Tag: Lions minicamp

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.

The Lions offseason workout and minicamp dates are revealed

The NFL released the dates for offseason workouts and minicamps for all 32 teams, including the Lions

The NFL calendar for the coming months is slowly coming into view. The league revealed the dates for when the offseason workouts, OTAs and mandatory minicamps for all 32 teams are scheduled.

The Lions kick off the offseason on April 17th, a little over a week before the 2023 NFL draft. Those are voluntary workouts.

OTAs come a few weeks later in three sets of three days apiece, beginning on May 23rd and ending on June 15th. Like the workouts, those are deemed voluntary for all players.

A mandatory minicamp will take place at the Lions training facility in Allen Park from June 6-8. That minicamp ha required attendance and is closed to the public.

The dates for all 32 teams are established by the league, not the individual teams.

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Watch: The Detroit Lions Podcast wraps minicamp and OTAs

The Detroit Lions Podcast wraps up and breaks down the Lions minicamp and OTAs

The Detroit Lions Podcast featuring Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon is back with the latest episode. This one sees Jeff and Chris wrap up the Lions’ minicamp and OTA sessions.

Special emphasis is placed on the coaching interviews and how Dan Campbell and his staff are handling their second offseason in charge in Detroit. The change from year-to-year and from prior regimes is stark and we break it down for you.

Who looked good in minicamp? Where are the roster battles brewing? Which players unexpectedly captured attention in practices? We cover all that and more in over 90 minutes of straight Lions talk.

You can stream the audio version of the show here, and it’s also available for download at all your favorite podcast providers.

Frank Ragnow thrilled to have the Lions starting offensive line back together in practice

The starting five got some reps together in practice on Thursday

It didn’t last for long and it wasn’t in full pads, but there was a glorious sight at Detroit Lions minicamp on Thursday afternoon. The entire projected starting offensive line did reps together in the team drill portion of the practice.

It was the first time the line of five starters had appeared together since last preseason when left tackle Taylor Decker suffered a hand injury. By the time Decker returned to the lineup in November, center Frank Ragnow was lost for the year with a toe injury.

But there they were on a sunny Thursday afternoon, aligned together when the first-team offense took the field late in practice. From left to right: Decker, Jonah Jackson, Ragnow, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Penei Sewell.

After practice, the Pro Bowl center talked about how important the chemistry and familiarity will be for the Lions line.

“It’s really beneficial for us, even just to spend time together because the chemistry with the o-line is huge,” Ragnow told reporters. “Even if the tempo is different, it’s just huge for us to understand how we all think and how we all flow.”

It’s important because the Lions are asking a lot from the line under new coordinator Ben Johnson. Ragnow explained,

“There’s a lot of unique looks, especially on third down, where some things have to happen without you even saying anything. The more reps and the more time you spend together, you understand how I might handle that look and how we may pass off that — or what I might be thinking to make the call, so they understand.”

Again, the reps were not in pads, so it’s important to not read too much into the actual action. But Ragnow looked unencumbered by the foot throughout the week. He acknowledged that “last year was very frustrating” but “I don’t even think about it” anymore, and it shows in his movement.

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Lions minicamp notebook, Day 3: News and notes from the final practice session

Notes from Thursday’s Detroit Lions minicamp session on Jared Goff, UDFAs, punt return fun, an unexpected safety standout and more

Minicamp wrapped on Thursday after three days of practice sessions at the Detroit Lions team facility in suburban Allen Park.

The mood and action was more laid back in a last-day-of-school kind of vibe, to steal a take from Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit. It even ended with a sort of “field day” fun competition between the offense and defense.

Here’s what I saw and heard in Thursday’s session.

Lions minicamp notebook, Day 2: Probing the depths of the roster

Lions minicamp notebook: First impressions from opening day

Dan Campbell on Jameson Williams: ‘I don’t see him being ready by training camp’

LIons head coach Dan Campbell on first-round rookie WR Jameson Williams: ‘I don’t see him being ready by training camp’

Jameson Williams has been a fixture at Lions OTAs and this week’s minicamp. He stands with the offense on the sideline and is actively into the huddles and coaching sessions.

The rookie wideout sure looks good physically. He doesn’t wear any brace or sleeve on his surgically repaired knee, but Williams isn’t yet ready to roll into full action. Head coach Dan Campbell indicated before Thursday’s practice that Williams won’t be a full participant anytime soon.

When asked if Williams, the No. 12 overall pick in the draft, would be ready for training camp, Campbell shot it down.

‘I don’t see him being ready by training camp. I don’t,” Campbell said flatly.

Campbell added that the team has a plan going forward with Williams, but did not elaborate on what that plan might be. Williams had surgery in late January to repair a torn ACL suffered in the College Football Playoff.

Dan Campbell likes the ‘chess match’ between his coordinators at Lions practices

Head coach Dan Campbell likes the ‘chess match’ between coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn at Lions practices

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It’s the second year in Detroit for head coach Dan Campbell and his Lions staff. The relative continuity with the coaches is something that Campbell appreciates.

While the offensive coordinator has changed from Anthony Lynn to Ben Johnson, the transition happened during last season. Johnson has worked with Campbell and the offense enough that it’s a nice familiarity and trust. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn earned that same trust and respect in his first season in Detroit, too.

