Tag: Detroit Lions Preseason

Donovan Peoples-Jones should be outside looking in at the Detroit Lions roster

Wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones should be on the outside looking in at the Detroit Lions roster after a rough preseason

Last year during the NFL Trade Deadline, the Detroit Lions made somewhat of a surprising move by trading for Donovan Peoples-Jones. The Lions gave up a 6th round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to acquire him from the Cleveland Browns.

Certainly, it was a roll of the dice for a receiver who had recorded 61 receptions for 839 yards in 2022. But that roll of the dice only led to five receptions for 58 yards in Detroit. Despite resigning with the Lions this off-season, it sure feels like Peoples-Jones is on his way out.

Through parts of the summer, head coach Dan Campbell stated that he “wants to see more” from DPJ. Unfortunately, I don’t think that happened. Through the preseason, he recorded 2 receptions for 31 yards on 9 targets and he did have a drop against the Steelers on Saturday. Let’s dive into some film to look at what’s been going wrong for DPJ in Detroit.

Whenever a talented receiver is fighting for a roster spot, there’s always an assumption that the player could be competing at a position that is stacked with talent. While the Lions do have Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams sitting atop of the depth chart at receiver, it’s still wide open behind them.

Let’s look at the play above to see one of the routes ran by Peoples-Jones. The Lions come out 2×2 and you can see Peoples-Jones bunched with Isaiah Williams at the top of the screen. Him and Williams will be running a bench concept (corner route and out route) and they’re the 1st and 2nd read for quarterback Hendon Hooker.

As you can see after the snap, Hooker is staring at both receivers to his right. The cornerback is in good positioning on the out route ran by Isaiah Williams. However, the corner route by Peoples-Jones is too slow and rounded. This causes a delay from Hooker and essentially, he has to look off and throw underneath to Tom Kennedy.

Next I want to highlight a route across the middle of the field by Peoples-Jones. Looking at the play above, the Lions will be throwing out of a trips left formation. To the right of the formation (bottom of the screen) is DPJ.

Once the ball is snapped, you can see him run across the middle of the field on a shallow cross. While I may not know how long he’s supposed to run this route before looking at the quarterback, I would have to assume it’s within 2 or 3 seconds. That’s just the average time a quarterback has to get a throw off.

Certainly, the pass from Hooker is less than ideal. The pass is located somewhat low but a twist line stunt in the middle of this 5-man pressures forces him to hurry the throw. Meanwhile, it does take Peoples-Jones up to 2 or 3 seconds just to get across and he never looks to see if or when the ball is being thrown.

Lastly I want to focus on a dropped pass from Peoples-Jones. Looking at the play above, you’ll see the Lions come out 2×2 with Peoples-Jones on the right (top of the screen).

Once the ball is snapped, he runs a hitch route. While the cornerback does almost jump this pass and take it to the house, he doesn’t end up making contact with the ball at all. In fact, the ball gets by and bounces off the hands of Peoples-Jones. As a veteran receiver fighting for a roster spot, these types of drops can’t happen.

Overall, it’s been a disappointing summer for DPJ. It’s unfortunate because there’s always been so much potential with him. However, he looks slower than he ever has on a football field and the final preseason game on Saturday may be his last one in a Lions uniform.

His route running ability wasn’t crisp against the Steelers. With most of his routes being rounded or taking too long to develop, it led to him only being targeted three times. Unfortunately, he didn’t catch any of them. Adding to that, he was supposed to be one of the key blockers on a designed screen pass to tight end Shane Zylstra and he missed his block completely.

The door was wide open for Peoples-Jones to lockup the 4th receiver spot on the roster. He had the size and experience over other receivers such as Isaiah Williams, Tom Kennedy and others. However, the lackluster performances have piled up and it seemingly has closed the door on any chance for Peoples-Jones to make the Detroit Lions roster.

