursing a sore hamstring — was removed after suffering a shoulder injury on the first rep of a one-on-one tackling drill.
It’s been a brutal start to camp for Rakestraw. After a strong showing in OTAs, injuries have prevented him from building on that momentum. He suffered a nasty chest contusion from a midfield collision, which sidelined him for four practices and has continued to be a lingering source of discomfort.
After whiffing while trying to bring down receiver Tom Kennedy on Sunday, Rakestraw was slow to get up. My initial thought was a reagitation of the chest contusion. However, the second-year defender was clutching the opposite arm as trainers looked him over.
The evaluation of the injury was ongoing after practice, and we should have a better understanding regarding the extent of the damage ahead of Monday’s practice.
With Rock-Ya Sin focused on practicing at safety for the first time, it was Dicaprio Bootle who took the majority of the first-team cornerback reps opposite DJ Reed. Bootle also briefly exited after he appeared to have the wind knocked out of him after a violent collision with Craig Reynolds, only to return a few minutes later.
● More from the one-on-one tackling. The linebackers made easy work of rookie tight end Zach Horton, demonstrating why he’s more of a block-first option. He was easily taken down twice by Trevor Nowaske and once by Anthony Pittman.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone, moving more into full contact after missing the start of camp with a hamstring injury, dumped running back Jabari Small on the first rep and recovered after being initially beaten on a second, even managing to punch the ball free before the whistle.
Anzalone carried that success into team drills, fitting a run and dropping Gibbs near the line of scrimmage.
After getting worked over a few times by Sam LaPorta in previous runnings of this tackling drill, safety Brian Branch got the better of the tight end in their two reps on Sunday.
Linebacker Zach Cunningham delivered the biggest hit, squaring up and dropping tight end Brock Wright.
Running back Sione Vaki, also getting reacclimated to contact after missing time with a hamstring strain, showed impressive contact balance, maintaining his feet after taking a shot from linebacker Grant Stuard. The two special teams standouts reversed roles on their next rep, with Stuard getting by the former safety with minimal issues.
Speaking of contact balance, rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa continues to be a tough tackle in the drill, twice getting by (or through) defensive back Erick Hallett.
● Transitioning to one-on-one work between the receivers and defensive backs, the attention-grabbing rep was Gibbs beating Anzalone on a go ball. It’s hardly surprising to see the speedy dual-threat get a step down the sideline. What should concern opposing defensive coordinators is how natural Gibbs looked hauling in the throw over his shoulder.
Tim Patrick continued his camp struggles. The veteran’s route was run for him by cornerback Nick Whiteside, who should have had the pick after getting both hands on the fade. Maybe this isn’t giving the defender enough credit. He’s been making some plays since signing, including jumping a route intended for TeSlaa and breaking up the throw in full-team work later in the day.
Rookie Jackson Meeks continues to flash. He won with a spin move in the tackling drill, beat Bootle on a slant pattern, then went up over cornerback Tyson Russell on a fade to the right sideline, earning some appreciation from the fans in the stands to that side of the field.
● Cornerback DJ Reed was the star of Sunday's practice, in my opinion. Jameson Williams got the best of the defender on a hitch during an early rep of one-on-ones. Reed rebounded by blanketing Williams deep twice, once in individual and against in full-team work, forcing incompletions on both. Reed also smothered a comeback route for an incompletion and stopped Williams short of the sticks in the open field on a third-down play.
Reed’s ability to turn and run with one of the league’s fastest receivers bodes well for Detroit’s defense this season.
● It was a good day for Marcus Davenport, particularly against the run. He had multiple stops near the line of scrimmage. He also should have been credited with a sack, letting up before quarterback Jared Goff got rid of the ball.
● Dominic Lovett got separation on a deep ball in one-on-ones, but disappointingly dropped the throw. The speed rookie made up for it with a massive gain on a crossing pattern to convert a third down during team work.
● Trystan Colon earned second-team center reps coming off a good showing in the Hall of Fame game. Michael Niese was snapping for the third unit, with Kingsley Eguakun, Thursday's starter, working at guard with both the second and third-team offense.
● Detroit’s linebackers struggled to affect the pocket as blitzers more than they typically have during camp. Stuard got shut down twice, once by Vaki and a second time by Colon.
Vaki’s pickup afforded backup quarterback Hendon Hooker the time to find Kalif Raymond across the middle for a third-down conversion.
Derrick Barnes also got put on his backside by Tate Ratledge, who came over to offer a thunderous assist after the back initially took on the rushing linebacker.
Ratledge had another noteworthy block, pulling across the formation to hammer Aidan Hutchinson and lead Gibbs for a big gain around the edge.
● Jake Bates was a perfect six-for-six on field goal tries, ranging from 34 to 49 yards.
Da Guru
Fair & Balanced
New nickname. Breakstraw.
eighsse2
Footballguy
If you take only one thing away from this rundown, let it be "Dicaprio Bootle".
King of the Jungle
Footballguy
Rough ROI so far on this guy, can’t win them all and still time for him to get things right.
Da Guru
Fair & Balanced
For sure, but it is tough when he missed basically his whole rookie year and has been nicked a couple times already in camp. Needs the reps to progress. Good thing though it has not been a ACL.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Lions mixing it up with a nighttime practice today (think all of training camp has been early morning so far)
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
All 22 Films has released some Lions film
study over the last couple days.
study over the last couple days.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
5 teams in 5 years but I like this guy coming out
Having a pretty good camp so far
Having a pretty good camp so far
The duality of personality and budding versatility of Lions CB Ya-Sin: 'We all like Rock'
Allen Park — When he’s not working, Abdurrahman Ya-Sin strives to live up to the meaning of his first name. Arabic in origin, it translates to servant of the Most Merciful.
“With my family, with everyone, I just want to be a kind person,” Ya-Sin said.
On the football field, not so much. Of course, no one knows him as Abdurrahman between the white lines. That’s where he goes by the more appropriate moniker, Rock.
Ya-Sin picked up the nickname — which everyone other than his parents calls him by these days — from a youth wrestling coach who struggled to pronounce Abdurrahman.
Wrestling was his first love. Ya-Sin won two state championships as a grappler. He dreamed of competing in the Olympics before he was convinced to give football a shot in 11th grade. Despite the late start, he quickly found success on the gridiron, as well, earning a scholarship at Presbyterian, eventually transferring to Temple, scoring first-team All-ACC honors as a senior, and getting drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.
His arrow continued to point up as a rookie. He started 13 games for the Colts that first year, was decent in coverage, better against the run, and his tackling was superb for the position. Stardom felt like it was around the bend, but Ya-Sin never reached the destination.
Several years later, he’s preparing to play for a fifth different team in five seasons. Regardless, something feels right about the current pairing with the Detroit Lions.
Ya-Sin isn’t expected to start in Detroit. Hell, with a veteran minimum salary and no guarantees, he arrived without assurance he’d even make the roster. However, it didn’t take long for him to show he’s one of those players coach Dan Campbell likes to say “fits us.”
“We all like Rock,” Campbell said. “His work ethic, man. He’s pretty tough, he’s physical, he’s headsy, and he’s versatile. There are a number of things he can do.”
Ya-Sin had a feeling he’d mesh with the Lions well before he signed with them as a free agent this offseason.
“I felt like I would fit in watching them on film, watching them during all those primetime games they played last year,” Ya-Sin said. “I felt I would fit in well here. Then, once I signed here, coming in during the spring, running and lifting, seeing how hard these guys work and how much it means to these guys. I just felt like I fit in immediately.
“…I feel like any defensive player with the right mindset, they want to play in an aggressive defense,” Ya-Sin said. “They want to play in a defense that swarms. Turn the film on, guys are flying around, hitting people, covering well, taking the ball away. Anybody has the right mentality playing defense would love to play here.”
Ya-Sin has that mindset. There’s some overlap with one of Detroit’s additions from last year, Amik Robertson, albeit a little quieter when going about his business. Ya-Sin is tenacious and physical. In the offseason, he stays in shape by practicing martial arts and boxing. He thrives in man coverage and loves the opportunity to get his hands into the chest of a receiver with a jam at the line of scrimmage. Perhaps even more than that, he yearns to make plays in the run game, something he's done regularly in practice and twice in limited snaps during the team’s preseason opener last Thursday.
When there’s a ball carrier in striking distance, Ya-Sin leaves mercy and kindness at the door.
“You can't be (merciful),” Ya-Sin said. “Especially in this defense, everybody has to tackle. There's a saying that you have a good tackling defense when your corners tackle. I try to put that on film. I want to compete, cover well, and when there's an opportunity to tackle, go make that tackle.”
Ya-Sin hasn’t been in Detroit long, but he has the coaching staff’s attention. Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp has been experimenting with a number of ways to utilize him. And during Sunday’s practice, the team even gave Ya-Sin some reps at safety, a position he hasn’t played since high school, when he was first learning the game.
“Kind of in the spring, (safeties coach Jim O’Neil) JO told me, 'Take a look at some of the safety stuff over the summer, over the break. We're going to try and put you back there during camp and see how you look,’” Ya-Sin explained. “(I’m) just taking it in stride. I'm excited about the opportunity to play anywhere — safety, corner, wherever it is, just to get on the field to help this team win, I'm excited about it.”
What can he say? Ya-Sin wants to live up to his name. No, make that his nickname.
“On the field, that's when I'm 'Rock,’” he said. “I want to be dependable, tough and someone who will compete."
“With my family, with everyone, I just want to be a kind person,” Ya-Sin said.
On the football field, not so much. Of course, no one knows him as Abdurrahman between the white lines. That’s where he goes by the more appropriate moniker, Rock.
Ya-Sin picked up the nickname — which everyone other than his parents calls him by these days — from a youth wrestling coach who struggled to pronounce Abdurrahman.
Wrestling was his first love. Ya-Sin won two state championships as a grappler. He dreamed of competing in the Olympics before he was convinced to give football a shot in 11th grade. Despite the late start, he quickly found success on the gridiron, as well, earning a scholarship at Presbyterian, eventually transferring to Temple, scoring first-team All-ACC honors as a senior, and getting drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.
His arrow continued to point up as a rookie. He started 13 games for the Colts that first year, was decent in coverage, better against the run, and his tackling was superb for the position. Stardom felt like it was around the bend, but Ya-Sin never reached the destination.
Several years later, he’s preparing to play for a fifth different team in five seasons. Regardless, something feels right about the current pairing with the Detroit Lions.
Ya-Sin isn’t expected to start in Detroit. Hell, with a veteran minimum salary and no guarantees, he arrived without assurance he’d even make the roster. However, it didn’t take long for him to show he’s one of those players coach Dan Campbell likes to say “fits us.”
“We all like Rock,” Campbell said. “His work ethic, man. He’s pretty tough, he’s physical, he’s headsy, and he’s versatile. There are a number of things he can do.”
Ya-Sin had a feeling he’d mesh with the Lions well before he signed with them as a free agent this offseason.
“I felt like I would fit in watching them on film, watching them during all those primetime games they played last year,” Ya-Sin said. “I felt I would fit in well here. Then, once I signed here, coming in during the spring, running and lifting, seeing how hard these guys work and how much it means to these guys. I just felt like I fit in immediately.
“…I feel like any defensive player with the right mindset, they want to play in an aggressive defense,” Ya-Sin said. “They want to play in a defense that swarms. Turn the film on, guys are flying around, hitting people, covering well, taking the ball away. Anybody has the right mentality playing defense would love to play here.”
Ya-Sin has that mindset. There’s some overlap with one of Detroit’s additions from last year, Amik Robertson, albeit a little quieter when going about his business. Ya-Sin is tenacious and physical. In the offseason, he stays in shape by practicing martial arts and boxing. He thrives in man coverage and loves the opportunity to get his hands into the chest of a receiver with a jam at the line of scrimmage. Perhaps even more than that, he yearns to make plays in the run game, something he's done regularly in practice and twice in limited snaps during the team’s preseason opener last Thursday.
When there’s a ball carrier in striking distance, Ya-Sin leaves mercy and kindness at the door.
