Detroit Lions 2026 Training Camp Day 1 Recap

The Detroit Lions kick off their 2026 training camp today with an initial acclimation practice that is expected to run just around an hour and a half. No pads yet, so we are back to similar conditions that we saw in OTAs and Minicamp. Campbell held his opening press event and touched on a bunch of injuries and other topics, which can be seen below. There was one surprise cut, one "surprise" non-participant and a whole lot more.

Lions QB Jared Goff arrives at Training Camp - Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions

Injury Updates

These are all from Dan Campbell's press event this morning, but it provides clarity on the guys on NFI and PUP gave a few answers about player availability during his press conference Thursday, but when the team took the field, there was a pretty lengthy list of players not participating.

The list of those not practicing

• RB Jahmyr Gibbs, S Brian Branch, S Kerby Joseph, TE Tyler Conklin, OG Christian Mahogany, S, Christian Izien

  • RB Jahmyr Gibbs (Contract Dispute)

    • There was speculation that he may have a "hold in" until his contract situation is resolved, and it appears that may be the case, as he missed day 1 of practice.

  • S Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph (PUP)

    • Campbell provided an optimistic update on both Branch and Joseph

      • Branch has not had any setbacks and expects him to start practicing late training camp or early September.

      • On Kerby, the update from OTAs still stand but they like where he is at, with them ramping up his work. Campbell said he's been working all off-season including running on ground and starting to do change of direction, but they aren't going to grind this for another two or three weeks. Said if they got him back for Game 1 that would be a bonus, but more realistically he is on the same timeline as Brian Branch.

  • TE Tyler Conklin (PUP)

    • Campbell finally shed light on what has been ailing Conklin since Day 2 of Week 3 OTAs. He injured his calf muscle in OTAs. He is running but will need approximately two weeks to get back on the field.

  • OG Christian Mahogany (NFI/injury)

    • Campbell did not get into specifics but said that Mahogany needs a couple of days to be ready.

  • S Christian Izien (NFI/Illness)

    • Izien has a Flu bug, and they want to make sure he is good to go. Target is Friday practice to come off the PUP and get him out there.

Pre-Camp Transactions

• Liosn Signed LB and Special Teamer Troy Reeder

• Lions Cut DT Jay Tufele

  • Unconfirmed that he was the lone player Campbell mentioned that didn't pass their conditioning test.

Training Camp Day 1 Observations form the Lions Media

• General Observations

  • Gibbs was a non-participant as mentioned above, and Brad Holmes declined comment on the situation as he was walking off the field.

  • Multiple reports indicated that Nick Whiteside just jumped out to everyone. Had at least three pass breakups and was all over the place on both the second and third teams when on the field

  • Jamo catch of the day, a contested 40-yard grab against both Rakestraw and Chuck Clark

  • Multiple media members mentioned that Kerby Joseph was moving around fine while working on the side and actually doing some intense work including sprinting up the Patricia hill despite was Campbell said earlier today.

  • Mahogany was running on the hill as well and Branch was seen working with other DBs leading a drill during individual work.

  • Dortch looked the best of all the returners, but Pacheco struggled with the wind during the PR drills, letting a couple of balls hit the ground.

• Offensive Line

  • 1st OL: Sewell-Scruggs-Mays-Ratledge-B Miller

    • Borom received work at both RT and LT and as the 6th OL

    • Bartch, Scruggs and Frazier all received 1st team reps at LG with Mahogany out

    • Scruggs did all his work at LG (received the bulk of the snaps with 1st team) and none at Center

  • 2nd OL: Borom-Bartch/Frazier-McLaughlin-Unknown-Unknown

  • 3rd OL: Unknown - Frazier - Unknow - Unknown - Unknown

• RBs

  • 1st Unit: Isiah Pacheco/Sione Vaki

  • 2nd Unit: Vaki/Pacheco

• WRs

  • 1st Unit: Amon-Ra St Brown, Jameson Williams

  • 2nd Unit: Greg Dortch

• TE

  • 1st Unit: Sam LaPorta

  • 2nd Unit: Brock Wright

  • 3rd Unit: Miles Kitselman/Jackson Meeks

  • Depth: Horton/Gordon

    • It was reported that Kitselman saw a handful of 1st team reps including as the lone TE in 11-personel