Hendon Hooker showed he isn’t quite ready in Lions preseason win over the Steelers

Second year Detroit QB Hendon Hooker showed he isn’t quite ready to be the team’s only backup QB in Lions preseason win over the Steelers

Saturday’s preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers was a golden opportunity for Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker to show he was ready to be the team’s backup behind Jared Goff. Getting the start against a Steelers defense that played several starters in the first couple of drives was a great chance for No. 2 to prove he can be the No. 2 QB in Detroit.

Unfortunately for Hooker, it didn’t play out well.

Hooker struggled early. While he completed three of his first four attempts, the first quarter ended with Detroit netting minus-7 yards passing. That’s because an indecisive Hooker took four sacks, including a strip-sack that resulted in a turnover. While the protection in front was not great, at least two of the sacks appeared to be directly on Hooker for not getting rid of the ball when he had chances, even if just to throw it away and live for another down.

One of the biggest tenets of Ben Johnson’s complexly creative Lions offense is making the correct read and being confident in that read. It’s hard to tell if Hooker made the correct reads, but it was clear he wasn’t confident that he had in those early drives. The first four possessions resulted in five net yards and two first downs as the Steelers raced out to a 14-0 lead.

The story did change once the Steelers removed anyone who will actually play for Pittsburgh from the defensive lineup. Hooker then settled in and led two straight scoring drives to close out the half. The ball came out quicker and more decisively, perhaps a function of being under less pressure from the reserves on the Steelers defense.

Hooker also ran well, just as he did in the prior preseason games. It’s an added dynamic, and it felt like Hooker picked his spots to run smartly in this one. He did forget to slide or avoid unnecessary contact on a couple of those runs, however. Regardless, picking up a team-best 93 yards on 10 carries is an impressive feat for Hooker.

He did some very impressive things with his arm and his legs. Two of the passes he missed later in the game were great throws that should have been caught, along with a bad drop from TE James Mitchell. Hooker finished 12-of-20 for 114 yards, one touchdown and one INT before giving way to Jake Fromm for the final two drives.

It was an overall decent performance, but the context of when he looked decent and when he didn’t is critically important. If the goal was to prove he’s the No. 2 quarterback and ready to step in for Jared Goff against top defenses, Hooker didn’t accomplish that at all. He continued to prove he’s still exactly what Dan Campbell said he was this week regarding the battle with Nate Sudfeld (who didn’t play vs. Pittsburgh) to be Goff’s primary backup,

“You have to have conviction that whoever that guy is going to be able to keep this ship afloat and what we know about (Lions QB Hendon) Hooker is, Hooker is a young developing quarterback and he needs reps and he needs time. I do know that. And Nate right now has the upper hand because he’s played more. He’s been in it more, he’s seen it more.”

Hooker’s day validated Campbell’s doubts that Hooker is ready right now to be that No. 2 quarterback. That might change through the season, and hopefully it’s not even a question next summer when Hooker is entering Year 3. But the Steelers game did nothing to advance Hooker into the No. 2 role or convince anyone that the Lions can roll with just two quarterbacks.

5 key players to watch in Lions preseason finale

5 key players to watch in Lions preseason finale, from Hendon Hooker to Brandon Joseph

The final preseason game is all about sorting out the Detroit Lions depth. Very few of the players who will ever matter in a regular season game–unless necessitated by injury–will play in the Lions exhibition finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For those battling for the bottom of the roster spots, practice squad berths or auditioning for their next football destination, it’s a very big day. There’s still a ton to play for and take away for so many players.

These five stand out as ones to really watch in Detroit’s matchup with Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.

Hendon Hooker

Hooker is efforting to prove he can be the No. 2 quarterback, earning the trust from the coaching staff to take over for Nate Sudfeld in the primary reserve role behind Jared Goff. He had a very strong performance in leading Detroit’s comeback win over the Chiefs a week ago, and another game full of good decisions, accurate passes and timely runs would go a long way for Hooker.

Giovanni Manu

Manu, like Hooker, is in no danger of being cut. But the raw rookie offensive tackle desperately needs reps to get up to as fast of a speed as he can. The message from the team has been consistent from the second the Lions drafted Manu: 2024 is a redshirt season for the giant Tongan who played Canadian college basketball until discovering football.

