Detroit Lions OTAs get underway on Wednesday. What are you hoping to learn about the team?
On Wednesday, the Detroit Lions kick off their first of six Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices. With a shortened spring program—intentionally cut to accommodate an extended preseason with the Hall of Fame Game —the Lions will have to accomplish more in less time this spring. There will only be two weeks of OTAs and no mandatory minicamp this year.
What teams can accomplish during spring practice is limited. While these OTA practices will be the first time the full team can do offense vs. defense drills, including 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills, they still cannot have live contact and they still won’t be wearing full pads.
That said, it’s valuable time for the team to come together, start installing specific plays for the season, and—once a week—for the media to get their first look at the team all together.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
What are you hoping to see from Lions OTAs?
My answer: I am going to be particularly looking for some clarity on roles in the trenches.
On the offensive side of the ball, there are a lot of players I’m eager to see. Obviously, there are rookies to watch. Will Tate Ratledge continue to get a lot of center looks, or will his competition for the starting right guard job begin? Is Miles Frazier going to continue to split time between tackle and guard?
But beyond that, there are still questions about plenty of other offensive linemen. Is Giovanni Manu actually going to get some time at guard, or has he climbed his way up the tackle depth chart after a rookie season spent behind the scenes? Where will they put Colby Sorsdal in Year 3 of his career? And is Graham Glasgow still part of the starting crew?
There may be even fewer answers right now along the defensive line. With so many players capable of playing multiple spots, it’s hard to know where we’ll see people like Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike, and Pat O’Connor play. Even first-round pick Tyleik Williams has some versatility to him. Will he be at nose tackle or be playing the three-tech or both?
Obviously, whatever we see this week when OTAs open to the media should not be considered permanent. This is the time of year in which teams will explore possibilities and try players out at different positions. Still, it’s exciting to see the Lions’ initial vision of what the trenches may look like come September.
What are you hoping to learn from Detroit Lions OTAs? Share your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of the page.