“You can't be (merciful),” Ya-Sin said. “Especially in this defense, everybody has to tackle. There's a saying that you have a good tackling defense when your corners tackle. I try to put that on film. I want to compete, cover well, and when there's an opportunity to tackle, go make that tackle.”
Ya-Sin hasn’t been in Detroit long, but he has the coaching staff’s attention. Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp has been experimenting with a number of ways to utilize him. And during Sunday’s practice, the team even gave Ya-Sin some reps at safety, a position he hasn’t played since high school, when he was first learning the game.
“Kind of in the spring, (safeties coach Jim O’Neil) JO told me, 'Take a look at some of the safety stuff over the summer, over the break. We're going to try and put you back there during camp and see how you look,’” Ya-Sin explained. “(I’m) just taking it in stride. I'm excited about the opportunity to play anywhere — safety, corner, wherever it is, just to get on the field to help this team win, I'm excited about it.”
What can he say? Ya-Sin wants to live up to his name. No, make that his nickname.
“On the field, that's when I'm 'Rock,’” he said. “I want to be dependable, tough and someone who will compete."
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Detroit Lions place rookie safety Dan Jackson on injured reserve
Allen Park — The Detroit Lions have placed Dan Jackson on injured reserve after the rookie safety suffered what the team announced as a leg injury during Sunday’s practice.
A seventh-round pick, Jackson was viewed as the early front-runner in a four-player competition for the team’s fourth safety job.
A seventh-round pick out of Georgia, Jackson had been primarily repping with the second-team defense during the first two weeks of practice. He saw significant work in last week’s Hall of Fame game, logging 36 defensive snaps and another 13 on special teams. He finished the game with six tackles, including four solo stops.
Jackson’s injury will be season-ending unless the Lions reach an injury settlement with the defender in the next seven days. If that happens, he’d be free to sign with another team immediately or re-sign with Detroit after the expiration of the injury settlement, which is individually negotiated between the two sides based on an agreed recovery timetable.
With Jackson out, the competition for a job is presumably between Loren Strickland, Morice Norris and Ian Kennelly. Strickland and Norris had stints on Detroit’s 53-man roster as undrafted rookies last year. Kennelly, meanwhile, is a local product who played for Grand Valley State and went undrafted this offseason.
Detroit also introduced cornerback Rock Ya-Sin to the mix over the weekend. However, it was the first time the veteran logged snaps at the position since high school.
In addition to Jackson, the Lions also waived running back Kye Robichaux with an injury designation and signed cornerback D.J. Miller.
Miller, a former Iowa State and Kent State defender, went undrafted a year ago. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder showed impressive leaping ability and change-of-direction quickness during pre-draft testing.
Most recently, he was with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL. He appeared in 10 games last season, recording two interceptions, eight pass breakups and 29 tackles.
A seventh-round pick, Jackson was viewed as the early front-runner in a four-player competition for the team’s fourth safety job.
A seventh-round pick out of Georgia, Jackson had been primarily repping with the second-team defense during the first two weeks of practice. He saw significant work in last week’s Hall of Fame game, logging 36 defensive snaps and another 13 on special teams. He finished the game with six tackles, including four solo stops.
Jackson’s injury will be season-ending unless the Lions reach an injury settlement with the defender in the next seven days. If that happens, he’d be free to sign with another team immediately or re-sign with Detroit after the expiration of the injury settlement, which is individually negotiated between the two sides based on an agreed recovery timetable.
With Jackson out, the competition for a job is presumably between Loren Strickland, Morice Norris and Ian Kennelly. Strickland and Norris had stints on Detroit’s 53-man roster as undrafted rookies last year. Kennelly, meanwhile, is a local product who played for Grand Valley State and went undrafted this offseason.
Detroit also introduced cornerback Rock Ya-Sin to the mix over the weekend. However, it was the first time the veteran logged snaps at the position since high school.
In addition to Jackson, the Lions also waived running back Kye Robichaux with an injury designation and signed cornerback D.J. Miller.
Miller, a former Iowa State and Kent State defender, went undrafted a year ago. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder showed impressive leaping ability and change-of-direction quickness during pre-draft testing.
Most recently, he was with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL. He appeared in 10 games last season, recording two interceptions, eight pass breakups and 29 tackles.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
[Schefter]
Detroit’s 2024 second-round pick, CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., suffered a shoulder injury in Saturday’s practice that will cause him to miss time.
"It's gonna be a while - at best," Lions HC Dan Campbell told reporters today. "You hate it for the kid. it's not his fault."
Detroit’s 2024 second-round pick, CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., suffered a shoulder injury in Saturday’s practice that will cause him to miss time.
"It's gonna be a while - at best," Lions HC Dan Campbell told reporters today. "You hate it for the kid. it's not his fault."
King of the Jungle
Footballguy
Agree, our backups do not inspire any level of confidence.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Lions camp notes: Tyleik Williams shines, but physical twilight practice marred by bumps, bruises and injuries
Allen Park — Here are some notes and observations from the Detroit Lions’ Monday evening training camp practice.
● There’s a different vibe in the air for the team’s lone twilight practice, not dissimilar to going to the local high school for a Friday night showdown. And with the team back in full pads, you just knew it was going to be an intense evening of work.
Unfortunately, the physicality manifested in several players having to briefly exit the session, with a trio not able to return to action.
Rookie receiver Dominic Lovett suffered an abdominal injury in the early going. Despite trying to work through the issue with a trainer on the side for several minutes, he was ultimately sent to the locker room for further evaluation, ending his night prematurely.
Also landing in the locker room early were defensive tackle Pat O’Connor, who was slow to get up after suffering a leg injury blocking on a kickoff, and offensive tackle Jamarco Jones, who hurt his ankle when he was rolled up on during the first full-team segment of the two-hour practice.
Jones’ injury further depleted Detroit’s already thin offensive tackle group. It resulted in Giovanni Manu being slotted into first-team work at left tackle and Colby Sorsdal kicking out to right tackle with the backups after working exclusively at guard this training camp.
● In other injury news, cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (hamstring) and Ennis Rakestraw (shoulder), offensive tackle Dan Skipper (ankle) and defensive tackle Brodric Martin were shelved for the session.
Several other players left to be tended to by a member of the training staff but managed to return. Defensive end Ahmed Hassanein got stepped on during goal-line work, briefly leaving him hobbled. Meanwhile, Tyleik Williams and Brock Wright both needed work on their hands. Williams declined interview requests after practice to get treatment for his injury.
The scariest-looking injury was to running back David Montgomery, who took a big hit from linebacker Derrick Barnes while wrapped up by Williams. The training staff spent several minutes looking at his right leg, testing the veteran’s range of motion, before clearing him to return to action.
To his credit, Montgomery looked fine once he got the green light to return, including a bulldozing touchdown run in the closing minutes of practice, powering through linebacker Jack Campbell at the goal line.
● Some players thrived with their opportunities further up the depth chart, while others floundered, most notably Manu. The second-year offensive tackle was overwhelmed throughout the night by starting edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport, who both regularly found their way into the backfield to make stops.
On the flip side, defensive linemen Keith Cooper and Myles Adams both popped, particularly in the run game. Cooper looks more on track for a roster spot by the day.
● Practice ended with an Amik Robertson interception. The offense, running a game-ending scenario, had one shot remaining from the 29-yard line. Quarterback Jared Goff heaved up an end zone target for Jameson Williams, who broke the route inside as the ball drifted toward the sideline. Robertson did a nice job tracking it over his shoulder and managed to get both feet in bounds.
It was a redeeming moment for the defender, who earlier played a one-on-one route perfectly against Williams, jarring the receiver with a two-handed jam and staying in his back pocket on a comeback route, only to lose the rep because Williams had the reach advantage at the stem to complete the impressive contested grab, visibly frustrating Robertson.
● Other notable winners in those one-on-ones include Tom Kennedy. He cooked three different defenders, including newcomer D.J. Miller via a go ball to end the drill.
Kennedy also added a long touchdown on a play-action rollout from backup Hendon Hooker to cap a drive in full-team work.
Cornerback Nick Whiteside also continued to show up with a pass breakup on a comeback pattern and a well-covered deep ball that ended up incomplete. The defender was covering veteran Tim Patrick on both reps.
● Don’t look now, but Isaac TeSlaa is starting to get sprinkled in with the first-team offense. With Patrick battling inconsistency, and TeSlaa exceeding early expectations, the Lions are exploring what the rookie can do against higher-caliber defenders. It’s a situation worth monitoring as camp and the preseason progress.
● Robertson wasn’t the only Lions defender with an interception. With his initial reads covered, Goff tried to force one to tight end Sam LaPorta on a check-down. Safety Kerby Joseph read and jumped the route. He couldn’t snag the pick, but popped it into the air, where it was corralled by Alex Anzalone.
Anzalone had a good day, also netting a quick sack on a blitz.
● I like the way Sione Vaki is moving after last month’s hamstring injury. The second-year back got quite a bit of work carrying the ball on Monday. However, he did lose a fumble while being dragged down from behind by safety Morice Norris.
● Hand injury aside, it was easily the best day of practice for Tyleik Williams. The rookie defensive tackle was a force in the run game. He also came up with a sack on a third-down play when Goff was funneled to Williams by Hutchinson’s pressure off the edge.
Hutchinson was highly disruptive again, creating plays for both himself and his teammates.
● Detroit ran seven third-and-1 snaps with the defense winning five. Williams had two of the stuffs, while Copper and linebacker Zach Cunningham combined for another.
● Running back Jacob Saylor, who signed last week, had a couple of nice runs late in practice.
● There’s a different vibe in the air for the team’s lone twilight practice, not dissimilar to going to the local high school for a Friday night showdown. And with the team back in full pads, you just knew it was going to be an intense evening of work.
Unfortunately, the physicality manifested in several players having to briefly exit the session, with a trio not able to return to action.
Rookie receiver Dominic Lovett suffered an abdominal injury in the early going. Despite trying to work through the issue with a trainer on the side for several minutes, he was ultimately sent to the locker room for further evaluation, ending his night prematurely.
Also landing in the locker room early were defensive tackle Pat O’Connor, who was slow to get up after suffering a leg injury blocking on a kickoff, and offensive tackle Jamarco Jones, who hurt his ankle when he was rolled up on during the first full-team segment of the two-hour practice.
Jones’ injury further depleted Detroit’s already thin offensive tackle group. It resulted in Giovanni Manu being slotted into first-team work at left tackle and Colby Sorsdal kicking out to right tackle with the backups after working exclusively at guard this training camp.
● In other injury news, cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (hamstring) and Ennis Rakestraw (shoulder), offensive tackle Dan Skipper (ankle) and defensive tackle Brodric Martin were shelved for the session.
Several other players left to be tended to by a member of the training staff but managed to return. Defensive end Ahmed Hassanein got stepped on during goal-line work, briefly leaving him hobbled. Meanwhile, Tyleik Williams and Brock Wright both needed work on their hands. Williams declined interview requests after practice to get treatment for his injury.
The scariest-looking injury was to running back David Montgomery, who took a big hit from linebacker Derrick Barnes while wrapped up by Williams. The training staff spent several minutes looking at his right leg, testing the veteran’s range of motion, before clearing him to return to action.
To his credit, Montgomery looked fine once he got the green light to return, including a bulldozing touchdown run in the closing minutes of practice, powering through linebacker Jack Campbell at the goal line.
● Some players thrived with their opportunities further up the depth chart, while others floundered, most notably Manu. The second-year offensive tackle was overwhelmed throughout the night by starting edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport, who both regularly found their way into the backfield to make stops.
On the flip side, defensive linemen Keith Cooper and Myles Adams both popped, particularly in the run game. Cooper looks more on track for a roster spot by the day.
● Practice ended with an Amik Robertson interception. The offense, running a game-ending scenario, had one shot remaining from the 29-yard line. Quarterback Jared Goff heaved up an end zone target for Jameson Williams, who broke the route inside as the ball drifted toward the sideline. Robertson did a nice job tracking it over his shoulder and managed to get both feet in bounds.