Manu had a very solid performance in Kansas City, and he’s shown technical improvement in practices. He’s still incredibly green, but the progress could be enough that Manu can at least be active in a game and play as an extra tackle in packages in the regular season. Continued growth and confidence against the Steelers would be great to see.

Mitchell Agude

Dan Campbell brought up Agude during the week, and it’s important to heed the coach’s words:

“I see growth. We like Mitch. Mitch, he’s another guy, just busts his rear, he gives you everything he’s got out there, and he’s got some rush ability. He’s strong, quick off the edge. And look, we moved him to SAM linebacker last week, so we kind of made that change. ‘Let’s put him at SAM and move (Lions LB James) Houston to more D-end.’ So, we flopped those two. And it’s not necessarily the perfect position for Mitch, but he’s made the most of it, and he’s trying to make it work, and that’s a credit to him. But he still has enough of that where he can play the D-end position and really excel at what he does best, so he’s doing a good job. We like Mitch.”

Agude is fighting for one of those very last spots on the roster. He’s outplayed James Houston and Mathieu Betts all summer — rather emphatically in my eyes. If Agude proves he can handle his business at a new spot after a crash course week of practice, it’s a big feather in his cap. That reserve SAM spot behind Derrick Barnes is Agude’s for the taking.

Donovan Peoples-Jones

Despite repeated challenges to “step up,” it just hasn’t happened for Peoples-Jones in his quest to earn the No. 4 receiving job. The Lions have invested the most in making No. 19 win that spot, both in terms of money and time. I still believe that one big game can reward Detroit’s tested patience in Peoples-Jones and keep him on the roster.

Brandon Joseph

The second-year safety has shown considerable all-around improvement this summer. Joseph has been rewarded by earning first-team reps at safety ahead of Ifeatu Melifonwu when both have been healthy (Melifonwu is currently dealing with another injury), and No. 40 keeps picking off passes and blowing up quick slants. The Steelers bring a very different type of offensive dynamic to Detroit. If Joseph plays well against the different look, it’s going to be hard to knock him from that No. 3 safety role. But if he struggles–notably in decision-making in space–that role swings right back to a healthy Melinfowu, who is a better tackler and blitzer.

Breaking down the Lions depth chart vs. Steelers in the preseason finale

Breaking down the Lions depth chart vs. Steelers in the preseason finale and where practice reps don’t match what’s listed

The final offseason depth chart is now out for the Detroit Lions. This week’s unofficial edition of the Lions roster and how it stacks up was prepped for the final preseason game, Saturday’s home date with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ford Field.

The starters are pretty well-established on both sides of the ball, and it’s almost certain none of them will see the field against Pittsburgh. Behind that first line, there are a few interesting placements.

It starts at wide receiver, where Donovan Peoples-Jones is listed on the third team offense. Tom Kennedy, Daurice Fountain and Maurice Alexander are all on the second unit ahead of Peoples-Jones, who was expected to earn the No. 4 WR job at the start of training camp.

Kaden Davis, who scored an impressive touchdown in the exhibition win over the Chiefs, is behind Peoples-Jones on the fourth line. Undrafted rookies Isaiah Williams and Jalon Calhoun are listed ahead of Davis, though practice reps throughout the week would place Davis over the entire second-team line at wide receiver. The same is true for Williams, who saw some first-team reps in Tuesday’s session.

Injuries have really shaken up the practice participation for the offensive line lately, with starting RG Kevin Zeitler and reserve tackles Dan Skipper and Giovanni Manu missing practices, plus rookie guard Christian Mahogany still inactive on the non-football illness list. Seeing Skipper listed as the second-team left tackle over Jamarco Jones could be an indication the team still sees Skipper that highly. That’s one to watch in the Steelers game.