• DL

  • 1st Unit: Hutch-McNeil-Williams- Lacy/Wonnum

    • Tyler Lacy has been the "big' DE in a Five-man with Ahmed Hassanein the 2nd Big End

  • 2nd Unit: Unknown-Myles Adams-Keanaaina/Smith-Hassanein/Unknow

• LBs

  • 1st Tean - Campbell, Barnes and Rodriguez have been the starters in all sessions

    • Starting Nickel LBs are Campbell and Barnes

  • 2nd Team - Rolder (Mike), Clark (Will) Nowaske (Sam)

  • 3rd team - Unknown

• Safety

  • 1st Team - Avonte Maddox (In for Izien in for Kerby) and Chuck Clark (In for Brian Branch)

  • 2nd team - Thomas Harper, Loren Strickland and Dan Jackson

  • 3rd team - Unknown

• Nickel

  • McCreary and Abney

• Outside CBs

  • 1st Team - DJ Reed and Ya-Sin/Rakestraw

  • 2nd Team - Nick Whiteside and Unknown

  • 3rd Team - Nick Whiteside and Unknown

• Punt Returners

  • WR Greg Dortch, RB Isiah Pacheco, WR Tom Kennedy, WR Dominic Lovett, WR Lawrence Keys and WR Amon-Ra St Brown were the reported participants

• Gunners

  • Unknown

Rookies

• Blake Miller - He was observed starting at RT

• Derrick Moore - No Mention in interviews, observations or practice images

• Jimmy Rolder - Was mentioned as taking 2nd team MLB reps

• Keith Abney II - Showed up in arrival photos and Dan Campbell specifically mentioned that he would be taking some outside CB reps in camp. Also was in Campbell's answer about how they will manage losing Terrion Arnold.

• Kendric Law - Done for season with a torn ACL suffered win OTA Week2 practices

• Skyler Gill-Howard - Sighting of Gill-Howard in camp arrival photos

• Tyre West - Spotted in camp arrival photos, first known observation of him in offseason and training camp

• UDFAs

  • Luke Altmyer - Spotted in camp arrival photos.

  • Miles Kitselman - Observed taking 2nd and 3rd team TE reps but also getting a handful of 1st team reps while Conklin is missing time.

  • Anthony Lucas - Spotted in training camp arrival and Day 1 photos.

  • Erick Hunter - Derrick Barnes mentioned in his media scrum that Hunter is asking him questions and trying to learn.

  • Aidan Keanaaina - Was taking backup reps behind Tyleik Williams at NT and was mentioned that with Jay Tufele getting cut, he had a clearer path to making the 53-man roster.

Lions Rookies QB Luke Altmyer, DL Skyler Gill-Howard, CB Keith Abney II, and DE Derrick Moore Photos - Nicole Scharff Detroit Lions

Dan Campbell Opening Press Conference

Dan Campbell had his 2026 training Camp opening press conference this morning, and we provided a summary and full transcript earlier today. Below are some quick points that came out of it:

Dan Campbell Opening Press Event

Injury Summary

• Branch - Potentially Early September

• Kerby - No Change, Update form Spring still applies. Likely will linger into the season on same timeline as Branch

• Conklin - Calf in Spring, Two Weeks

• Izien - Flu bug likely back Friday

• Mahogany - Couple of Days

Quick Hitters

• Paula Pasche was going to get 1st question but wasn't in Allen Park yet

• One player didn't pass conditioning test. Unconfirmed, but likely Jay Tufele who was cut yesterday

• Expecting Kerby to be on the Branch plan (would be a bonus getting back for 1st game)

• Arnold cut was addressed with team last night, not ideal, but decision was made

• Extension will take care of themselves, not worried about it, think highly of Gibbs and LaPorta

• Will know in three to four days if the revamped Line is an improvement, but believes that the five that come out of OL room will be an upgrade

• Abney and McCreary will take some outside CB reps. Rakestraw will take Nickle Reps. Reed and Ya-Sin will stay outside exclusively.