It was a redeeming moment for the defender, who earlier played a one-on-one route perfectly against Williams, jarring the receiver with a two-handed jam and staying in his back pocket on a comeback route, only to lose the rep because Williams had the reach advantage at the stem to complete the impressive contested grab, visibly frustrating Robertson.
● Other notable winners in those one-on-ones include Tom Kennedy. He cooked three different defenders, including newcomer D.J. Miller via a go ball to end the drill.
Kennedy also added a long touchdown on a play-action rollout from backup Hendon Hooker to cap a drive in full-team work.
Cornerback Nick Whiteside also continued to show up with a pass breakup on a comeback pattern and a well-covered deep ball that ended up incomplete. The defender was covering veteran Tim Patrick on both reps.
● Don’t look now, but Isaac TeSlaa is starting to get sprinkled in with the first-team offense. With Patrick battling inconsistency, and TeSlaa exceeding early expectations, the Lions are exploring what the rookie can do against higher-caliber defenders. It’s a situation worth monitoring as camp and the preseason progress.
● Robertson wasn’t the only Lions defender with an interception. With his initial reads covered, Goff tried to force one to tight end Sam LaPorta on a check-down. Safety Kerby Joseph read and jumped the route. He couldn’t snag the pick, but popped it into the air, where it was corralled by Alex Anzalone.
Anzalone had a good day, also netting a quick sack on a blitz.
● I like the way Sione Vaki is moving after last month’s hamstring injury. The second-year back got quite a bit of work carrying the ball on Monday. However, he did lose a fumble while being dragged down from behind by safety Morice Norris.
● Hand injury aside, it was easily the best day of practice for Tyleik Williams. The rookie defensive tackle was a force in the run game. He also came up with a sack on a third-down play when Goff was funneled to Williams by Hutchinson’s pressure off the edge.
Hutchinson was highly disruptive again, creating plays for both himself and his teammates.
● Detroit ran seven third-and-1 snaps with the defense winning five. Williams had two of the stuffs, while Copper and linebacker Zach Cunningham combined for another.
● Running back Jacob Saylor, who signed last week, had a couple of nice runs late in practice.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
After year outside NFL looking in, CB Whiteside used UFL as springboard to opportunity with hometown Lions
Allen Park — We tend to glamorize the lives of professional athletes — the money, fame and perks that come with reaching the pinnacle of your profession — but the challenges of existing on that world's fringes often get ignored.
Cornerback Nick Whiteside understands this well.
Playing collegiately for Saginaw Valley State, Whiteside’s NFL journey was never going to be easy. Regardless, as a first-team All-American and the conference’s Defensive Back of the Year in 2022, it wasn’t surprising that a team was willing to add the six-foot, 200-pounder to their offseason roster to see what he could offer.
Whiteside signed with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted rookie in 2023. He performed well enough in practice and the preseason to secure a spot on the team’s practice squad, even earning a late-season promotion and a pair of regular-season appearances.
That momentum was short-lived.
The Commanders drafted cornerbacks with their first two picks the year they signed Whiteside, then added two more in the following draft, including former Michigan Wolverine Mike Sainristil. More critical to Whiteside's future in Washington, the franchise overhauled its leadership in 2024, bringing on a new general manager, head coach and coordinators. That meant new schemes and the departure of anyone invested in the young defensive back’s development.
At the end of his second training camp, Whiteside was let go by the Commanders and wasn't even extended an opportunity to remain on the practice squad.
He did what you’re supposed to do in that situation. Whiteside worked out, relentlessly, staying ready so he wouldn’t have to get ready for his next opportunity. But it didn’t come during the 2024 season. He had tryouts with Green Bay and Arizona, but both passed on signing him.
He wouldn’t get a chance to put on the pads again until the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks came calling.
The minimum salary in the NFL last year was $795,000. Even as a member of a practice squad, you can earn $225,000 if you stick the entire season. It’s considerably less to play in the UFL, where the league minimum was $55,000 in 2024. That's a little more than one NFL game check.
Whiteside didn’t care. The chance to produce meaningful tape was more important to his ambitions than the paycheck. Plus, the Battlehawks allowed him to showcase some versatility he hadn’t previously shown, logging time both outside and in the slot.
“It felt nice,” Whiteside said. “It was just a blessing because there I was able to play nickel and corner. And I don't think a lot of people know that I can play both spots.”
Playing this spring served its intended purpose, putting Whiteside back on NFL radars. Carolina called him in for a tryout shortly after the UFL season ended. However, like Green Bay and Arizona the year before, the visit didn’t result in a contract. But when the injury bug bit Detroit in late July, Whiteside got a call, not for a tryout, but to sign.
He couldn’t believe it. His hometown team, which plays 30 minutes south of where he had starred at Auburn Hills Avondale High School, was going to give him a shot. There's no way he could have realized there are nine others like him, Michigan natives, on Detroit's roster.
Whiteside hopped in his car at 4:30 a.m. and couldn’t stop thanking God as he drove to get a physical. In four hours, he’d be on an NFL practice field for the first time in almost a year.
“I took my physical, signed a contract, and then I was right at practice. It's been a quick process, but I'm just taking it day by day.”
The harsh reality of Whiteside’s addition is that he enters as the 90th man on a roster that will be trimmed to 53 in a few short weeks. That’s not a lot of time to make an impression and hurdle guys on the depth chart who have been here for months, sometimes years.
Then, during one of his first reps, one of Detroit’s assistants barked at him to do a better job hustling through the whistle. It wasn’t a big deal, a reminder of standards he couldn’t have known. Still, there’s a tendency to overthink every moment when there’s enhanced urgency.
“(Defensive backs coach DeShea Townsend) He was like, ‘You never want to put that on film,’” Whitesaid said. “That was a bad first impression, you know? I wanted to bounce back and just show DeShea and the rest of the coaches that I'm a competitor. I'm kind of a tall, lanky guy, but I do well in coverage. I'm just trying to show them that I can do it all and whatever they need me to play, I'll play it.”
Whiteside immediately bounced back during the next one-on-one rep. When his physicality caused the receiver to lose his footing, the defender found himself in position to intercept the pass in the end zone.
Each subsequent day, Whiteside has continued to flash his playmaking, particularly in coverage, where he’s gotten a hand on multiple passes. On Monday, he impressively locked up veteran Tim Patrick twice, netting a PBU on a comeback route.
The bottom of the roster can be a revolving door of injury replacements, but Whiteside is making sure you know who is currently wearing No. 38.
“I feel great right now, honestly, from the on-field and mental aspects of the game, just because I just played a season,” Whitesid said, referring to his stint with the Battlehawks. “I feel good mentally and physically. Just trying to do what the coaches want me to do. They want guys to play fast and free. If I see something, go get it.”
Whiteside is quietly benefiting from a depleted depth chart. A little more than a week into his tenure, there are already two cornerbacks newer to the roster than him. With starter Terrion Arnold nursing a hamstring injury, Ennis Rakestraw likely out for weeks, potentially months because of a shoulder injury, and DJ Reed expected to be held out of this week’s preseason game against Atlanta, there should be expanded opportunities for Whiteside to make an impression.
“Whether I get more opportunities or not get more opportunities, I'm going to make sure I stay ready and just keep the same mindset,” Whiteside said. “I don't want to be expecting things and then get it all in my head.”
Beyond defense, he's also hopeful he'll get to show what he can do on special teams. He feels confident working as a punt gunner, in various roles on punt return, including a jammer on the outside, and both kickoff groups.
“I can pretty much play on every special teams group,” he said. “I'm just really just a plug-and-play guy, honestly. That's what I'm just trying to display.”
Who knows what the future holds for Whiteside. Coming off the street mid-camp to earn one of 16 practice squad jobs would be a massive accomplishment. The Lions could end up keeping two between him, Dicaprio Bootle, Tyson Russell and Erick Hallett.
Whiteside has already dealt with a career’s worth of disappointment. It’s hardened him mentally. He’s just trying to make plays and appreciate every day he gets to put on the cleats and play for an NFL team, especially this NFL team.
Cornerback Nick Whiteside understands this well.
Playing collegiately for Saginaw Valley State, Whiteside’s NFL journey was never going to be easy. Regardless, as a first-team All-American and the conference’s Defensive Back of the Year in 2022, it wasn’t surprising that a team was willing to add the six-foot, 200-pounder to their offseason roster to see what he could offer.
Whiteside signed with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted rookie in 2023. He performed well enough in practice and the preseason to secure a spot on the team’s practice squad, even earning a late-season promotion and a pair of regular-season appearances.
That momentum was short-lived.
The Commanders drafted cornerbacks with their first two picks the year they signed Whiteside, then added two more in the following draft, including former Michigan Wolverine Mike Sainristil. More critical to Whiteside's future in Washington, the franchise overhauled its leadership in 2024, bringing on a new general manager, head coach and coordinators. That meant new schemes and the departure of anyone invested in the young defensive back’s development.
At the end of his second training camp, Whiteside was let go by the Commanders and wasn't even extended an opportunity to remain on the practice squad.
He did what you’re supposed to do in that situation. Whiteside worked out, relentlessly, staying ready so he wouldn’t have to get ready for his next opportunity. But it didn’t come during the 2024 season. He had tryouts with Green Bay and Arizona, but both passed on signing him.
He wouldn’t get a chance to put on the pads again until the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks came calling.
The minimum salary in the NFL last year was $795,000. Even as a member of a practice squad, you can earn $225,000 if you stick the entire season. It’s considerably less to play in the UFL, where the league minimum was $55,000 in 2024. That's a little more than one NFL game check.
Whiteside didn’t care. The chance to produce meaningful tape was more important to his ambitions than the paycheck. Plus, the Battlehawks allowed him to showcase some versatility he hadn’t previously shown, logging time both outside and in the slot.
“It felt nice,” Whiteside said. “It was just a blessing because there I was able to play nickel and corner. And I don't think a lot of people know that I can play both spots.”
Playing this spring served its intended purpose, putting Whiteside back on NFL radars. Carolina called him in for a tryout shortly after the UFL season ended. However, like Green Bay and Arizona the year before, the visit didn’t result in a contract. But when the injury bug bit Detroit in late July, Whiteside got a call, not for a tryout, but to sign.
He couldn’t believe it. His hometown team, which plays 30 minutes south of where he had starred at Auburn Hills Avondale High School, was going to give him a shot. There's no way he could have realized there are nine others like him, Michigan natives, on Detroit's roster.
Whiteside hopped in his car at 4:30 a.m. and couldn’t stop thanking God as he drove to get a physical. In four hours, he’d be on an NFL practice field for the first time in almost a year.
“I took my physical, signed a contract, and then I was right at practice. It's been a quick process, but I'm just taking it day by day.”
The harsh reality of Whiteside’s addition is that he enters as the 90th man on a roster that will be trimmed to 53 in a few short weeks. That’s not a lot of time to make an impression and hurdle guys on the depth chart who have been here for months, sometimes years.
Then, during one of his first reps, one of Detroit’s assistants barked at him to do a better job hustling through the whistle. It wasn’t a big deal, a reminder of standards he couldn’t have known. Still, there’s a tendency to overthink every moment when there’s enhanced urgency.
“(Defensive backs coach DeShea Townsend) He was like, ‘You never want to put that on film,’” Whitesaid said. “That was a bad first impression, you know? I wanted to bounce back and just show DeShea and the rest of the coaches that I'm a competitor. I'm kind of a tall, lanky guy, but I do well in coverage. I'm just trying to show them that I can do it all and whatever they need me to play, I'll play it.”
Whiteside immediately bounced back during the next one-on-one rep. When his physicality caused the receiver to lose his footing, the defender found himself in position to intercept the pass in the end zone.
Each subsequent day, Whiteside has continued to flash his playmaking, particularly in coverage, where he’s gotten a hand on multiple passes. On Monday, he impressively locked up veteran Tim Patrick twice, netting a PBU on a comeback route.
The bottom of the roster can be a revolving door of injury replacements, but Whiteside is making sure you know who is currently wearing No. 38.
“I feel great right now, honestly, from the on-field and mental aspects of the game, just because I just played a season,” Whitesid said, referring to his stint with the Battlehawks. “I feel good mentally and physically. Just trying to do what the coaches want me to do. They want guys to play fast and free. If I see something, go get it.”