Defensively, the depth chart here looks very representative of what we’ve seen in practice when the Lions are in a base nickel package. When they go three LBs, it’s Amik Robertson (or Ennis Rakestraw) in the slot who comes off and Derrick Barnes playing the SAM role. Mitchell Agude has quickly ascended to the second line at SAM while also getting reps that are consistent with Isaac Ukwu and James Houston at end.

One point of contention comes on special teams, specifically the return specialists. Kalif Raymond is the first-team punt returner, but I’ve not seen Peoples-Jones even queue up for reps at punt returner behind him. It’s Isaiah Williams and Maurice Alexander, in that order.

Kick returner also features Williams, Alexander and rookie RB Sione Vaki all getting substantially more reps than either Craig Reynolds or Khalil Dorsey. That’s one of the biggest remaining battles–seeing who earns the jobs (there are two full-time now) as the kick returners.

Hendon Hooker leads Lions, checks important boxes, in preseason win over Chiefs

Young QB Hendon Hooker leads the Detroit Lions and checks some important boxes in the preseason win over Chiefs

After a mixed bag of a Lions debut, one which he left with a concussion, Detroit quarterback Hendon Hooker needed a reassuring performance. For himself, for his teammates, for the Lions coaches and for the fans, it was important for Hooker to show more.

No. 2 checked that box with aplomb in Detroit’s 24-23 preseason win in Kansas City on Saturday.

Hooker completed 12 of his final 13 passes in the Chiefs game, leading three late scoring drives. That includes the final one, a short drive in the two-minute drill to get kicker Jake Bates in position for his game-winning field goal as time expired.

Leading a game-winning drive? Check.

It wasn’t all perfect, of course, but that’s life with an inexperienced quarterback.

A late drive, one starting in the red zone off a Lions defensive takeaway, was ruined due to an abortive handoff exchange. That came after Hooker ate a sack on a poorly executed two-point conversion on the prior Lions touchdown drive.

Bounce back off a bad play? Check.

But Hooker’s ability to make something out of a failed play call is what sets him apart. The Lions haven’t had someone who can do this type of thing on a play where the coverage was better than the routes in a long time,

For the game, Hooker finished 12-of-15 for 150 yards. He also added 11 rushing yards, including the TD. He was on the hook for the lost fumble but did not throw any interceptions, or really put the ball in any peril.

Protect the ball and make good decisions? Check.

Show accuracy to multiple levels of the field? Check.

Definitively catch Nate Sidfeld for the No. 2 job behind Jared Goff?

Hooker has not checked that one off yet, but his performance in Kansas City took the cap off that Sharpie. Now let’s see if Hooker can write that last check in the final week of preseason and practices.

Lions toying with using different kick return and kickoff coverage packages

Lions special teams coach Dave Fipp is toying with using different kick return and kickoff coverage packages

NFL teams are still feeling out the new kickoff formation and rules. For Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp, the unknown is a great opportunity for innovation.

Fipp and head coach Dan Campbell watched every kickoff and return from the first week of preseason, and seeing what other teams were doing energized Fipp beyond his typical zestful self. As Fipp talked to John Maakaron of SI and myself after Monday’s practice, I asked the veteran coach about the potential to use special packages and different players based on different game situations for both the kickoff and the return.

“I think that’s possible. I think it’s also possible that depending on the situation, maybe we have a different cover group. Different situation, different cover group, different kick placement,” Fipp said. “But ultimately, I think all of it is going to depend upon what the touchback line is, which right now is the 30.”

Touchbacks, balls kicked through the end zone, have been moved back from the 35-yard line to the 30 in a recent league-wide memo. That change gives more incentive to just kick the ball out of the end zone and let the opponent take over at the 30 without taking any time off the clock. The five yards might not seem like much, but it was clearly a big deal to Fipp.

[lawrence-related id=109951]

“Initially in the offseason it was 35. And then they changed that before they put the rule in officially, and then made it the 30,” Fipp continued. “And that’s probably going to affect a lot, because if it’s the 35, the play is going to play out a whole lot different.”