• Campbell praised Rakestraw's hips, change of direction, ball skills and ability to track the ball and is likely an outside CB, but want to take a look inside

• Excited about the core players, but having a newness and a bit of a youth movement and getting back to 2022

• Jackson Meeks will be gi8ven extensive look at hybrid role to see if he can evolve into that H-Back type weapon and get dirty in the trenches

• Would like to play starters in pre-season, but still undecided

Media Scrums with Players

The Lions had media availability with TE Sam LaPorta, LB Derrick Barnes, CB Rock Ya-Sin and OT Blake Miller after Day 1 camp practice.

Camp Day 1 Lions Players Media Scrum

Sam LaPorta

• Just going back when you hear back surgery that's probably something that's a little scary at that, um just talk about the rehab process of we saw you out there in the spring just how you're feeling now and I've cited your kind of backwards like full time: Yeah. Uh Brett Fischer and I started back on January 4th about 5 weeks after my surgery and going ever since. They've had to tell me to get away from the building for my breaks. Other than that, I've been here and emotionally, physically, mentally feels really good to be back.

• A couple of fear that that that came over you with the initial diagnosis. Did you have to calm through some of those emotions? Yeah, if you've ever had a nervous system injury, just waiting for the nerve strength to come back, being told it might not come back, all those feelings of maybe not being able to play again. It sucks sitting on the couch. My wife got the uh the short end of the stick with that. Every night I'd be telling her like, "Man, I really hope God allows me to get my nerve strength back and get to play football again." She's like, "You're fine. The doctor says you're going to be fine. Strength, you know, training staff says you're going to be great. You're going to come back be great." So, shout out to her. Shout out to Brett Fischer. The entire athletic training staff. It's just amazing through this process.

• When was that point that you knew, okay, I feel? Yeah. Well, the nerve strength came back in phases. Started with the glute, then worked on the hamstring, then the calf. So, like honestly, probably just two or three months ago, the full strength came back and you could see like the muscle at atrophy start to, you know, diminish and grow that that strength back. So, I mean, I've had three or four good months under my belt of running, cutting, sprinting. Uh, now I'm hitting obviously going to be in pads soon, so I'm excited.

• There's no lingering pain or discomfort or anything like that. No, no, I feel really good. I was running around, bending well, moving well. Um, no, good so far.

• What have you thought about just Drew's offense overall? Obviously, when you look at some of the tight end production, Arizona, some of that was the injuries they had obviously, but a pretty tight end friendly offense. Is that maybe a good way to explain it? Certainly. Um, I think the league is gravitating towards tight end play right now with the 12 and 13 personnel, which is exciting for us specifically, but I had more of an outsiders view in the springtime during OTAAS. I was off to the side and I got to watch mostly and now to get to be a part of it. Um, just super amped to work with them.

• A lot of your teammates getting rewarded. Obviously money is not the motivation but it's a business. Well, would you like to get that done sooner or later or what's your was that any motivation as well? I know that the game probably you know but just was it. I think everybody that's on the roster money is motivation. This is our job now. Get to uh provide for your family is incredible. But for now I'm just going to let my agent and the organization handle that.

• Sam, is there a sense of purpose you feel with this group coming in after missing the playoffs last season? Of course. Yeah. I think going 15-2 the year prior, winning the division, um you know, getting the one seed and then fourth place in the division, nine and eight, missed the playoffs. Uh the drastic drop off in production and the wins. Um I think it's definitely like a motivating factor for us and I think you can see it um today honestly like we're flying around. The conditioning test was crushed yesterday. Um I got to sit back and watch the vets. I ran it the other day, so I got that out of the way. Um, but yeah, like I think guys are in incredible shape right now. We're all very motivated and this group is hungry.