Whiteside is quietly benefiting from a depleted depth chart. A little more than a week into his tenure, there are already two cornerbacks newer to the roster than him. With starter Terrion Arnold nursing a hamstring injury, Ennis Rakestraw likely out for weeks, potentially months because of a shoulder injury, and DJ Reed expected to be held out of this week’s preseason game against Atlanta, there should be expanded opportunities for Whiteside to make an impression.
“Whether I get more opportunities or not get more opportunities, I'm going to make sure I stay ready and just keep the same mindset,” Whiteside said. “I don't want to be expecting things and then get it all in my head.”
Beyond defense, he's also hopeful he'll get to show what he can do on special teams. He feels confident working as a punt gunner, in various roles on punt return, including a jammer on the outside, and both kickoff groups.
“I can pretty much play on every special teams group,” he said. “I'm just really just a plug-and-play guy, honestly. That's what I'm just trying to display.”
Who knows what the future holds for Whiteside. Coming off the street mid-camp to earn one of 16 practice squad jobs would be a massive accomplishment. The Lions could end up keeping two between him, Dicaprio Bootle, Tyson Russell and Erick Hallett.
Whiteside has already dealt with a career’s worth of disappointment. It’s hardened him mentally. He’s just trying to make plays and appreciate every day he gets to put on the cleats and play for an NFL team, especially this NFL team.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Signed with the Buccs today
Hence "wish they would have".
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Facing potentially lengthy injury absence, Lions' Rakestraw finds empathetic support from teammate Anzalone
Allen Park — The medical evaluation is ongoing. However, the early feedback regarding Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw’s shoulder injury isn’t positive.
“I think it’s going to be a while, at best,” coach Dan Campbell said.
A while is appropriately vague. All we know is the Lions didn’t put Rakestraw on season-ending injured reserve on Monday, a day after the latest damage occurred. Regardless, the situation is frustrating for the player, the team, and the fan base, with the loudest segment of the latter rushing to social media to bury last year’s second-round pick with harsh labels such as "bust" or "fragile."
“I mean, you hate it for the kid,” Campbell said. “You hate it. It’s not his fault, just one of those tough deals. All you can do is try to get it better and rehab, come back stronger and move on. That’s all you can do.”
Campbell played in the league long enough to understand what Rakestraw is going through. As a player, the coach missed most of one season with a foot injury, and he was limited to three games during his final two years with the Lions. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much you want to be out there; your body won't cooperate.
There’s no questioning Rakestraw’s drive to be reliable. He suffered a nasty chest contusion the first day of training camp in a violent, midfield collision. He missed four days and was clearly still battling pain and discomfort after returning, regularly clutching at the injured area after snaps in both practice and the team’s preseason opener.
Although there’s no way to verify, it’s entirely possible the chest injury contributed in some way to his shoulder issue by subconsciously altering the way he landed when trying to make a tackle.
The recent ailments are a continuation of last year's frustrating rookie campaign, where a hamstring injury in pre-game warmups cost Rakestraw an opportunity to start and nagged him throughout the year, limiting him to fewer than 50 defensive snaps. He also had injury issues in college, suffering a torn ACL and missing multiple games at Missouri with a groin strain.
Totaled, it’s enough to earn you the unfortunate label of "injury-prone." And that's a scarlet letter not easily shaken in sports.
Teammate Alex Anzalone knows that feeling all too well.
Anzalone battled a shoulder injury at the University of Florida, and the issues followed him into the pros, costing him most of two seasons during his first three years in the NFL.
The second season-ending injury, two games into the 2019 campaign, was particularly devastating. Anzalone was set to have a major role in the Saints’ defense, and just like that, it was over. In that moment, general manager Mickey Loomis was a sympathetic voice, reminding Anzalone that these things happen in football, and there are plenty of players who overcome early durability issues to have long, productive careers.
Those comments proved prophetic, even if things never came together in New Orleans for Anzalone. He went to Detroit and has largely been healthy, delivering his best seasons and earning a three-year, $18 million extension from the franchise in 2023.
Now, it’s Anzalone’s turn to pay Loomis’ encouragement forward.
“For sure,” Anzalone said. “I was talking to (Rakestraw) yesterday and today. I haven't had a true sitdown with him yet, but I just told him I've been through that ****. I started as a rookie and got hurt after four games. Injuries are part of it, but when you get that label, it's definitely hard.”
Being there for your teammates is part of being a captain. It’s part of why Anzalone has been voted into that role the past three years. But, even if he wasn’t looked to as a team leader, Anzalone said he’d be compelled to help uplift Rakestraw because it’s part of being a good human.
Anzalone echoed Campbell’s sentiments that the injuries aren’t Rakestraw’s fault, which only makes the reactions outside the building more frustrating to hear. Anzalone said he’ll continue to remind his young teammate that he can’t let any of that get to him.
“I just empathize with him,” Anzalone said. “In situations like this, you just have to ignore the outside noise and not let it f___ up your confidence.”
“I think it’s going to be a while, at best,” coach Dan Campbell said.
A while is appropriately vague. All we know is the Lions didn’t put Rakestraw on season-ending injured reserve on Monday, a day after the latest damage occurred. Regardless, the situation is frustrating for the player, the team, and the fan base, with the loudest segment of the latter rushing to social media to bury last year’s second-round pick with harsh labels such as "bust" or "fragile."
“I mean, you hate it for the kid,” Campbell said. “You hate it. It’s not his fault, just one of those tough deals. All you can do is try to get it better and rehab, come back stronger and move on. That’s all you can do.”
Campbell played in the league long enough to understand what Rakestraw is going through. As a player, the coach missed most of one season with a foot injury, and he was limited to three games during his final two years with the Lions. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much you want to be out there; your body won't cooperate.
There’s no questioning Rakestraw’s drive to be reliable. He suffered a nasty chest contusion the first day of training camp in a violent, midfield collision. He missed four days and was clearly still battling pain and discomfort after returning, regularly clutching at the injured area after snaps in both practice and the team’s preseason opener.
Although there’s no way to verify, it’s entirely possible the chest injury contributed in some way to his shoulder issue by subconsciously altering the way he landed when trying to make a tackle.
The recent ailments are a continuation of last year's frustrating rookie campaign, where a hamstring injury in pre-game warmups cost Rakestraw an opportunity to start and nagged him throughout the year, limiting him to fewer than 50 defensive snaps. He also had injury issues in college, suffering a torn ACL and missing multiple games at Missouri with a groin strain.
Totaled, it’s enough to earn you the unfortunate label of "injury-prone." And that's a scarlet letter not easily shaken in sports.
Teammate Alex Anzalone knows that feeling all too well.
Anzalone battled a shoulder injury at the University of Florida, and the issues followed him into the pros, costing him most of two seasons during his first three years in the NFL.
The second season-ending injury, two games into the 2019 campaign, was particularly devastating. Anzalone was set to have a major role in the Saints’ defense, and just like that, it was over. In that moment, general manager Mickey Loomis was a sympathetic voice, reminding Anzalone that these things happen in football, and there are plenty of players who overcome early durability issues to have long, productive careers.
Those comments proved prophetic, even if things never came together in New Orleans for Anzalone. He went to Detroit and has largely been healthy, delivering his best seasons and earning a three-year, $18 million extension from the franchise in 2023.
Now, it’s Anzalone’s turn to pay Loomis’ encouragement forward.
“For sure,” Anzalone said. “I was talking to (Rakestraw) yesterday and today. I haven't had a true sitdown with him yet, but I just told him I've been through that ****. I started as a rookie and got hurt after four games. Injuries are part of it, but when you get that label, it's definitely hard.”
Being there for your teammates is part of being a captain. It’s part of why Anzalone has been voted into that role the past three years. But, even if he wasn’t looked to as a team leader, Anzalone said he’d be compelled to help uplift Rakestraw because it’s part of being a good human.
Anzalone echoed Campbell’s sentiments that the injuries aren’t Rakestraw’s fault, which only makes the reactions outside the building more frustrating to hear. Anzalone said he’ll continue to remind his young teammate that he can’t let any of that get to him.
“I just empathize with him,” Anzalone said. “In situations like this, you just have to ignore the outside noise and not let it f___ up your confidence.”
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Glad we signed Maddox & Rock - pretty rough losing Rake & Dan Jackson b2b. While both are pretty far down the depth chart it’s just a bummer from a development view
All 22 Films - “Stay the Course” - Detroit Lions Secondary Commentary/Film Study
All 22 Films - “Stay the Course” - Detroit Lions Secondary Commentary/Film Study
King of the Jungle
Footballguy
No. Although I would be more willing to make an offer that hurts the future for Parsons over Garrett/Hendrixon/etc. Gibbs is too valuable to this offense, I cannot say that about too many RBs.
msudaisy26
Footballguy
I would. Aside from Derrick Henry rbs don't last as long or make as big of an impact on a game as pass rushers do.
It is much easier to replace elite rb production than elite passer rusher production.
King of the Jungle
Footballguy
Normally I would side with your theory, Gibbs is a rare exception for me. I think the offense would take too large of a step back without his big play potential in the run and pass game. Parsons is someone I would throw a plethora of future picks for however.
msudaisy26
Footballguy
I would rather do the picks as well, but if Gibbs was the must have guy or no deal then I would trade him.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Anyone catch Brad on 97.1 today?
Audacy is clunky to try to find the segment & then link so here’s a summary:
Audacy is clunky to try to find the segment & then link so here’s a summary:
- Despite departures of Ragnow and Zeitler, Holmes said the team still feels confident in the offensive line, rooted in coach Hank Fraley. Holmes said Tate can handle center, and will still get reps there, but the team feels better with Glasgow's experience at that spot.
- Holmes said Mahogany has had a "great camp." Said the team was hopeful going into the offseason, but hinted that Mahogany has exceeded those expectations.
- Regarding Hutchinson's contact, the GM said the two sides haven't had any intense talks yet, but said they're looking to get dialogue going soon.
- With Za'Darius Smith, Holmes said it's not a one-sided decision and that Smith has expectations, and it can take time to get on the same page. Holmes said there's still interest and the sides remain in touch.
- Asked about the team's edge situation, Holmes said he loves how Hassanein does everything 1,000 miles per hour, which fits the Lions. Also highlights a couple of young, formerly undrafted guys in Natt Lynn and Isaac Ukwu.
- With Anzalone, Holmes said the contract stuff is normal football business. Holmes said they value the linebacker "highly." Notes that Anzalone is getting "long in the tooth," but is still a good, productive player. Holmes said he's happy the sides reached a short-term solution, and he's sure Anzalone is happy that's behind him, as well.
- Holmes said Tyleik Williams has been exactly what the team expected. Praised the rookie's power and football IQ. "So far, so good." Within the comments, Holmes said Alim McNeill's rehab is going very well.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Lions camp observations: Is there any cause for concern with struggling offense?
Allen Park — Here are some notes and observations from the Detroit Lions’ Wednesday morning training camp practice.
● We’re going to approach today’s summary a little differently than normal, focusing on a bigger-picture storyline through the first two weeks of camp. Without question, the first-team defense has been better than the top offensive group, most days, maybe every day.
The defense having an early edge in camp isn’t unusual, but for it to be so consistent, often lopsided, is noteworthy. It’s remarkable enough that I asked coach Dan Campbell about it before practice, to confirm perceptions were in line with reality.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s a good barometer to try to figure out exactly where you’re at, and I think you take it for what it is,” Campbell said. “I do believe our defense is — we’re playing pretty good right now. We’re practicing well. We’re running pretty efficiently. (Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Shep’s doing a nice job over there. We’re pretty versatile in coverage and pressure. We’ve got the front to handle the run right now, and then we’re pretty sticky on the back end. That’s a good combination. We can crush the pocket. That’s versus our offense. I do see that.
