Category: Minicamp

Jared Goff agrees with Dan Campbell: He’s a better QB now than he was with the Rams

Lions QB Jared Goff agrees with Dan Campbell: He’s a better QB now than he was with the Rams

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Lions head coach Dan Campbell offered up an interesting statement during his press conference to open Detroit’s minicamp this week. Speaking about quarterback Jared Goff, Campbell said,

“I mean he is a better quarterback than he was (in Los Angeles), in my opinion. Because he can do more things. He is mentally on it.”

Goff took the Rams to a Super Bowl and experienced several successful seasons in Los Angeles before being unceremoniously traded to Detroit as part of the package for Matthew Stafford. After a rocky first season with the Lions at the beginning of a massive rebuild, Goff perked up in 2022 with an impressive year. He smartly avoided turnovers while effectively distributing the ball to several different weapons in Ben Johnson’s aggressive, complex offense.

After practice on Tuesday, Goff was asked if he agreed with his head coach. I he a better quarterback now than he was in Los Angeles?

“Yeah, I think so. I think as you get older and get more mature in the league that happens, and I’d certainly say so. I think I said that a handful of times last year that I thought I was playing the best football of my career and plan on continuing to do that.”

The statistics largely confirm that Goff was at least as good in Detroit in 2022 as he was in his Pro Bowl seasons with the Rams back in 2017 and 2018. He had the best TD-to-INT ratio of his career (29-7), authored three fourth-quarter comebacks and was the league’s No. 7 passer in QB Rating at 99.3.

But the stats don’t tell the full story. Goff has also emerged as a stronger leader, as well as more involved in calling out the offensive line protections.

“I like knowing what’s going on obviously on everything and being able to take control of that is super important,” Goff said of taking more ownership of the line calls. That’s not something he was tasked with in Los Angeles.

The key for Goff is to keep building upon his strong 2022. If he does, this talented Lions team around him could find similar postseason success to what he tasted in Los Angeles.

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10 players to watch during mandatory minicamp

With minicamp less than a week away, there are quite a few players you should be keeping your eye on.

We are less than a week away from mandatory minicamp!

The two-day event on June 13-14 is a requirement for players across the National Football League and it will be the last time that the Minnesota Vikings take the field before training camp opens up in July.

During these practices, there is a good amount that you can take from them, especially since teams will be looking to install things on both sides of the ball. These 10 players are going to be the ones you want to keep your eye on during minicamp.

Jared Goff, Lions have had no recent talks about a potential contract extension

When asked if he’d talked to the Lions about a contract extension, Goff responded, “No. Nope. Nope. Nothing.”

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Last month, Lions GM Brad Holmes indicated during a radio spot that the team had begun to have dialogue with Jared Goff and his representation about a possible contract extension. It was notable because Goff had stated just weeks earlier that the team had not approached him about his contract.

It appears the dialogue to which Holmes was referring was nothing more than a cursory discussion. Goff’s contract situation, which locks him into Detroit through the 2024 season, has not changed. And it doesn’t appear like that status will change anytime soon.

After Tuesday’s minicamp session, Goff was asked if he’s had any additional conversations with management, notably Holmes, about any potential contract extension.

“No. Nope. Nope. Nothing,” Goff responded.

When asked a follow-up question about if he was looking for an extension this offseason, Goff diplomatically replied,

“I have no idea on when or how I want to get any of that done. That is not up to me.”

It’s worth noting that many players let their agents do all that sort of negotiating independently; Goff’s response does not necessarily mean the two sides aren’t still talking or working toward a possible contract extension. But it also doesn’t seem like Goff, his representation, or the Lions are all that anxious to get something done right now.

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Lions minicamp notebook: Secondary shines on the first day

Lions minicamp 1st day notebook from Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon on the secondary, Sam LaPorta, Jamo, OL rotation and more

Detroit Lions minicamp kicked off on a hazy Tuesday afternoon in Allen Park at the team’s training facility. Unlike the OTAs the last two weeks, this week’s minicamp has mandatory attendance for all players.

Not every player participated. Head coach Dan Campbell indicated before practice that many players were medically excused, including running back David Montgomery and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez among many others. The practice session remains unpadded and non-contact beyond flag football standards, but the Lions continue to be cautious with players on the injury front.

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Here’s what I saw and noted from the first minicamp session.

Dan Campbell open to the idea of holding a training camp session in West Michigan

Dan Campbell open to the idea of holding a training camp session in West Michigan after spending the weekend in Grand Rapids

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Lions head coach Dan Campbell spent the weekend before this week’s minicamp in Grand Rapids. His trip to the west side of Michigan piqued Campbell’s interest in the idea of holding a training camp practice or event in West Michigan.