• You mentioned Dan said earlier today in the press conference to us that there's a little bit of a newness. Did you sense that a little bit of a youth movement? I mean, obviously you're now kind of one of the establishments of this group. What do you see as far as that newness? I mean, every year it's a new team. There's fresh faces. It's exciting to have Drew in the building. you know, Shep's a second-year coordinator now, a lot of trust in him. So, I think there's trust to be built, a lot of opportunity for guys and um I think it's an exciting spot right now for the Detroit Lions.

• You talked about coming in and guys crushing the test, you know, do you think early on, like now that you have a chance to look back last year, like you guys set the tone early enough last year, like what do you think you guys can change to, you know, not get off to the get off to a better start? Yeah, I looking back from the nine or 10 games that I played in, I think situational football certainly could have been better. And that's really where you get wins in this league. Playing better on third down, the red zone, converting on fourth, short yardage. Uh, I think the defense would reiterate the same thing to their side of the ball. So, I think that's the first step in us becoming a great team again, and we'll obviously address that throughout camp.

• You mentioned guys, you mentioned opportunities. He's sitting in the tight end room with Jackson Meeks now. I mean, just like what have you seen out of him and his organ like what he brings to the room. I remember transitioning from wide out to tight end in college and it was a big jump. Um, very excited for me cuz he's an incredible athlete. We keep urging him to understand like playing tight end, you're going to lose some battles to bigger, stronger, longer guys. and um it's unfortunate, but you got to pick yourself up out of the dirt and do it again. So, I think he has a lot of room to grow. Again, incredible athlete and uh very high ceiling as a tight end.

• Do you kind of remember the moment that you had that in college? Is it against a teammate or... Yeah, AJ Anessa throughout fall camp in college would just like throw me into the dirt and Tristan Worfs would trample me soon after. So, that was a lot of fun to have like size 16 or 17 cleats from Worfs in your back um as like an 18-year-old kid. So that was probably my moment. I think he'll have plenty of those unfortunately, but it's only going to be better for him.

LB Derrick Barnes

• Day one being back. Just what's it like with this group again? Feels good. I was joking around with the guys in the spring. I was like, I see you two days later. Um two days from now when OTA's ended and it just it flew goes by so fast. Um but excited to be back, excited to get back to work. Um even today, short practice, no pass, but you can see the competitiveness out of everybody out there. Uh it feels good. Weather is good coming from Florida, so this right here feels like winter to me. So, uh, feel really good. Like I said, super excited and, um, you know, ready for it to be a great camp.

• How are you embracing obviously in an increased role this year, being, you know, in the nickel sets this year, being a guy that might play, you know, close to 100% of the snaps. Yeah. Um, a day at a time. Um, you know, I go back and I watch film on, you know, Alex and how he did things, his technique, uh, what made him a great player. Um, it's just kind of mimic that. Um, and be the best I can be. Uh, learning each and every day. I know it's a it's kind of the role of going from, you know, Sam to Will. You know, it's one of the thing, it's an adjustment, but, um, I've been doing it since I've been here. Um, so I wouldn't say it's easy. It's a lot of things to learn for sure, but um, you know, it's not foreign to me. Um, I'm super excited for the role and for the challenge. Um, got to come out here and earn it every day. That's why I told myself um, I just take I want to take myself back to, you know, when I first got here and how I had to, you know, work my way up to be where I am. And um and that's just my mentality all camp and the whole season is I got to earn it each and every day, which I will. Um but I'm super excited for the role. Um you know, it's I'm learning a lot from um you know, obviously from Jack who've been out there playing nickel uh base, learned a lot from Shep, a lot from Ham, uh Dave Caro, um a lot all those guys in the room. So, you know, they're they're going to get prepared to be able to do it. So,