“…I think they’re a handful right now, and then offensively, certainly, we want to be clicking a little bit better. But I also know we’re like this far away,” Campbell said, signaling things are close with his hands. “Every practice, you come out, it was even the other day, it’s like, we hold up a half second longer and this is a 30-yard touchdown. Bad footwork on one play, (Jahmyr Gibbs) Gibby spits out of there, instead of 5, we’re about to get 60 for a touchdown. So, we’re literally that close, and that’s just how it works with offense, especially early. It’s one guy here, one guy here, one guy here, and it’s just the little, minute details. They’re all correctable, that’s what’s awesome. So, we’re growing, we’re getting better.
OK, without the benefit of being able to rewatch the practice tape, it's not easy to assess how close things are to clicking. Getting a live view, observations tend to be more binary, generally falling into a pass/fail bucket.
Wednesday was another day of defensive domination. After some full-team run segments, where the starting backs admittedly had some success, quarterback Jared Goff gave away the momentum with a deep ball to Jameson Williams that was underthrown into double coverage and should have been intercepted by cornerback DJ Reed, who let the catchable ball slip through his hands.
The heart of the day’s work was an end-of-game situation, where the offense was given the ball, down 10, holding all three timeouts, with 3:41 on the clock. It started with Amon-Ra Brown dropping a slant and should have ended with Williams putting a crossing pattern on the ground on fourth down.
Instead, the chains were reset without cause, allowing the drive to continue. It makes sense. The offense clearly needs more work than four plays. Regardless, on the next snap, safety Kerby Joseph came through untouched on a blitz. It should have been a sack, but no one blew the whistle as Goff fired it to St. Brown for 18 yards across the middle.
As the offense moved into the red zone, the pass-rush pressure kept coming. Alex Anzalone came up the gut for what should have been a sack, followed by Aidan Hutchinson plowing through Gibbs for another. It made St. Brown’s touchdown catch on third-and-goal feel meaningless, given the offense was being handled with kid gloves during the segment.
After a hypothetical stop, the offense “got the ball back” down three with 56 seconds and no timeouts. The defense didn’t blink, with Derrick Barnes coming free on a blitz and Hutchinson batting down the throw on the first snap. On the next, Williams, tightly covered by Brian Branch, couldn’t hang on to another crossing pattern. The ball popped into the air and was intercepted by Avonte Maddox, mercifully ending the series.
The second-team offense, led by Hendon Hooker, also went four-and-out while facing a different situation. The quarterback was forced to scramble on first down, netting only 1 yard. Two short passes to Tom Kennedy and Shane Zylstra set up fourth-and-1. However, a false start by rookie offensive tackle Mason Miller pushed things back 5 yards, before Keith Cooper batting down Hooker’s throw.
Like the first team, the second unit was given another opportunity. Hooker found Jackson Meeks for 16 yards on first down, and the rookie got a step on a go route the next play, only for Hooker to miss long. With two shots from the 22-yard line, needing a touchdown, cornerback Tyson Russell contested throws to Isaac TeSlaa and Meeks, forcing incompletions on both.
Are these moments and the offense’s struggles leading up to today worth sounding the alarms? Probably not. Still, there’s going to be some hand-wringing from the outside looking in, as it appears there’s a rockier-than-desired transition from former coordinator Ben Johnson to his replacement, John Morton.
We’ve been repeatedly told that the scheme isn’t being altered significantly, and most of the changes aren’t going to be noticeable to the untrained eye. Still, for every adjusted split, alignment, landmark and step, the timing has to be re-established. Right now, a lot of that feels off, even if Campbell is telling us it's close.
Of course, the bigger concern is the offensive line. And we're not talking about the retirement of Frank Ragnow paired with the injection of young talent into the interior. That’s kind of a given. And while there have been some communication issues between that collective, they’ve held up well, physically.
More problematic has been the absence of Taylor Decker to start camp. There was a noticeable dip from the steady and reliable veteran to backup Dan Skipper. The decline has been even sharper with Skipper nursing an ankle injury, forcing the team to turn to Giovanni Manu.
The past two days have highlighted how far away Manu is from being ready for a game-day role and have made it borderline impossible for the offense to operate effectively, particularly on third downs.
I think we’ll have a better picture of how the offense is coming together when the team practices against the Miami Dolphins next week. Decker should be back in the mix by that time. Then again, the offense struggled against the Giants in joint practices last year and went on to score the most points in franchise history. So who really knows?
Regardless, it bears repeating, it will be pretty difficult to screw this offense up. A small step back? Sure, that’s on the table. But with Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Sam LaPorta, St. Brown and Williams, there’s only so far you can reasonably backslide.
● In terms of injuries, cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (hamstring) and Ennis Rakestraw (shoulder), defensive tackle Brodric Martin and Skipper remained sidelined. They were joined on the shelf by wide receiver Dominic Lovett (abdomen), offensive tackle Jamarco Jones (ankle), defensive tackle Pat O’Connor (leg) and running back Sione Vaki.
Lovett, Jones and O’Connor left Tuesday’s practice with their injuries. Campbell estimated each will be down around a week, with Lovett potentially looking at a 10-day absence.
With Arnold and Rakestraw out, Amik Robertson played outside corner in base packages and moved inside in nickel looks, with Erick Hallett taking over outside responsibilities opposite Reed.
Some of O’Connor’s second-team defensive tackle reps went to Myles Adams, who has strung together a few quality practices.
Vaki's absence was unexpected and not addressed prior to practice. His status for Friday’s preseason game against Atlanta is up in the air.
● Defensive end Josh Paschal, who is on the non-football injury list, was spotted running the hill under the supervision of a member of the training staff. His timeline to return to practice remains early September.
● Former Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was in the house with a media credential for his “No Free Lunch” podcast.
● As noted, Manu had some struggles this week, and there were back-to-back reps where left guard Christian Mahogany was noticeably frustrated with his teammate.
After practice, Decker pulled Manu aside for a long conversation, a clear moment of a veteran leader making sure a younger teammate is getting some much-needed encouragement.
● The offense did come up with a couple of touchdowns during a brief red-zone segment. Kalif Raymond got the best of Rock Ya-Sin for a short score on a crossing pattern along the back line. And Meeks adjusted his route to haul in a ball from quarterback Kyle Allen between Hallett and safety Morice Norris.
● We’re going to approach today’s summary a little differently than normal, focusing on a bigger-picture storyline through the first two weeks of camp. Without question, the first-team defense has been better than the top offensive group, most days, maybe every day.
The defense having an early edge in camp isn’t unusual, but for it to be so consistent, often lopsided, is noteworthy. It’s remarkable enough that I asked coach Dan Campbell about it before practice, to confirm perceptions were in line with reality.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s a good barometer to try to figure out exactly where you’re at, and I think you take it for what it is,” Campbell said. “I do believe our defense is — we’re playing pretty good right now. We’re practicing well. We’re running pretty efficiently. (Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Shep’s doing a nice job over there. We’re pretty versatile in coverage and pressure. We’ve got the front to handle the run right now, and then we’re pretty sticky on the back end. That’s a good combination. We can crush the pocket. That’s versus our offense. I do see that.
“…I think they’re a handful right now, and then offensively, certainly, we want to be clicking a little bit better. But I also know we’re like this far away,” Campbell said, signaling things are close with his hands. “Every practice, you come out, it was even the other day, it’s like, we hold up a half second longer and this is a 30-yard touchdown. Bad footwork on one play, (Jahmyr Gibbs) Gibby spits out of there, instead of 5, we’re about to get 60 for a touchdown. So, we’re literally that close, and that’s just how it works with offense, especially early. It’s one guy here, one guy here, one guy here, and it’s just the little, minute details. They’re all correctable, that’s what’s awesome. So, we’re growing, we’re getting better.
OK, without the benefit of being able to rewatch the practice tape, it's not easy to assess how close things are to clicking. Getting a live view, observations tend to be more binary, generally falling into a pass/fail bucket.
Wednesday was another day of defensive domination. After some full-team run segments, where the starting backs admittedly had some success, quarterback Jared Goff gave away the momentum with a deep ball to Jameson Williams that was underthrown into double coverage and should have been intercepted by cornerback DJ Reed, who let the catchable ball slip through his hands.
The heart of the day’s work was an end-of-game situation, where the offense was given the ball, down 10, holding all three timeouts, with 3:41 on the clock. It started with Amon-Ra Brown dropping a slant and should have ended with Williams putting a crossing pattern on the ground on fourth down.
Instead, the chains were reset without cause, allowing the drive to continue. It makes sense. The offense clearly needs more work than four plays. Regardless, on the next snap, safety Kerby Joseph came through untouched on a blitz. It should have been a sack, but no one blew the whistle as Goff fired it to St. Brown for 18 yards across the middle.
As the offense moved into the red zone, the pass-rush pressure kept coming. Alex Anzalone came up the gut for what should have been a sack, followed by Aidan Hutchinson plowing through Gibbs for another. It made St. Brown’s touchdown catch on third-and-goal feel meaningless, given the offense was being handled with kid gloves during the segment.
After a hypothetical stop, the offense “got the ball back” down three with 56 seconds and no timeouts. The defense didn’t blink, with Derrick Barnes coming free on a blitz and Hutchinson batting down the throw on the first snap. On the next, Williams, tightly covered by Brian Branch, couldn’t hang on to another crossing pattern. The ball popped into the air and was intercepted by Avonte Maddox, mercifully ending the series.
The second-team offense, led by Hendon Hooker, also went four-and-out while facing a different situation. The quarterback was forced to scramble on first down, netting only 1 yard. Two short passes to Tom Kennedy and Shane Zylstra set up fourth-and-1. However, a false start by rookie offensive tackle Mason Miller pushed things back 5 yards, before Keith Cooper batting down Hooker’s throw.
Like the first team, the second unit was given another opportunity. Hooker found Jackson Meeks for 16 yards on first down, and the rookie got a step on a go route the next play, only for Hooker to miss long. With two shots from the 22-yard line, needing a touchdown, cornerback Tyson Russell contested throws to Isaac TeSlaa and Meeks, forcing incompletions on both.
Are these moments and the offense’s struggles leading up to today worth sounding the alarms? Probably not. Still, there’s going to be some hand-wringing from the outside looking in, as it appears there’s a rockier-than-desired transition from former coordinator Ben Johnson to his replacement, John Morton.
We’ve been repeatedly told that the scheme isn’t being altered significantly, and most of the changes aren’t going to be noticeable to the untrained eye. Still, for every adjusted split, alignment, landmark and step, the timing has to be re-established. Right now, a lot of that feels off, even if Campbell is telling us it's close.
Of course, the bigger concern is the offensive line. And we're not talking about the retirement of Frank Ragnow paired with the injection of young talent into the interior. That’s kind of a given. And while there have been some communication issues between that collective, they’ve held up well, physically.
More problematic has been the absence of Taylor Decker to start camp. There was a noticeable dip from the steady and reliable veteran to backup Dan Skipper. The decline has been even sharper with Skipper nursing an ankle injury, forcing the team to turn to Giovanni Manu.
The past two days have highlighted how far away Manu is from being ready for a game-day role and have made it borderline impossible for the offense to operate effectively, particularly on third downs.
I think we’ll have a better picture of how the offense is coming together when the team practices against the Miami Dolphins next week. Decker should be back in the mix by that time. Then again, the offense struggled against the Giants in joint practices last year and went on to score the most points in franchise history. So who really knows?
Regardless, it bears repeating, it will be pretty difficult to screw this offense up. A small step back? Sure, that’s on the table. But with Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Sam LaPorta, St. Brown and Williams, there’s only so far you can reasonably backslide.
● In terms of injuries, cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (hamstring) and Ennis Rakestraw (shoulder), defensive tackle Brodric Martin and Skipper remained sidelined. They were joined on the shelf by wide receiver Dominic Lovett (abdomen), offensive tackle Jamarco Jones (ankle), defensive tackle Pat O’Connor (leg) and running back Sione Vaki.
Lovett, Jones and O’Connor left Tuesday’s practice with their injuries. Campbell estimated each will be down around a week, with Lovett potentially looking at a 10-day absence.
With Arnold and Rakestraw out, Amik Robertson played outside corner in base packages and moved inside in nickel looks, with Erick Hallett taking over outside responsibilities opposite Reed.
Some of O’Connor’s second-team defensive tackle reps went to Myles Adams, who has strung together a few quality practices.