Coach Campbell talked about it prior to Wednesday’s practice session, the second day of minicamp.

“I feel good with where we’re at for what we’re doing because I do feel like we are a step ahead of where we were this time last year, and I just feel like some of the situations that we’re in now,” Campbell said. “Look, I told Ben Johnson and (Glenn) AG this — as a head coach, what is very satisfying for me right now that I’m feeling that I didn’t necessarily feel this time last year, was that we were testing each other.”

Campbell continued,

“You want to feel like your coordinators are playing a chess game amongst each other, and you’re trying to be one step ahead of each other because now, it creates problems and then you learn to solve problems and then you go to the next thing. I think that’s how you get really better schematically and then just developing your talent. What can we do inside the system? Where can we take advantage of a weakness on either side? And I feel like we’re doing that right now so that gives me—that’s what makes me feel pretty good right now. I can feel our coordinators playing the chess game. We are, there are problems being solved and created on both sides.”

The chess moves were evident in practices this week. Johnson had the offense scurry to the line and quick-snap the ball to catch Glenn’s defense still efforting to diagnose and adjust a few times. The defense has countered with exotic blitz looks and moving pieces all around the formation before the snap, creating odd reads for the offense.

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Lions minicamp notebook, Day 2: Probing the depths of the roster

News and notes from the Detroit Lions mandatory minicamp on Wednesday, June 8th

Wednesday marked Day 2 of Detroit Lions mandatory minicamp. The Lions players rolled through an energetic, solid practice session on a partly sunny and breezy afternoon in Allen Park.

After a more general view on the first day, my focus on Wednesday turned more to the depth players. With the second and third-team units getting a lot of prime action, it turned out to be a very informative practice session.

Lions minicamp notebook: First impressions from opening day

Here’s what I observed from Wednesday’s action at Lions minicamp.

Dan Campbell, Ben Johnson have the Lions offense poised for a huge season

Head coach Dan Campbell and OC Ben Johnson have the Detroit Lions offense poised for a huge season

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell had plenty to say about the direction of Lions offense in 2022 under Ben Johnson. What stood out the most was the praise Johnson received from Campbell publically.

“Yeah, I have that expectation as well,” Campbell stated after being asked about Johnson’s expectations for the coming season. “It’s always that my expectation, but this year, I feel like it’s attainable.”

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Coach Campbell went on to say, “The talent we have, the coaches, the O-line we have, I feel like there’s no reason not to. So, it’s going to take a lot of work and we know that and we’re still not even close to where we need to be, but the work us being put in and we are on our way.”

Before being named the offensive coordinator this offseason, Ben Johnson was the Lions’ TE coach and helped develop T.J. Hockenson into becoming the first Detroit tight end to make it to the Pro Bowl since 1999, in 2020. Johnson came into the NFL in 2012 as an offensive assistant for the Miami Dolphins and has notably moved up the ranks, serving as assistant quarterbacks coach and tight end coach when Campbell was the interim head coach.

Eventually, Johnson was promoted to wide receivers coach for Miami in 2018, where he helped unlock Albert Wilson’s full potential, as Wilson finished second in yards after catch (12.9) in the entire NFL that season. We saw his developmental gifts last season again, as he helped unlock Amon-Ra St. Brown and undrafted rookie Brock Wright.

Year 2 under coach Campbell is already off to a fast start, as the head coach noted what looks different from last season.

“The mix in tempos. I think the stuff we are doing, sometimes we are breaking the huddle fast and snapping it,” Campbell said. “Sometimes we’re in no-huddle. We have the ability to be in no-huddle quite a bit if we need to be, and then we have the ability to slow things down as well.”

Now with another year in everyone’s belt, including the head coach, there is a sense of rising confidence in the building. Campbell mentioned in this presser a need to stay consistent, and to “have a full grasp of what we are doing offensively.”

Campbell and Johnson have their work cut out for them, installing some new things into the offense. But one thing is for certain — it has been a collaborative effort. “I think the part that was most exciting for me, was the influence he (Ben Johnson) was allowing me to have, asking me, and really curious about what I thought, and what I liked.” Campbell stated. “It’s exciting for me, being in year seven now and feeling like I’ve earned kind of having that voice a little bit that he’s given to me, which has been fun.”

Regardless of what the rest of the league thinks, inside the facility, the entire organization is confident for year two under Campbell. The wide receiver core has improved, the quarterback is more comfortable in the system, the running game and the offensive line are stronger than ever, and of course there is a world-class offensive weapon in Hockenson. It will be interesting to see just how far Johnson can take this team next season. If one thing is for certain, you need to be able to score in many different ways in this league if you want a chance to win. And this year, on paper, is already trending for a massive improvement from last year.

 

Lions minicamp notebook: First impressions from opening day

Here’s what I saw and learned on Tuesday at Lions minicamp

The Detroit Lions were one of 12 NFL teams to kick off mandatory minicamp this week. Coach Dan Campbell led the Lions onto the practice fields in Allen Park on a cloudy, breezy afternoon.

This was my first visit to the team facility since November, which means it was my first chance to take in the 2022 Lions roster in person. With the action limited by the CBA, today was as much about first impressions on players and trying to keep all the personnel and jersey number changes straight.

Here’s what I saw and learned on Tuesday at Lions minicamp.