• Dan spoke about getting back to 21, 22, getting back to the basics. At what point do you feel like you got away from that? I mean, obviously you guys had a lot of success with it. you all get away from that, how do you get back to that as a team? I think that I feel like we didn't get away from it. Uh, I think that's kind of, you know, kind of downplaying, you know, the way we work. I would just say that, you know, sometimes things can get complacent and I don't think that we ever did, but, you know, in the in the image of the outside world, it's probably what people see, but it's not what it is. Just getting back to the basics. I remember when I first came in here, it was just hard-nosed football. It still is. is in all the years I've been here, it's still been hard nose football, but just getting back to our technique, being sound and getting back to what we do. Uh, bringing back old-fashioned football and that's, you know, ready to hit and ready to go out there and compete. Um, and bring the thumb to our opponents. You know, that's what, you know, Den has installed in all of us since I've been here. Um, and just basically just getting back to the bases, getting back to who we are and our identity. Um, I'm super excited about it. You know, you can tell just the emotion and the and the things on Dan's face that he's ready to go and that just if that doesn't get you going as a player, then you know, something wrong with you. But um I'm super excited and I'm ready to get back to the small minute details for sure. So

• You guys have come in as the hunters and then it kind of shifted quickly after you made it to the NFC Championship game to being the hunted. Where does it stand now with this team and the mentality as you go over this season after missing the playoffs last year? I think that every team know when they come to come play the Lions that they have to bring it. I think that mentality hasn't left. Um, and you know, and we're and when we play you, we going to make sure that you feel it. And you know, Dan said something about, you know, we want to make teams feel like if they if we do lose, and not saying we will and we won't, but if we do, they got lucky. Um, and um, and that just let you know everything you need to know right there. I mean, I feel like it feel good to be teams want to come in and give us their best. Um, that just makes us better, makes us even hungrier and really starving to be able to play against those teams. But, um, I'm super excited. Um, I know the team is super excited to get back to what we do and, you know, and we're ready to, you know, dominate the season. So,

• How much of an additional hunger is there having missed out on the tournament last year, as Dan likes to call it? Yeah. Uh, you can feel that energy inside the building. Um, we're not accepting nothing less than what we what we know we what we are. Um, and guys will get left behind if you're not here to work and get better each and every day. um and build that that that trust in in the coaches and the players, then you just won't be here. And I know even for myself, I'm like, I got to continue to do that lead out there. Uh be the best I can be, set a good example. Um like I said, we're just super excited to get back to who we are. Um super excited for this camp. Super excited, super excited to, you know, be out there and build chemistry with the guys offense and defense. Um and, you know, just it's exciting. I'm super blessed to be able to do this this year. So,

• Are you the type of player who takes last year both as a player and as the team? Do you use that as a motivation or are you kind of the type that bury it, it's gone, time to move on? A little bit of both. Um, I think that you have to continue to move forward. Obviously have that bad taste in your mouth but also be able to move forward and learn from your mistakes. Um, for me it's, you know, I'm last year is over with. I know I went back and watched all my film, every game, every play, and I know the things I need to correct in order to be the best player that I can be for my teammates and for myself. Um, you know, that's just kind of kind of my thing this year. I mean, last year was last year, but it's a whole different team. I can promise you that. Whole different, you know, energy out there, a whole different competitiveness. No guys compete day in day out. Like coach said it, there's no starters out there. So each and every day, people who think they're starters, people, you know, who's rookies, young players trying to make a spot, like there's competition out there all over the field. And that just keeps everybody going, no matter if you're a vet, a starter, starter in past years, from a rookie to undrafted. Um there's always a role for somebody. And in order to get that role, you have to go out and show each and every day. So