Vaki's absence was unexpected and not addressed prior to practice. His status for Friday’s preseason game against Atlanta is up in the air.
● Defensive end Josh Paschal, who is on the non-football injury list, was spotted running the hill under the supervision of a member of the training staff. His timeline to return to practice remains early September.
● Former Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was in the house with a media credential for his “No Free Lunch” podcast.
● As noted, Manu had some struggles this week, and there were back-to-back reps where left guard Christian Mahogany was noticeably frustrated with his teammate.
After practice, Decker pulled Manu aside for a long conversation, a clear moment of a veteran leader making sure a younger teammate is getting some much-needed encouragement.
● The offense did come up with a couple of touchdowns during a brief red-zone segment. Kalif Raymond got the best of Rock Ya-Sin for a short score on a crossing pattern along the back line. And Meeks adjusted his route to haul in a ball from quarterback Kyle Allen between Hallett and safety Morice Norris.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Yeah that’s kind of been the consensus all along on r/DetroitLions
Stuck around the D after the season ended, he’s out and about town with his girl (rapper Kash Doll), has said frequently he’d prefer to stay with the Lions.
He’s at a stage in his career (33 next month) he can’t really dictate terms. Justin has speculated in the SubStack subscribers chat he is unlikely to get a deal above Davenport (1-yr, maxes out at $4.75 with incentives), so at this point it’s just a matter of him being realistic. Seems like both sides want to get a deal done.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Day 11 TC injury updates post from Pride of Detroit
The Detroit Lions toned down practice a bit after a physical Monday practice. Most of the absences from Wednesday’s session were expected, but there were a couple of notable injury developments. Here’s the latest on every player.
Vaki’s absence came as a surprise. Not only did he appear to finish Monday’s practice without an incident, but he told MLive that he was looking forward to playing in Friday’s preseason gameand told our own Erik Schlitt that he was “feeling good” in a post-practice conversation.
“Everything’s good,” Vaki told Pride of Detroit after Monday’s practice. “I’m just happy to be back out here with the boys, man. Being able to watch it on film and being out there on the field are two different things, and man, you definitely need these on-field reps.”
That suggests Vaki’s absence may not be injury-related. We’ll see on Friday.
Brodric Martin has now missed two consecutive practices for unknown reasons. To help the Lions’ nose tackle depth, we saw some Chris Smith playing at that spot with the third team.
Patrick’s absence during team drills gave a little more first-team opportunities to Kalif Raymond and Tom Kennedy —the large majority of which went to Raymond.l
Aside - beat writers Pouncey & Rogers said it looks like a quad strain but we’ll know more today
Still on injury list:
- G Miles Frazier (PUP)
- DT Alim McNeill (PUP)
- DT Mekhi Wingo (PUP)
- EDGE Josh Paschal (NFI)
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez (PUP)
- CB Khalil Dorsey (PUP)
Not practicing:
- RB Sione Vaki (undisclosed, previously dealing with a hamstring injury)
- WR Dominic Lovett (abdominal)
- OT Dan Skipper (ankle)
- OT Jamarco Jones (ankle)
- CB Terrion Arnold (hamstring)
- CB Ennis Rakestraw (shoulder)
- DT Brodric Martin (undisclosed)
- DL Pat O’Connor (leg)
Vaki’s absence came as a surprise. Not only did he appear to finish Monday’s practice without an incident, but he told MLive that he was looking forward to playing in Friday’s preseason gameand told our own Erik Schlitt that he was “feeling good” in a post-practice conversation.
“Everything’s good,” Vaki told Pride of Detroit after Monday’s practice. “I’m just happy to be back out here with the boys, man. Being able to watch it on film and being out there on the field are two different things, and man, you definitely need these on-field reps.”
That suggests Vaki’s absence may not be injury-related. We’ll see on Friday.
Brodric Martin has now missed two consecutive practices for unknown reasons. To help the Lions’ nose tackle depth, we saw some Chris Smith playing at that spot with the third team.
Left practice
- WR Tim Patrick
Patrick’s absence during team drills gave a little more first-team opportunities to Kalif Raymond and Tom Kennedy —the large majority of which went to Raymond.l
Aside - beat writers Pouncey & Rogers said it looks like a quad strain but we’ll know more today
Da Guru
Fair & Balanced
I heard it, Jon Janson thinks Smith will be back but at 33 years old does not want or need to be in camp with any team, and also seeing if a better offer comes from another team before committing to the Lions as this will probably be his last deal
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Rakestraw having shoulder surgery
From the player’s IG, nothing from the team yet
From the player’s IG, nothing from the team yet
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Hidden figures: Gradkowski's road to Detroit followed McVay interest, 3 years as a PFF analyst and coordinating in UFL
Note: This is the second installment in a multi-part series that explores the background, responsibilities, and aspirations of the Detroit Lions’ lower-level assistant coaches. Today, we’re looking at offensive assistant Bruce Gradkowski.
Allen Park — Bruce Gradkowski started 20 games during his NFL career and won six of them. He completed fewer than 53% of his throws and tossed more interceptions than touchdowns.
Despite that production, Gradkowski, a sixth-round pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006, stuck around the league for a decade. That's no accident.
There’s long been a gulf between the league's starting quarterbacks and their backups. The value of a reliable No. 2 is often less about what they do on Sundays and more about the work they put in Monday through Saturday. Maybe they don’t have the arm strength or accuracy to consistently connect on the 15-yard out route to the far side of the field. However, they have an advanced understanding of the game that helps them run the scout team or present in the meeting room to prepare both the team’s defense and the starting quarterback for the upcoming opponent.
In that background role while with the Cincinnati Bengals — his fifth franchise through his first six seasons — Gradkowski first developed a strong interest in coaching.
“I really enjoyed putting together presentations and film cut-ups for the offense, whether a protection meeting or routes, because when I was there with A.J. Green, Andy Dalton, Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, they were all rookies,” Gradkowski explained. “Andrew Whitworth was our left tackle. We were the veterans, and it was like putting a Friday meeting together. We would go over tougher looks or new concepts we had put in. I really enjoyed that.”
Gradkowski left the Bengals after the 2012 season, finishing his career with Pittsburgh, where he was born and raised five miles south of the city in Mount Lebanon. With the Steelers, Gradkowski had the opportunity to watch longtime coach Mike Tomlin operate, gaining an appreciation not only for his mastery of X’s and O’s, but also his managing relationships and egos to get the best out of star players like Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. It only added to the appeal of crossing to the coaching side after Gradkowski finished his playing career.
Upon retiring in 2016, Gradkowski returned to Toledo. It wasn’t long before he dipped his toes into coaching. He started small, working with local quarterbacks, including serving as a volunteer assistant at a local high school.
Around that time, Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay called. He and Gradkowski never overlapped in the league, just missing each other in Tampa Bay, where McVay held his first NFL job as a low-level offensive assistant. Regardless, they had a mutual connection in Whitworth, the All-Pro offensive tackle who used to run those meetings in Cincinnati with Gradkowski before joining the Rams as a free agent in 2015.
McVay had an opening for an assistant quarterbacks coach after Zac Taylor had taken the Bengals head coaching job. He wanted Gradkowski and Zac Robinson, another former quarterback with the Bengals, to interview for the position.
In the end, Robinson got the job, and like many branches of McVay’s coaching tree, he’s climbing through the ranks, becoming Atlanta’s offensive coordinator last season.
Gradkowski, meanwhile, still managed to capitalize on the missed opportunity, taking over Robinson’s job as an analyst for Pro Football Focus. For the next three years, Gradkowski was responsible for dissecting and grading the NFL’s quarterbacks for the analytics website, helping take his schematic understanding to new levels, all while continuing to coach high school football in the Toledo area.
Then, in 2023, Gradkowski called to congratulate another former teammate, Anthony Becht, on being named the head coach of the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks. A week later, Becht called Gradkowski and asked if he was interested in serving as the team's offensive coordinator. The request was unexpected.
“I was like, you know what, this would be great,” Gradkowski said. “It would be the first time being able to put my offense together, call plays, it'd be awesome.
“When I was coaching high school before the XFL came up, I just really enjoyed it,” Gradkowski said. “And I was like, 'Man, you're telling me I could do this for a living?' You know what I mean? It's almost like when I was playing. I didn't play for the money. I played because I love it. That's how coaching is. I don't coach for the money. I coach to help guys on their journey because I've been through it. That's kind of how that all unfolded.”
Being in Toledo, Gradkowski had heavy exposure to the Lions during that time. Through grading the games, he had gained a strong admiration for Detroit’s offense, studying the concepts former coordinator Ben Johnson was utilizing as Gradkowski was constructing his scheme for the opportunity with the Battlehawks.
Gradkowski was also enamored with Detroit’s culture under coach Dan Campbell, who had helped transform the long downtrodden franchise into a respected program.
Gradkowski was moved to write Campbell a letter, sharing those sentiments. That led to an invitation from Detroit's coach to attend OTA practices ahead of the 2023 season, to get a closer look at the operation.
Two years later, while working with some local quarterbacks in Toledo, Gradkowski’s phone rang. He didn’t have the number saved, but it popped up, “Campbell, Daniel J.” He thought, could it be?
Gradkowski paused the training session and took the call. It was indeed Campbell, with his new offensive coordinator, John Morton, in the room. They were in the process of remodeling the coaching staff after a number of offseason departures and wanted Gradkowski to come north to “talk ball.”
This time, Gradkowski got the job.
“I just want to be a part of a good culture and team,” Gradkowski said. “I want to learn and grow. It doesn't matter what my role is, I just want to help be a part of a good program because I'm more interested in learning on my journey.”
Briefly commenting on some of the team’s new coaching additions at the scouting combine in February, Campbell noted Gradkowski quickly revealed himself as someone who “belongs here.”
Interestingly, Gradkowski isn’t working with the position he played or coached. In Detroit, he’s assisting Scottie Montgomery with the team's receivers. It’s a change of pace, but Gradkowski has already fallen in love with the role. He said it’s been eye-opening seeing the game through the eyes of the receivers after a lifetime spent throwing them the ball.
“I feel like I'm a receiver now, you know what I mean?” Gradkowski said. “I’m sometimes like, dang, man, you're running your butt off out here. Gosh, I wish you could have gotten that pass. So I feel what they're going through. As a quarterback, I'm used to touching the ball on every snap. Now I see what it's like being a receiver. You're going in and blocking, you're running your tail off on a go route that you don't get (the target). Now I'm feeling their pain on some things and just the details of it. That’s pretty neat.”
Gradkowski is doing a little bit of everything as his role is defined. Still in phenomenal shape, he can often be seen throwing to the receivers during individual drills at practice. More behind the scenes, he’s helping Morton diagram the passing plays for the playbook and doing whatever Montgomery needs to help run the position group meetings.
Gradkowski isn't sure how his responsibilities will shift once the regular season gets underway, but Campbell often has the assistant position coaches working with the younger players in their room — the guys on the practice squad or who have yet to carve out a game-day role — getting them prepared for when an opportunity arises.
Gradkowski makes no effort to hide his gratitude for this job. His enthusiasm is a natural fit on a coaching staff loaded up with NFL veterans. And like many of them, he hopes this will eventually lead to bigger and better opportunities down the road, even if his focus is fully on the present.
“I think we all do, being in it, but I'm not in a rush for any of it,” Gradkowski said. “I'm just excited where I'm at. Like I said earlier, I'm excited to learn. If I can keep learning on my journey, that's what it's about. Where it leads, you never know.
“Of course, we have goals of where we want to go,” he continued. “You want to have your own offense or your own team one day. But, at the same time, that's not something I think about every day. I think about, OK, how can I help the best I can where I'm at? There are a lot of great coaches on this staff that I could continue to learn from and help out.
“It's like, on this journey, how many guys can I help in their career?” Gradkowski said. “There have been a ton of coaches and mentors in my life who are the reason I'm where I'm at today, because they took time out of their schedule to help me during tough times or to learn an offense or even off the field. So that's what I want to focus on.”
Allen Park — Bruce Gradkowski started 20 games during his NFL career and won six of them. He completed fewer than 53% of his throws and tossed more interceptions than touchdowns.