It’s not something the Lions have done in years. The last time the Lions held a practice session outside of the team’s training facility in Allen Park or Ford Field was in 2015, when they held an evening practice at Novi High School near Detroit. And it’s not something that is imminent; nothing is scheduled beyond 2023 right now.

It’s an idea worth exploring. Campbell noted the “fresh energy” he felt from the fans in Grand Rapids. As Campbell said, finding a suitable venue with practice facilities that are to the NFL standards would come first.

To that end, two D-II college programs in the Grand Rapids area, Davenport and Grand Valley State, have modern facilities and fan-friendly stadiums to outreach to the fans in West Michigan. Social media was abuzz in the Grand Rapids area with Campbell sightings over the weekend.

As someone who routinely commutes from Holland, MI (25 miles southwest of Grand Rapids) to practices and training camp, it would be great to see the Lions show some love to the fervent fan base on the west side of the state.

4 Things to watch during Lions minicamp

4 things Lions Wire’s Russell Brown will be watching for during Detroit Lions minicamp this week

Starting on Tuesday, the Lions will have their mandatory minicamp. This three day camp gives players and coaches to get familiar with one another. As we know, the Lions have new players from free agency to the 2023 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, they’ve got two coordinators (Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson) that could be head coaches waiting in the wings. Time will tell on both coaches. As of now, here are four things that I’m going to be watching for during the Lions minicamp.

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RB depth setting up the Lions for a big summer roster battle

The Lions have a big summer battle brewing for the RB spots behind Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery

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The names at the top of the Detroit Lions depth chart at running back have changed. Who fills the next few spots behind newcomers Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery is one of the biggest uncertainties on the Lions roster as the team enters mandatory minicamp, too.

With much of the offseason work unpadded and not full contact, it makes running back perhaps the hardest position to evaluate. Other than catching the ball and running routes, there isn’t a lot of what RBs do in games (breaking tackles, pass protection, running through contact) replicated. When the pads do come on and the action intensifies in training camp, including joint practices with the Giants and Jaguars in Allen Park, and preseason, there should be a lot of focus on the running back battle.

And what a battle it should be!

The top three RBs from last year are all gone. Jamaal Williams (Saints), D’Andre Swift (Eagles) and Justin Jackson (unsigned) accounted for all but 24 of the running back carries in 2022. The top returnee is Craig Reynolds, who had 23 of those.

Reynolds looked impressive in OTAs with his movement and hands as a receiver. He’s a muscular, power-oriented back who reliably churns out 4.4 yards per carry. Reynolds, now wearing No. 13, isn’t likely to break run much longer than that without having to run a defender over, however. He has shown he can catch the ball and pass protect adeptly, and the 26-year-old stepped up on special teams in 2022 as well.

He’s in pencil as the No. 3 back behind Gibbs and Montgomery, or Montgomery and Gibbs if you prefer. But Reynolds looks to have serious competition for that status, even if his roster spot appears safe.

Third-year back Jermar Jefferson has spent almost his entire career on the Lions practice squad. Jefferson has flashed sharp footwork and acceleration in his two training camps and preseasons since being a seventh-round pick in 2021, but he’s had ongoing struggles with ball security (both fumbling and catching) and pass protection.

It’s too early to know about the pass protection front, but Jefferson has been rock solid with his hands and receiving skills in OTAs. He also looks like he’s worked on his initial burst, and the attention to a weak point appears to be paying off. Jefferson looks more explosive and lithe.

Based on how he’s looked thus far and how he’s taken the top reps when Montgomery sits out of the voluntary activities, Jefferson figures to have ample opportunities to make more noise and carve out a legit role on the roster in his third season. Pass protection has to dramatically improve right away for that to happen. He’s still just 23 years old, so there is hope for Jefferson.

Then there are the undrafted wild cards, Greg Bell from the UDFA class of 2022 and Mohamed Ibrahim from this year. Both have the potential to usurp roles from Reynolds and/or Jefferson with strong summers. Both are also off to very impressive starts in those quests.

Bell made positive impressions by this point last offseason as a UDFA from San Diego State. A hamstring injury on the second day of training camp ended his rookie campaign. Bell is fighting the odds to make it, but he’s done that before; his college career nearly ended in 2019 with a terrible eye injury.