• Are there things that I guess vets did for you when you were a rookie that you try to do for guys like Jimmy now? Yeah. Um, man, I know that, you know, everybody know Alex is my best friend and um, you know, he kind of just carried me along and I'm just taking that, you know, on to Jimmy and the other younger guys cuz I know what it feels like to come in and be confused on things. Um, feel like things are just moving too fast. So, you know, obviously I like to take the young guys under my wing and kind of just, you know, make it easier for them, especially during camp cuz my first camp I was, man, I didn't know what was going on. Uh it was it was a lot for me and I know what that feels like and I don't want to ever I don't ever want them to feel that way. So uh anywhere I can help. I mean Eric Hunter asks me questions all the time. Jimmy does too. You know I'm checking on the guys in the morning. How y'all feeling? Need help with anything? Uh how you feel about this? You know just day in and day out cuz those guys need it. And then it helps me as a as a player as a veteran. You know kind of just reminding myself um of things I need to know and so yeah we have a good linebacker room man. a lot of good chemistry, a lot of good vets, people who played ball for a while in this league. Um, so it feels good. Obviously, it's competitive guys out there trying to make the team and become starters. So, um, you know, even though we're competing with each other, we're also, you know, picking each other up and this is a true brotherhood in that room. So, yeah.

CB Rock Ya-Sin

• You got a chance to start six games last year, play really well, six starts. A little different this year coming through a season with an opportunity to play a much bigger role than that even it seems. Just how excited are you for that opportunity to kind of win that number two spot and play a huge role in this defense? Just looking forward to competing with these guys, man. Coming out every day, you know, competing against the offense, competing with the guys in our room, you know, we're all fighting for, you know, opportunities to play and uh to make this team. So, I'm just looking forward to whatever opportunity is there, just looking forward to taking advantage of it. Yeah.

• Campbell was saying as well, he addressed all about, you know, the Terrion situation as a team. You know, what did you take from that and just, you know, anything you like to share from that at all? TA I mean just um uh from what I know of TA man just a really good dude um a young guy um that I have a lot of you know love and respect for um he's going through a hard time right now I don't know I don't I'm not I don't know any specifics or anything like that but you know um definitely going to miss him definitely going to miss him

• What have you noticed maybe different re-energized of Shep heading into year two in that in that position Definitely just you know his um that was last year was his first year being a coordinator so him coming into year two you know more experience you know, definitely more energy. He had energy last year, though. But, um, just coming out, you know, just, you know, really growing and, you know, coming to himself as a as a coordinator in this league.

• What was your big focus this offseason? You've been doing this obviously a long time, but where was an area that you maybe saw, uh, this is something focus on? Just wanted to get more comfortable with the defense. Um, being this is like uh the second year in the system, so just become more comfortable on the defense. um not just playing corner but like the corner position, understanding the safety positions, understanding you know who's doing what and um like the big picture of the defense schematically just you know having you know growing and becoming more comfortable there.

• Is that film study or what goes into A lot of film study, a lot of, you know, talking with the coaches, um, talking with even the players, talking to the linebackers, you know, um, asking them their jobs and responsibilities, certain calls, certain coverages, just growing, trying to, you know, grow as a football player, even in year eight, just trying to grow and, you know, get better.

• Were there any particular games from last season that were like helpful as you were going through? uh each game you let's say like if we've played Steelers or something I was talking to you know Vonte about his responsibilities in that game or if we were playing the Eagles I'm talking to you know D Barnes and uh Jack Came about their responsibilities in those games just call by call just you know understand their responsibilities where they're going to be at on each play and um just learning from those guys

• Yeah walking up I think we got a little glimpse of what Nick Whiteside could do last year um you know a couple plays out there today just what do you think you guys He's a good player, man. He comes out, he's consistent. Come out, compete every day. He's a good player and he can continue to get better, continue to grow. A lot of moving parts in the secondary on the back end, too.

• Um, how important is this time of year to get that chemistry with the safeties as they're kind of working things out there? Extremely important, you know, on the field, also in in in in the classroom, you know, um talking to different guys, asking guys how they see certain things, you know, um their perspective on certain calls and certain routes and certain route combinations, you know, understanding how they're going to play certain things. And then that, you know, helps me to play faster, helps, you know, the corner to play faster. Whenever you know where safety is and the corner and the safety knows where the corner is and where he's going to be, we all can play faster and, you know, play as one.