Despite that production, Gradkowski, a sixth-round pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006, stuck around the league for a decade. That's no accident.
There’s long been a gulf between the league's starting quarterbacks and their backups. The value of a reliable No. 2 is often less about what they do on Sundays and more about the work they put in Monday through Saturday. Maybe they don’t have the arm strength or accuracy to consistently connect on the 15-yard out route to the far side of the field. However, they have an advanced understanding of the game that helps them run the scout team or present in the meeting room to prepare both the team’s defense and the starting quarterback for the upcoming opponent.
In that background role while with the Cincinnati Bengals — his fifth franchise through his first six seasons — Gradkowski first developed a strong interest in coaching.
“I really enjoyed putting together presentations and film cut-ups for the offense, whether a protection meeting or routes, because when I was there with A.J. Green, Andy Dalton, Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, they were all rookies,” Gradkowski explained. “Andrew Whitworth was our left tackle. We were the veterans, and it was like putting a Friday meeting together. We would go over tougher looks or new concepts we had put in. I really enjoyed that.”
Gradkowski left the Bengals after the 2012 season, finishing his career with Pittsburgh, where he was born and raised five miles south of the city in Mount Lebanon. With the Steelers, Gradkowski had the opportunity to watch longtime coach Mike Tomlin operate, gaining an appreciation not only for his mastery of X’s and O’s, but also his managing relationships and egos to get the best out of star players like Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. It only added to the appeal of crossing to the coaching side after Gradkowski finished his playing career.
Upon retiring in 2016, Gradkowski returned to Toledo. It wasn’t long before he dipped his toes into coaching. He started small, working with local quarterbacks, including serving as a volunteer assistant at a local high school.
Around that time, Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay called. He and Gradkowski never overlapped in the league, just missing each other in Tampa Bay, where McVay held his first NFL job as a low-level offensive assistant. Regardless, they had a mutual connection in Whitworth, the All-Pro offensive tackle who used to run those meetings in Cincinnati with Gradkowski before joining the Rams as a free agent in 2015.
McVay had an opening for an assistant quarterbacks coach after Zac Taylor had taken the Bengals head coaching job. He wanted Gradkowski and Zac Robinson, another former quarterback with the Bengals, to interview for the position.
In the end, Robinson got the job, and like many branches of McVay’s coaching tree, he’s climbing through the ranks, becoming Atlanta’s offensive coordinator last season.
Gradkowski, meanwhile, still managed to capitalize on the missed opportunity, taking over Robinson’s job as an analyst for Pro Football Focus. For the next three years, Gradkowski was responsible for dissecting and grading the NFL’s quarterbacks for the analytics website, helping take his schematic understanding to new levels, all while continuing to coach high school football in the Toledo area.
Then, in 2023, Gradkowski called to congratulate another former teammate, Anthony Becht, on being named the head coach of the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks. A week later, Becht called Gradkowski and asked if he was interested in serving as the team's offensive coordinator. The request was unexpected.
“I was like, you know what, this would be great,” Gradkowski said. “It would be the first time being able to put my offense together, call plays, it'd be awesome.
“When I was coaching high school before the XFL came up, I just really enjoyed it,” Gradkowski said. “And I was like, 'Man, you're telling me I could do this for a living?' You know what I mean? It's almost like when I was playing. I didn't play for the money. I played because I love it. That's how coaching is. I don't coach for the money. I coach to help guys on their journey because I've been through it. That's kind of how that all unfolded.”
Being in Toledo, Gradkowski had heavy exposure to the Lions during that time. Through grading the games, he had gained a strong admiration for Detroit’s offense, studying the concepts former coordinator Ben Johnson was utilizing as Gradkowski was constructing his scheme for the opportunity with the Battlehawks.
Gradkowski was also enamored with Detroit’s culture under coach Dan Campbell, who had helped transform the long downtrodden franchise into a respected program.
Gradkowski was moved to write Campbell a letter, sharing those sentiments. That led to an invitation from Detroit's coach to attend OTA practices ahead of the 2023 season, to get a closer look at the operation.
Two years later, while working with some local quarterbacks in Toledo, Gradkowski’s phone rang. He didn’t have the number saved, but it popped up, “Campbell, Daniel J.” He thought, could it be?
Gradkowski paused the training session and took the call. It was indeed Campbell, with his new offensive coordinator, John Morton, in the room. They were in the process of remodeling the coaching staff after a number of offseason departures and wanted Gradkowski to come north to “talk ball.”
This time, Gradkowski got the job.
“I just want to be a part of a good culture and team,” Gradkowski said. “I want to learn and grow. It doesn't matter what my role is, I just want to help be a part of a good program because I'm more interested in learning on my journey.”
Briefly commenting on some of the team’s new coaching additions at the scouting combine in February, Campbell noted Gradkowski quickly revealed himself as someone who “belongs here.”
Interestingly, Gradkowski isn’t working with the position he played or coached. In Detroit, he’s assisting Scottie Montgomery with the team's receivers. It’s a change of pace, but Gradkowski has already fallen in love with the role. He said it’s been eye-opening seeing the game through the eyes of the receivers after a lifetime spent throwing them the ball.
“I feel like I'm a receiver now, you know what I mean?” Gradkowski said. “I’m sometimes like, dang, man, you're running your butt off out here. Gosh, I wish you could have gotten that pass. So I feel what they're going through. As a quarterback, I'm used to touching the ball on every snap. Now I see what it's like being a receiver. You're going in and blocking, you're running your tail off on a go route that you don't get (the target). Now I'm feeling their pain on some things and just the details of it. That’s pretty neat.”
Gradkowski is doing a little bit of everything as his role is defined. Still in phenomenal shape, he can often be seen throwing to the receivers during individual drills at practice. More behind the scenes, he’s helping Morton diagram the passing plays for the playbook and doing whatever Montgomery needs to help run the position group meetings.
Gradkowski isn't sure how his responsibilities will shift once the regular season gets underway, but Campbell often has the assistant position coaches working with the younger players in their room — the guys on the practice squad or who have yet to carve out a game-day role — getting them prepared for when an opportunity arises.
Gradkowski makes no effort to hide his gratitude for this job. His enthusiasm is a natural fit on a coaching staff loaded up with NFL veterans. And like many of them, he hopes this will eventually lead to bigger and better opportunities down the road, even if his focus is fully on the present.
“I think we all do, being in it, but I'm not in a rush for any of it,” Gradkowski said. “I'm just excited where I'm at. Like I said earlier, I'm excited to learn. If I can keep learning on my journey, that's what it's about. Where it leads, you never know.
“Of course, we have goals of where we want to go,” he continued. “You want to have your own offense or your own team one day. But, at the same time, that's not something I think about every day. I think about, OK, how can I help the best I can where I'm at? There are a lot of great coaches on this staff that I could continue to learn from and help out.
“It's like, on this journey, how many guys can I help in their career?” Gradkowski said. “There have been a ton of coaches and mentors in my life who are the reason I'm where I'm at today, because they took time out of their schedule to help me during tough times or to learn an offense or even off the field. So that's what I want to focus on.”
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
New Rule: Lions have instituted the Hutch Rule
Hutch rule: Aidan Hutchinson has been so dominant for most of Lions training camp that head coach Dan Campbell sometimes has to adopt the Hutch rule at practice. The Hutch rule is when Hutchinson beats his man and likely has a sack on a play but they don't blow the whistle and continue the rep so the offense can get their work in during team periods.
"If you can't block Hutch and he's going to blow every practice up, then that's not good either," Campbell said Wednesday.
Hutch rule: Aidan Hutchinson has been so dominant for most of Lions training camp that head coach Dan Campbell sometimes has to adopt the Hutch rule at practice. The Hutch rule is when Hutchinson beats his man and likely has a sack on a play but they don't blow the whistle and continue the rep so the offense can get their work in during team periods.
"If you can't block Hutch and he's going to blow every practice up, then that's not good either," Campbell said Wednesday.
2Young2BBald
Footbaldguy
I’ve never bet preseason NFL, but am wondering if anyone has found online options that provide individual player bets in the preseason. With Patrick dinged it just feels like a TeSlaa TD this week is imminent. I’ve. Checked (4) of the major apps and no player bets yet. Just flew home yesterday from a state that does not allow online betting and flying to another tomorrow, so hoping someone has a book they can recommend so I can sign up (for another) asap if player bets are posted.
ignatiusjreilly
Footballguy
Schefter reporting he's out for the season.
Hey Dan, maybe it's time to stop biting so many kneecaps?
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Lions announce roster moves:
Tough break for Rake. I'm still a believer but sucks for him.
- Placed CB Ennis Rakestraw on Reserve/Injured.
- Signed TE Steven Stilianos.
Tough break for Rake. I'm still a believer but sucks for him.
ignatiusjreilly
Footballguy
The Rakestraw injury is similar to the Levi one last week: It's not so much that they were counting on him to play a ton of snaps, but both injuries really cut down on their depth. Also, every one of these is giving me PTSD flashbacks to last November
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
A comprehensive viewing guide to Lions at Falcons: Who and what to watch
After a dreadful start to the preseason slate, getting run over by the Los Angeles Chargers in the Hall of Fame game last week, the Detroit Lions will seek to show more cohesion and better execution against the Falcons in Atlanta this Friday.
You’ll be able to watch the game locally on FOX 2, with Detroit Tigers play-by-play voice Jason Benetti on the call. He’ll be joined in the booth by former Lions offensive lineman T.J. Lang.
Here’s a position-by-position guide of players to watch in the contest.
Only one of the three picks was egregious, Allen’s first, which the Chargers returned inside Detroit’s 10-yard line. With his other, the defender knocked the receiver off the route with late contact that could have and probably should have drawn a flag. Meanwhile, Hooker’s interception was in the hands of its intended target before the defender yanked it away.
Outside the giveaways, Allen more efficiently ran the offense. Of course, he started the contest, working with players higher up the depth chart and in more neutral situations. Hooker, meanwhile, couldn’t find a rhythm with the backups’ backups in the second half, while trying to navigate a three-score deficit.
The two will flip roles in Atlanta, with Hooker drawing the start. It will offer last year’s backup a better opportunity to show the clear growth he’s demonstrated on the practice field through training camp, from improved processing to his sharper accuracy.
That said, if Hooker sputters and Allen thrives, the competition to serve as Detroit’s QB2 will heat up heading into next week’s joint practices with the Dolphins.
He doesn’t have a lot to prove for the role he’s going to fill. Still, it might be more of the same against the Falcons. The preferred alternative would be a longer look at second-year back Sione Vaki. However, his stop-start offseason appears to be temporarily paused once again. After getting a bunch of work during a physical, padded practice on Tuesday, he was absent on Wednesday, putting his status for Friday’s game in question. Even though he could use the reps, the Lions won’t compromise his long-term health for the sake of a few developmental snaps that can be made up next week against the Dolphins.
Whether Vaki plays or not, much of the second-half workload will fall on Jabari Small and Jacob Saylors. Small has flashed on the practice field, but had a pedestrian showing against the Chargers, gaining 35 yards on 11 carries. Saylors, one of the roster’s newest players, led the UFL in rushing and scoring in the spring.
It’s disappointing that Dominic Lovett won’t be active for this one. He suffered an abdominal injury in practice this week that will keep him out of action for approximately 10 days. That means we might be in line for a heavy dose of Tom Kennedy, one of Detroit’s most reliable practice players.
Jackson Meeks merits continued attention, as well. The undrafted rookie is seventh on the depth chart's pecking order, but he does something in practice every day that catches your eye. He’s probably destined for the practice squad, assuming he doesn’t play his way into an opportunity on another team’s 53.
Finally, let’s see more of Ronnie Bell, the former Michigan Wolverine. He got off to a sluggish start to camp, but it feels like he’s rounded a corner and is more comfortable in his new surroundings. He only got five reps in the Hall of Fame game, well behind the roster’s other options.
Yeboah has had a quiet camp, but he blocked well against the Chargers, which is his primary function in the offense. Zylstra, meanwhile, got popped for an early holding call that was hardly his fault. That run design was blown up by a missed block in the middle, causing the back to redirect his path behind an unsuspecting Zylstra unexpectedly.
