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Lions camp notebook for Saturday, July 29th: The fans arrive and see a defensive display
Saturday morning’s practice session at the Detroit Lions training camp featured fans in the stands for the first time. An enthusiastic capacity crowd watched a lot of team drills on a damp, occasionally sunny morning.
Here’s what stood out to me from the second padded practice session of the summer.
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Notes and observations from Lions training camp practice on Friday, July 28th
Friday’s Detroit Lions training camp session was the first practice of the summer with full pads on all the players. On a steamy morning with no breeze, the Lions ripped through a two-hour practice that saw actual hitting and full contact for the first time.
Here’s some of what I observed and noted from Allen Park in the team’s fifth training camp session.
Lions camp injury update: Halapoulivaati Vaitai returns but C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Jameson Williams are among those still out
Friday’s practice at the Detroit Lions training facility will be the first one where the players are fully padded. And while a few players will remain sidelined, the Lions are getting back one of the biggest members of the team.
Right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai will return to practice on Friday after missing most of the last two sessions. Head coach Dan Campbell opened up his pre-practice press conference with an optimistic update on Big V.
Campbell was asked about the nature of Vaitai’s most recent back injury. The head coach explained that Vaitai “took a shot” during practice action and that it wasn’t a torque-related injury.
Of the remaining Lions who have been dealing with injuries, rookie DB Brian Branch is also going to return to practice action. Campbell indicated Branch was dealing with a foot injury he deemed “not serious.”
Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley remains away from the facility as he rehabs from knee surgery. Campbell expects the free agent signee to report on Monday (July 31st).
Wide receivers Jameson Williams (leg) and Marvin Jones (back) will be held out of Friday’s practice, as will defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson (leg). None of those are seen as long-term injuries.
Here are a few developments from the first few days of training camp that represent some change from the initial pre-camp thought process.
The Detroit Lions get their first day off from on-field activities in training camp on Thursday. It’s a good time to reset for the players and coaching staff to reevaluate where they are in the ramp-up to the padded practice sessions that begin over the weekend.
Here are a few developments from the first few days of training camp that represent some change from the initial pre-camp thought process.
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Breaking down all the developments from the first couple of days of Detroit Lions training camp
The latest episode of the Detroit Lions Podcast is now live for your viewing or listening pleasure.
The episode, recorded Wednesday night, covers all the pertinent action from the first few days of Lions training camp. From an injury scare to C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the ongoing courtship of Teddy Bridgewater, there’s a lot going on in Lions land even before the pads come on in practices.
Among the topics:
The audio-only version can be found via your favorite podcast provider.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell says he’s “all for” adding QB Teddy Bridgewater to help build competition behind Jared Goff
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The Detroit Lions hosted free agent quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for a visit on Monday. It was a continuation of a courtship that began early in the offseason, one that purportedly included a “strong offer” from the Lions to the veteran backup.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked about the visit during his pre-practice press conference on Tuesday morning. Campbell is clearly a fan of Bridgewater and what the 30-year-old journeyman might offer to Detroit.
“Yeah, we kind of kept – we’ve kept in touch with Teddy, and we’ve kept Nate (Sudfeld) abreast about that too. We hadn’t hidden anything and so it went well. Gave us a chance to sit down with him face-to-face, particularly Ben (Johnson) and (Mark Brunell) Bru and Brad (Holmes). Gets me face-to-face with him again and then just the medical. It was good. It was a good visit. We’ll see where it goes.”
The Lions brought back 2022 backup Nate Sudfeld and he’s looked solid in the offseason practice sessions. But he lacks the starting experience and pedigree of Bridgewater, who has started 65 games in his NFL career, which dates back to 2014.
Campbell didn’t want his words to be interpreted as any dissatisfaction with Sudfeld but rather as a chance to try and make his team better,
“It’s the competition. It doesn’t mean that Nate’s out of anything if we go this route, if it works out. You’ll feel good about whoever comes out of the fire is going to be the right guy to help you along the way, but yeah, you don’t want the wheels to fall off.”
Campbell didn’t hide his admiration for Bridgewater, however. The two were together in New Orleans in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
“Certainly – I don’t think I’ve hidden anything about my feelings for Teddy Bridgewater, so if we can add a guy like Teddy and bring competition to the room, I’m all for it,” Campbell stated.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Bridgewater remains a free agent.
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New Lions WR Denzel Mims believes he’s ‘got the playbook down already’ after being traded from the Jets
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Denzel Mims has been looking for a fresh start for over a year. The physically gifted wideout believes he’s found a place where he can thrive in Detroit.
The Lions traded with the New York Jets for Mims last week. Mims never really worked out with the Jets since being a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft out of Baylor. He had asked for a trade out of New York a year ago but the Jets never found any takers.
Now that he’s in Detroit, Mims is ready to prove that the Jets were the problem, not him.
“It was a fresh start for me, a new start for me,” Mims said during Lions training camp of the trade. “I was excited to get here, I wanted to get here right away, they got me here right away so I could get started and get acclimated to the team. I’m just blessed to be here, honestly.”
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Mims has already shown the speed and ability to make impressive catches down the field while getting to know QB Jared Goff and his new Lions teammates. He’s also been working hard to master offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s intricate playbook.
“I already got the system kind of down,” Mims stated. “Been in early, staying late. Pretty much got the playbook down already.”
That remains to be proven, of course. Even so, it’s encouraging to hear Mims putting in the extra time and focusing on making the most of his second chance. In New York, Mims wasn’t exactly notable for his work ethic or dedication. The chance to prove himself in Detroit is off to a flying start.
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Check out these great photos from the first couple of days of Lions training camp
Detroit Lions training camp is off and running at the team’s training facility in Allen Park, Michigan. The Lions kicked off the practice sessions that are open to the media on Sunday morning, activities that will continue until the final week of August.
Here are some of the top photos of the training camp action from the professional photographers inside the Lions facility in the first two days of practices.
Lions WR Jameson Williams will be sidelined for a day or two with a minor leg injury
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Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams will not be an active participant in practice for at least a couple of days. The 2022 first-round pick experienced a leg injury early during team drills in Monday’s practice session in Allen Park.
Williams suffered what head coach Dan Campbell described as what he expects to not be a significant issue.
He’s got a little something with his leg, so he probably won’t go for a day or two here,” Campbellstole reporters before Tuesday’s practice. “I don’t think it’s significant, but it’s enough for him—he’s not going to practice.”
Williams worked with trainers off to the side after tweaking the leg but never returned to action on Monday. It was a much less dramatic exit than DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson had earlier in the session. Gardner-Johnson was carted off with a scary-looking leg injury. Campbell confirmed later reports that the prized free agent avoided major injury and will instead be just day-by-day.
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C.J. Gardner-Johnson is day-to-day after having an MRI on his injured knee
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C.J. Gardner-Johnson received some excellent news on Monday, avoiding a disaster after leaving practice with a non-contact knee injury.
The MRI on Lions S C.J. Gardner-Johnson revealed no structural damage to his knee and he is considered day-to-day at this time, I’m told.
Great news for a huge part of Detroit’s reshaped secondary after Gardner-Johnson left practice earlier today.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) July 24, 2023
Gardner-Johnson was carted off the field after taking a fall during team drills in Monday’s practice.
Gardner-Johnson signed a one-year, $8 million deal with Detroit in free agency after disagreeing with the Eagles on the structure of a long-term contract.
He’ll likely be managed for the remainder of the preseason as the Lions look to win the NFC North for the first time since 1993.
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