Here are the 9 biggest takeaways we learned from Detroit Lions training camp.
Detroit Lions training camp officially came to a close on Wednesday with a spirited scrimmage. From now until next season, media will not be privy to anything but the first 15 minutes of each practice, when the team is only going through warmups. Everything else will be behind closed doors.
So let’s take the opportunity to recap the past month of practices with nine things we learned about the 2024 Detroit Lions via training camp.
The defensive line has a chance to be really good
Without a doubt, my biggest takeaway was the success of the defensive line. Aidan Hutchinson remains an absolute terror, but it looks like he may have help across the entire defensive front. Alim McNeill had his most disruptive training camp to date and is coming off a strong year himself. Levi Onwuzurike was the biggest breakout of anyone in camp and looks to be healthy and strong. And Marcus Davenport has been giving Taylor Decker some problems on a daily basis opposite Hutchinson. Add in a veteran who has played well in Kyle Peko, and DJ Reader whenever he’s healthy, and this could finally be the year Detroit’s defensive line reaches its potential.
Shout out to new defensive line coach Terrell Williams.
Hendon Hooker will be QB2… by the end of the year
Coach Dan Campbell seemed to strongly suggest that the Lions will keep three quarterbacks to start the season , as Nate Sudfeld is just the more trusted guy at this point because of his experience.
“Nate right now has the upper hand because he’s played more,” Campbell said this week. “He’s been in it more, he’s seen it more, he just – and so with that, that would tell you there’s a good chance you could keep three. Am I going to say that’s 100 percent certain right now? No. But that’s kind of what you look at.”
That said, the tide turned about midway through camp, showing that Hooker brings more juice to the offense than Sudfeld. So as long as Hooker gets the reps and nails the basic of quarterback operations, he’s going to eventually be the team’s primary backup, and in my opinion, it’s going to happen sooner rather than later.
Jameson Williams will put up WR2 numbers
Without a doubt, Williams looks poised for a breakout season. His route running looks crisper, his hands are better (but not perfect), and he looks much more willing and capable of being a well-rounded receiver who isn’t just running deep routes.
There is still a bit of inconsistency in his game that will be frustrating at times, but for the most part, I think the Lions are going to finally get the receiver they thought they were getting when they traded up to draft him.
The Lions are going to be even more physical this year
Before the pads even came on, it was clear the Lions were approaching the offseason even more aggressively than in years past. Players were seemingly hitting before they were even allowed to, and it certainly didn’t slow down once the pads came on. They were feisty against the Giants, they were energized in front of the home crowd, and it culminated in one of their most physical practices in camp in their concluding scrimmage. Several of the series were full, live tackling, and I can think of no better example of this team’s physical nature than a play in which Amon-Ra St. Brown broke a few tackles, was trudging toward the sidelines, but before he could make an approach to the end zone, Kerby Joseph came out of nowhere and THWACKED him out of bounds.
Week 1, they’re going to be both prepared to hit and take hits. Campbell has made sure of it.
Detroit’s WR-X may not be on the team yet
While Campbell has made it clear that the Lions have their top three receivers in St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Kalif Raymond , their desire for a bigger-bodied X receiver is just as obvious. They’re prepared to play Raymond 50 snaps a game, if necessary, but Campbell essentially said he’d rather not.
With Antoine Green on injured reserve, and both Donovan Peoples-Jones and Daurice Fountain failing to show the day-to-day consistency they’re looking for, it only makes sense for the Lions to look elsewhere for that role . Don’t expect a big splash play for a big name. My dart throw is Giants WR Isaiah Hodgins, whom the Lions got a close look at during joint practice. Hodgins is fighting for a roster spot in a deep, young receiver room, has the production (392 yards in 2022), size (6-foot-4), and willingness to block to fit nicely in Detroit.
Jack Campbell is primed for a Year 2 breakout
After sharing MIKE linebacker duties with Derrick Barnes last year, those responsibilities are 100 percent his in 2024. While Campbell hasn’t made my notes every day, when he does, the first thing that stands out is his instincts. He’s decisively plugging rushing lanes, he can be a terror as an A-gap blitzer, and, as defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn pointed out, his coverage abilities seem more fluid and effortless.
“His ability to drop in coverage has improved tremendously, and that was one thing we’re going to ask of him,” Glenn said. “His ability to match guys has improved tremendously, and that’s going to help us be a better defense.”
In short, the mental part of the game is seemingly way more automatic this year, and he’s just out there reacting now.
The Lions have actual cornerback depth
Last week when the Lions were down Terrion Arnold, Carlton Davis, Ennis Rakestraw, Amik Robertson, and Emmanuel Moseley, it seemed like things were getting really dark in the cornerback room again. But in the week since those injuries, Khalil Dorsey and Kindle Vildor have stepped up nicely.
With Arnold, Davis, and Rakestraw all expected to be ready for Week 1—and Moseley potentially returning mid-to-late in the season, the Lions are actually set up pretty well in the cornerback room should the injury bug hit them again.
Chemistry among the secondary could take some time to develop
The downside in the secondary, though, are the massive amount of time that the players have missed. The projected starting lineup in the secondary right now is Arnold and Davis on the outside, Robertson in the nickel, and Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch at safety. How often have all five of those players been out there together? The answer is likely no more than just a couple of practices. Four of those starters have missed significant time in training camp, and it’s unclear what Robertson’s (and Ifeatu Melifonwu’s) statuses are right now.
All of that is to say that while you should have confidence in these individuals, the secondary may have some chemistry issues early in the season.
Kicking is going to be another adventure in 2024
At this point, Jake Bates has essentially won the kicking job, as he’s currently running unopposed. But that doesn’t mean you should be comfortable with that. While he bounced back nicely from a near-disastrous scrimmage in the middle of training camp, he is still pretty consistently missing at least one short kick a day. Take this week, for example. He missed an extra point in the preseason game on Saturday, missed a 38-yard kick on Tuesday, and missed an extra point and a 48-yard kick on Wednesday.
The extra leg strength is going to be nice for the Lions this year, as it gives them an extra weapon when they reach midfield. But there are also going to be bumps in the road and frustrating inconsistency if training camp is any indication.