It is possible we see return units where Fipp wants them to be aggressive and try to get a big return, while at other times, the Lions might value ball security and clock management and go with a different group. Expect to see more experimentation from Fipp and his units in the next two preseason games as everyone learns more nuances of the new rules.

The kick return positions (there are two now) are still up in the air. Maurice Alexander, Kalif Raymond, rookie Isaiah Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown have seen the most reps throughout practice, including during Wednesday’s session.

In kick coverage, recently added LB Malik Jefferson and two holdover defensive backs, Kindle Vildor and Khalil Dorsey, have been the biggest standouts. Linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Malcolm Rodriguez have also thrived and figure to be staples of the new-look unit.

Hendon Hooker back at Lions practice, trending toward playing vs. Chiefs

Hendon Hooker back at practice, trending toward playing vs. Chiefs after getting a brain injury vs. Giants

Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker suffered a concussion in the team’s preseason opener against the New York Giants. After a dicey initial prognosis from head coach Dan Campbell about Hooker’s availability for Saturday’s preseason matchup in Kansas City, it now appears Hooker could play.

In an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit, Campbell indicated that Hooker is trending toward a return and could appear in the second preseason game.

Hooker was in uniform and running the third-team offense in Wednesday’s morning practice session. That would indicate that Hooker has progressed through the concussion protocol.

The Lions still have Jake Fromm, signed earlier this week as a supplemental camp arm.

Film Review: Hendon Hooker shows plenty of promise in Detroit Lions debut

Film Review: Hendon Hooker shows plenty of promise in Detroit Lions debut in preseason opener

When the Detroit Lions selected Hendon Hooker in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL Draft, there was some uncertainty on if he’d play at any point of his rookie season. Most of this uncertainty came from the Lions having Jared Goff but also, Hooker, was coming back from a torn ACL. With that, he spent most of last season on the non-football injury list.

As we move onto this season, it’s been evident that the Lions have been searching for a backup quarterback. And not just any type of backup quarterback. They want someone that can help them win, if needed. That’s why they drafted Hooker because there’s starter upside with his skill-set.

Recovering from the torn ACL last season, we weren’t able to see any type of game action from Hooker. Not the preseason nor the regular season. That said, we finally got a chance to see him play for the Lions last week against the Giants. Let’s dive into some tape to see some of what he did for the Lions in the first preseason game!

During the Lions first preseason game, they gave the starting nod to Nate Sudfeld at quarterback. As we saw through the first half and 4th quarter, it wasn’t pretty. However, when the second half opened, we saw Hendon Hooker take the field. From his first drive to his second drive, it felt like the Lions offense was actually able to move the ball down the field.

Starting with one of his five completions on the night, the Lions come out in a shotgun formation with their ’11’ personnel (one running back and one tight end). To the right of the formation, you’ll see a bunched set with two receivers. One of those receivers is undrafted rookie Isaiah Williams from Illinois. Once the ball is snapped, you’ll see Williams run a quick out.

As he runs that route, Hooker takes a quick 3-step drop and flips this pass out to Williams. Certainly, this play wasn’t a big gain but it’s one that gets Hooker and the Lions offense in-rhythm. Meanwhile, it helped jump start a 14-play drive that went 88 yards.

Moving onto the very next play of that 14-play drive, Hooker shows early rapport with Isaiah Williams. From the quick out to this crosser for a first down, it’s an encouraging sign to see this connection.

Looking at the play above, the Lions come out 2×2 with their ’11’ personnel (one running back and one tight end). Aligned in the slot to the left of the quarterback is Williams and he runs a shallow cross over the middle of the field. Staying comfortable in the pocket is Hooker and he gets this pass to Williams with ease.

Moving to the next play, I thought it was important to show Hooker working through progressions before checking down to the running back. That’s exactly what happens on the play above.

The Lions come out with their ’11’ personnel (one running back and one tight) again. However, this time, they’re under center rather than being out of shotgun. Once the ball is snapped, Hooker fakes the hand-off to the running back and begins to look downfield.