Finally, there’s Zach Horton, an undrafted rookie who drew varied blocking assignments, including plenty of work in the backfield, and functioned well. He didn’t draw a target, but was the top option on a play-action rollout that got blown up. Maybe we’ll get to see how he operates with the ball in his hands against Atlanta.
“Yeah, I’m thinking about that,” Campbell said on Wednesday. “I would like to get (Ratledge and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams) going this game, but I’m not 100% set on that yet.”
Obviously, if Ratledge plays, you’ll want to pay more attention to the right guard spot more than any football fan ever reasonably should. The Lions have a lot of moving pieces up front this offseason. Still, the rookie’s acclimation feels like the most important factor to the unit living up to the lofty standard we’ve come to expect.
Outside Ratledge, offensive tackle Giovani Manu is in line to start with Dan Skipper and Jamarco Jones both battling ankle injuries. Manu, the second-year developmental project, performed well against the Chargers but has been predictably overwhelmed while having to battle Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport in practice this week. It will be interesting to see if that adversity carries into the matchup against the Falcons.
Additionally, I want to take a long look at the backup interior linemen, particularly the centers. Regarding the guards, Kayode Awosika has started to put some distance between himself and the other options. Still, you have to appreciate the fight Colby Sorsdal is showing as he tries to work his way back into the roster conversation.
At center, Kinsgley Eguakun has the early lead, getting most of the second-team work this camp and drawing the start against the Chargers. However, he had some struggles in that game, particularly early, opening the door for veteran Trystan Colon to gain ground. Let’s see if that gap narrows further this week or if Eguakun gets back on track.
You’ll be able to watch the game locally on FOX 2, with Detroit Tigers play-by-play voice Jason Benetti on the call. He’ll be joined in the booth by former Lions offensive lineman T.J. Lang.
Here’s a position-by-position guide of players to watch in the contest.
Quarterback
Few factors contributed more to the Hall of Fame hammering than turnovers. That started with the Lions coughing up the opening kickoff. Quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Hendon Hooker then supplemented the struggles with three interceptions in the 34-7 loss.Only one of the three picks was egregious, Allen’s first, which the Chargers returned inside Detroit’s 10-yard line. With his other, the defender knocked the receiver off the route with late contact that could have and probably should have drawn a flag. Meanwhile, Hooker’s interception was in the hands of its intended target before the defender yanked it away.
Outside the giveaways, Allen more efficiently ran the offense. Of course, he started the contest, working with players higher up the depth chart and in more neutral situations. Hooker, meanwhile, couldn’t find a rhythm with the backups’ backups in the second half, while trying to navigate a three-score deficit.
The two will flip roles in Atlanta, with Hooker drawing the start. It will offer last year’s backup a better opportunity to show the clear growth he’s demonstrated on the practice field through training camp, from improved processing to his sharper accuracy.
That said, if Hooker sputters and Allen thrives, the competition to serve as Detroit’s QB2 will heat up heading into next week’s joint practices with the Dolphins.
Running back
Last week’s first half was the Craig Reynolds Show. Detroit’s top backup behind Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery racked up 48 yards from scrimmage with 10 carries and a reception on 23 snaps.He doesn’t have a lot to prove for the role he’s going to fill. Still, it might be more of the same against the Falcons. The preferred alternative would be a longer look at second-year back Sione Vaki. However, his stop-start offseason appears to be temporarily paused once again. After getting a bunch of work during a physical, padded practice on Tuesday, he was absent on Wednesday, putting his status for Friday’s game in question. Even though he could use the reps, the Lions won’t compromise his long-term health for the sake of a few developmental snaps that can be made up next week against the Dolphins.
Whether Vaki plays or not, much of the second-half workload will fall on Jabari Small and Jacob Saylors. Small has flashed on the practice field, but had a pedestrian showing against the Chargers, gaining 35 yards on 11 carries. Saylors, one of the roster’s newest players, led the UFL in rushing and scoring in the spring.
Wide receiver
Honestly, we’ll take all the Isaac TeSlaa we can get. A bright spot in the preseason opener with two longer grabs totaling 46 yards, the third-round draft pick looks like he’ll be ready to contribute to the offense sooner than initially expected.It’s disappointing that Dominic Lovett won’t be active for this one. He suffered an abdominal injury in practice this week that will keep him out of action for approximately 10 days. That means we might be in line for a heavy dose of Tom Kennedy, one of Detroit’s most reliable practice players.
Jackson Meeks merits continued attention, as well. The undrafted rookie is seventh on the depth chart's pecking order, but he does something in practice every day that catches your eye. He’s probably destined for the practice squad, assuming he doesn’t play his way into an opportunity on another team’s 53.
Finally, let’s see more of Ronnie Bell, the former Michigan Wolverine. He got off to a sluggish start to camp, but it feels like he’s rounded a corner and is more comfortable in his new surroundings. He only got five reps in the Hall of Fame game, well behind the roster’s other options.
Tight end
The competition for the No. 3 job behind Sam LaPort and Brock Wright feels as open as ever following the Hall of Fame game. Kenny Yeboah led the three contenders with 37 combined snaps in that contest. He probably would have seen more playing time if he hadn’t exited prematurely following an injury scare.Yeboah has had a quiet camp, but he blocked well against the Chargers, which is his primary function in the offense. Zylstra, meanwhile, got popped for an early holding call that was hardly his fault. That run design was blown up by a missed block in the middle, causing the back to redirect his path behind an unsuspecting Zylstra unexpectedly.
Finally, there’s Zach Horton, an undrafted rookie who drew varied blocking assignments, including plenty of work in the backfield, and functioned well. He didn’t draw a target, but was the top option on a play-action rollout that got blown up. Maybe we’ll get to see how he operates with the ball in his hands against Atlanta.
Offensive line
Second-round pick Tate Ratledge didn’t play in the opener, and coach Dan Campbell’s commitment level to getting the rookie snaps against Atlanta has waned as the game nears.“Yeah, I’m thinking about that,” Campbell said on Wednesday. “I would like to get (Ratledge and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams) going this game, but I’m not 100% set on that yet.”
Obviously, if Ratledge plays, you’ll want to pay more attention to the right guard spot more than any football fan ever reasonably should. The Lions have a lot of moving pieces up front this offseason. Still, the rookie’s acclimation feels like the most important factor to the unit living up to the lofty standard we’ve come to expect.
Outside Ratledge, offensive tackle Giovani Manu is in line to start with Dan Skipper and Jamarco Jones both battling ankle injuries. Manu, the second-year developmental project, performed well against the Chargers but has been predictably overwhelmed while having to battle Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport in practice this week. It will be interesting to see if that adversity carries into the matchup against the Falcons.
Additionally, I want to take a long look at the backup interior linemen, particularly the centers. Regarding the guards, Kayode Awosika has started to put some distance between himself and the other options. Still, you have to appreciate the fight Colby Sorsdal is showing as he tries to work his way back into the roster conversation.
At center, Kinsgley Eguakun has the early lead, getting most of the second-team work this camp and drawing the start against the Chargers. However, he had some struggles in that game, particularly early, opening the door for veteran Trystan Colon to gain ground. Let’s see if that gap narrows further this week or if Eguakun gets back on track.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Defensive line
Like Ratledge, it would be nice to see Williams, Detroit’s first-round pick, in this contest. The nearly 330-pound defensive tackle has been coming on strong this week and unquestionably had his best practice on Tuesday, constantly shutting down the run and making multiple tackles near and behind the line of scrimmage.Draft classmate Ahmed Hassanein, meanwhile, impressed in the Hall of Fame game, earning the highest grade among Detroit’s defenders from Pro Football Focus. He showed shock-and-shed ability in the run game and even managed to affect the quarterback on a couple of snaps. What’s the encore for the Egyptian bull?
Further down the depth chart, there are a bunch of young guys fighting for jobs, including undrafted rookie Keith Cooper, who is currently tracking toward a spot on the 53-man roster. He drew 38 snaps and tallied a couple of stops against the Chargers. A little more production against the Falcons’ backups would be encouraging.
On the edges, Nate Lynn and Isaac Ukwu both flashed in the Hall of Fame game. They play with different styles as Lynn is a bender and Ukwu leans into his power. An eventual re-signing of Za’Darius Smith could drop their roster chances close to zero. Still, if they show upside in the preseason, they can make it so they’re the next man up off the practice squad if the injury bug bites at the position.
Linebackers
Detroit’s linebackers were a little chaotic against the Chargers, particularly those battling for the sixth and potentially seventh spots on the roster. Trevor Nowaske is still in line to serve as Derrick Barnes’ backup at the SAM. However, the Michigan native and former SVSU standout needs a bounce-back showing, particularly after lining up offside twice in that contest.Anthony Pittman, another local product, missed some tackles and made some splash plays in the preseason opener. You love the energy, you just hope to see more consistency, especially now that he has several seasons of experience under his belt.
Finally, there’s Ezekiel Turner, who was a key midseason add last year. He feels like he’s trailing the other options. Still, he managed to lead the team in defensive snaps (47) and tackles (seven) last week.
Cornerbacks
Ennis Rakestraw was surprisingly in the lineup against the Chargers, and it turns out it will be the only time we get to see him this year. Days later, the 2024 second-round pick suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery, landing him on season-ending injured reserve.That’s heartbreaking for the young corner, but the train moves on. It means the ultra-physical Rock-Ya Sin moves up on the depth chart, and there are opportunities for several others to claim a spot on the roster or the practice squad.
Erick Hallett is at the front of that list. He performed well against the Chargers as a nickel, then earned more opportunities on the outside this week with Amik Robertson returning to practice.
Also seeing some first-team reps last week was Dicaprio Bootle, who struggled mightily against the Chargers, getting beaten for a touchdown and committing an egregious pass interference infraction on a third-down throw.
The Lions clearly see some upside there, but I’d rather monitor Tyson Russell and Nick Whiteside, two third-stringers who have flashed some ball skills on the practice field. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Whiteside has a great frame for the position and has exhibited some impressive anticipatory skills on the outside, fresh off playing in the UFL this spring.
Safeties
The competition for the fourth safety job has narrowed after rookie Dan Jackson landed on injured reserve this week.I’d pencil Loren Strickland as the frontrunner for the role, while acknowledging the situation is fluid. Strickland has primarily played safety this camp, but has some background playing nickel, as well. Plus, he’s a really good special teams player.
Norris is a hard-hitting missile who is always around the ball. However, his aggressiveness occasionally takes him out of position when he's seeking contact.
The dark horse remains undrafted rookie Ian Kennelly, who helped his chances with his physicality and tackling in the preseason opener. He’s raw but has appealing traits, meriting investment in his development.
Also, don’t be surprised to see Ya-Sin get a taste at safety in this game after garnering some reps there in practice this week. It’s new ground for the defensive back, but he’s embracing the opportunity to flex his potential versatility.
Special teams
As always, keep an eye on the coverage groups, both who is lining up where and who is making plays. Those tiny details can often be the separator for the final roster spots. In particular, the gunner and jammer spots on punt coverage and punt return are critical.In the return game, linebacker Grant Stuard should get another crack at it, despite fumbling his initial effort against the Chargers. He has absurd first-step quickness and a fearless mindset to charge into the fire in that role. He just needs to work on ball security at the end of those plays, given his limited experience.
In terms of kicking, Jake Bates has a healthy streak of makes in recent practices. However, his accuracy has been shaky from longer distances this offseason. He didn’t attempt a field goal last week. It would be good to see him get a confidence-builder from 50 yards or beyond against the Falcons.
OnTheReg
Footballguy
Of course the answer is yes
ignatiusjreilly
Footballguy
I love Gibbs, but the odds of him (or any RB) still being a valuable contributor to the team by the end of his second contract are extremely low. Parsons is going to be very good in this league for a long time to come.
In any event, this is just a discussion of positional value. Obviously no trade like this is going to happen
King of the Jungle
Footballguy
After further thought I would agree. I was letting my love for watching Gibbs play make the decision. It would definitely hurt the offense but having Parson would be incredible for the defense. Like you said, not a trade that would happen anyway.