He’s got the best blend of power, speed, hands and quick feet of the group. The speed isn’t instant, but it’s impressive once he gets a lane–think James Stewart from days of Lions past. It was just noncontact drills, but the sharp cuts at full gallop Bell made in a couple of drills really stood out. If he can carry that into training camp and remain on the field, Bell has a legit chance to remain on the roster in 2023.

Ibrahim might have an even better chance than Bell. The Ibrahim we saw on Thursday was explosive and fast in the open field, a contrast to what he showed a week earlier. For a guy who made his living at Minnesota by running over and through would-be tacklers, that was impressive. The Lions gave Ibrahim a nice signing bonus, clearly seeing something worth going after.

It’s going to be fun watching this battle for the final two, or perhaps three, RB roster spots play out this offseason. New RB coach Scottie Montgomery and the Lions coaches have some tough decisions to evaluate at running back.

Look: Top photos from Detroit Lions minicamp

Look: Top photos from Detroit Lions minicamp from the weekend of May 13th

The Detroit Lions welcomed the rookie class of 2023 into the building for the first time over the weekend. The team’s draft picks, undrafted free agents and even some aspiring tryout candidates were in Allen Park for the Lions’ rookie minicamp.

Here are some of the top photos taken by the professionals inside the Lions training facility.

Brodric Martin: Rookie DT ‘blessed’ to be in a Lions uniform

Lions rookie DT Brodric Martin feels “blessed” to be at Detroit’s rookie minicamp and in the NFL

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Rookie minicamp is the first chance for the team’s draftees to get a taste of being a Detroit Lions player. It’s a new feeling that Brodric Martin doesn’t take for granted.

The third-round nose tackle from Western Kentucky was something of a surprising selection that high in the 2023 NFL draft. Martin himself admitted as much on Saturday, relating the story of being caught off-guard when head coach Dan Campbell called him to let him know he was going to be drafted.

The big man flashed an easy smile and jovial nature in his first meeting with the Detroit media, coming immediately after Saturday’s session of rookie minicamp in Allen Park.

Martin was asked how the reality of being in a Detroit Lions uniform compared to the dream of being an NFL player.

“Way better than what I thought,” Martin said earnestly. “It’s like I’m blessed now. This is surreal — I still don’t believe it. Like, I walked up (into the Lions training facility) and seen the locker with my name on it and just, I ain’t going to lie, I about shed a couple of tears because this is like actually here. It’s happening.”

Martin concluded the thought with a nice quip,

“I come in here smiling and I ain’t frowned yet. I’m just smiling. It’s a blessing.”

Martin projects as an important part of the Lions’ defensive line rotation right away. He figures to rotate with veteran Isaiah Buggs as the nose tackle, as well as providing more bulk in short-yardage situations.

Jahmyr Gibbs injury history isn’t much concern for the Lions

Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs missed rookie minicamp with an ankle injury, but his injury history should not concern Detroit too much

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There was a notable non-participant in the Detroit Lions rookie minicamp this weekend. Top draft pick Jahmyr Gibbs is sitting out the inaugural session after tweaking an ankle.

Gibbs remains in Allen Park, even giving a media conference after Saturday’s session at the team’s training facility. He won’t be taking part in drills or flashing the impressive receiving skills that helped make the Lions choose him with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft, however.

Detroit has a rather inglorious history of prominently drafted running backs and injuries. One of the reasons Gibbs is in Detroit is because two recent second-rounders, D’Andre Swift (2020) and Kerryon Johnson (2018) proved unable to reliably stay on the field with injury concerns that dated back to their SEC college days.

The Lions shouldn’t worry so much about Gibbs and his injury history.

Gibbs stayed largely healthy in college. In his final season at Alabama, Gibbs sprained his ankle in the Crimson Tide’s win over Ole Miss in November. He sat out the next game, Alabama’s version of the annual SEC nonconference cupcake walk against Austin Peay. He played the next week, rushing 17 times for 76 yards in the rivalry game win over Auburn.

Before transferring to Alabama, Gibbs spent two seasons at Georgia Tech. He missed the final two games of his first year, separating a shoulder in the Yellowjackets’ win over Duke. It’s the only documented injury or missed time from his two seasons in Atlanta.

His lighter workload in college is an asset. Gibbs carried the ball just 383 times in his three college seasons, a lower volume that means he’s taken fewer hits. By way of 2023 draft comparison, Bijan Robinson carried the ball 156 more times–effectively a full season of work while playing the same number (31) of games.

Gibbs noted on Saturday, “I’m straight.” Every indication is the Lions held him out of the low-intensity workout to err on the side of caution.