Even though it looks like he’s got the dig route open in the middle of the field, Hooker reads the linebacker that’s getting depth towards that route. So rather than forcing the throw, he flips to his left and checks this down to the running back for a 9-yard gain.

Lastly, I want to showcase the mobility from Hooker as it was on display for both drives he had in the 3rd quarter. In fact, he led the team in rushing with 34 yards on four carries. His longest run of the night was for 16 yards and it’s the run highlighted above.

Looking at the play above, the Lions come out under center with their ’12’ personnel (one running back and two tight ends). Faking the hand-off to the running back, Hooker rolls out to his left. As most of the routes downfield are covered or not fully developed yet, he quickly tucks the ball and runs into the open field.

Once he gets into the second level of the defense, he’s quickly surrounded by multiple defenders from the Giants. Rather than sliding or giving himself up on the play, Hooker drops his shoulder and absolutely levels a defensive back. With his momentum, he falls forwards and gains a few additional yards but most importantly, he kept the drive alive and picked up the first down.

If you watched the Giants and Lions game live, it was obvious that Hooker provided a much needed spark to the Lions offense. Sudfeld didn’t make the right decisions with his legs or arm but with Hooker, he provided a different dynamic. His mobility immediately stands out and the ball does jump out of his hands.

He didn’t complete every pass but he did go 5-for-9 with 34 yards passing in his Lions debut. While he did sustain a concussion in this game, we should see him at least one more time this summer before the Lions start the regular season in September. It may only be two drives but it’s starting to look like the Lions may have the viable backup quarterback option they’ve been searching for over the last three seasons.

Lions lose promising lineman to a season-ending knee injury

Lions lose promising offensive lineman Connor Galvin to a season-ending knee injury in the preseason loss to the Giants

It didn’t look good when watching the Lions preseason game in New York, and the news for offensive lineman Connor Galvin isn’t good either. Galvin will miss the 2024 NFL season with a torn ACL, according to several reports, including one from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Galvin suffered the injury during Thursday night’s game when he got rolled up on and his left leg got pinned when hit from the back and side. It’s the same injury that befell defensive lineman John Cominsky during a training camp practice, and much the same injury mechanism, too.

Cominsky could conceivably return for the postseason, but Fowler’s report indicates the Lions will not effort to get Galvin back in 2024.

An undrafted free agent from Baylor in the 2023 NFL Draft, Galvin spent his rookie season on Detroit’s practice squad. He had grown his game in his second training camp, competing for the top reserve tackle role with Colby Sorsdal.

Dan Campbell on Nate Sudfeld: ‘I expect better from him’

Lions coach Dan Campbell on QB Nate Sudfeld: ‘I expect better from him’ after Sudfeld’s struggles in the preseason opener

Detroit’s preseason opener against the New York Giants unintentionally morphed into the Nate Sudfeld house of horrors. The reserve quarterback got the start in the game but played quite poorly, especially early on.

Sudfeld misfired on four of his first five throws, and the Lions offense picked up one first down in the first six drives with the erratic, shaky Sudfeld at the helm.

“There’s some decisions in there that I would like to be better. I expect better from him,” Campbell said in his postgame press conference. “I’m not as concerned right now or yet about the accuracy with what it is, wet ball, this and that, but there’s just a couple of decisions in there that I know he can be better on.”

Sudfeld was forced back into the game when Hendon Hooker, who operated the offense far more efficiently and effectively, left the game with a concussion. Campbell was quick to credit Sudfeld for playing better in that circumstance than he had looked earlier in the game.

“But, like I said, I did think when he came back in he played a lot better. I thought he got in a rhythm, kind of got us going there and so that was good to see.”

Sudfeld led the Lions on an 11-play, 60-yard drive after reentering, looking sharper and connecting with multiple receivers before stalling out in the red zone.

For his part, Sudfeld had this to say after the game,

“I just don’t think that we were firing on all cylinders in any of the areas, run game or pass game. It just wasn’t able to quite click tonight, but I’ll have to watch the tape to see really what went wrong on some of it. But hard to say.”