• How important is it to have a couple veterans back there? It's really nice. It's really nice, you know. Um, it's really it's been refreshing playing with those guys. All those guys, man, they're all they're all vets. They're all, you know, experienced and then they're all, you know, great communicators. You know, I really like playing with, you know, all those safeties back there.

• Curious, you know, been in two camps with him now or starting second with Nick Whitide. You know, what have you grown to to like about his game? Competitive, you know, consistent. You know, he comes out, works every day. He continues to get better every day. So, he's a good player.

• Rock, how surprised were you guys by right now tear down this summer? How do you collectively just as a past? Uh, like I said before, you know, TA is great dude from what I know from him. Great dude. Um, and um, you know, we're definitely going to miss him. I'm going to miss him as a as a teammate and as a you know, somebody who whose locker was next to mine. So, I'm definitely going to miss him. He's going through a hard time right now. You know, I just hope everything, you know, works out with him.

• More opportunity for some of the guys here. Yeah. I mean, but, you know, it's whoever's here, who we always competing, man. It doesn't matter who's out there on the grass. The standard the standard if you get an opportunity you can take advantage of it

OT Blake Miller

• Obviously an offensive line needs time to gel. Can you sense any of those steps from the early practices as starting to come together in this camp even on day one? Yeah I mean I feel like you know everyone in that room is very close with one another. You [snorts] know there's no one in there that I wouldn't hang out with outside of this facility. You know there's that jelling. Everyone's on the same page. Coach Freley makes sure that that you know everyone's thinking the same way. We're one big mind and you know we see things the same way. So you know it's good. We're excited. You walked in here back in the spring, a lot of new things. Granted, it's still new for you, but where is your comfort level compared to OTAS? Uh, definitely feel more comfortable. You know, things are coming a little quicker. That's not to say that there's still not more things to learn. You know, I wanted to be able to just go out there and I want to be able to make the points in my head. You know, things just to be automatic. And, you know, we're still working to that point. But, you know, with the guys we have in that room, the veterans and then coaches as well making themselves available, you know, I have no doubt that he'll be in a good spot.

• There's a lot of expectation on this O line this season after last year and some of the injuries and the inconsistencies. What gives you a sense that this group is the group that can take that step forward together? Uh kind of like I talked about earlier, the closeness, everyone's seeing things the same way, you know, also too just the mentality. I think Coach Freillley, Coach Campbell have done a great job of, you know, letting us know what the mentality is going into this season and, you know, everyone buying in, believing in that, going out there and playing Detroit football.

• It's a serious business, but also this is a milestone for you. I'm sure you worked your entire life to get to this point. Have you let it hit you yet that that this is that this is real now that the training camp gets going? Um, I mean, yeah, a little bit. You know, it's a business, too, in terms of, you know, every day I come in and there's things I need to get better. I'm going to go in there, watch this tape. I'm sure there's plenty on there that I need to improve and, you know, try and write everything down and be better on that the next day. And I'm sure uh Ben Bartch was telling me, he said it's everything keeps popping up like gophers and you just got to keep whacking each gopher like every everything that comes up and you know eventually you'll look back at yourself and uh you know you you'll see that you become a whole different player and you know that that to me is very satisfying and in being a better player you're that much better of a teammate. You give your team that much more of a chance to win.

• Watch the room with Penei Sewell, anything you've taken from his process? Um, I'd just say how intentional he is with everything. You know, whether that's his body getting his, you know, pre-practice activation, whether that's in the film room, you know, his attention to detail, knowing all the points at the IDs, just his overall understanding of the offense, and then how he approaches his technique, how he approaches breaking down a practice, watching film, like everything he does, he does it to a super high level.

• What is his relationship been like to you in terms of the leadership perspective? Maybe some advice he's given to you? Yeah, I mean he's been there, you know, he he's always there for me when I have questions and he has a lot of experience obviously playing this position and, you know, in this league. So, he he's able to give me a lot of insight that, you know, [snorts] hopefully I won't have to learn the hard way as much I can learn from him.

• You told us before you were drafted, you were up late watching clips of Dan Campbell giving speeches. What was it like now as training camp begins to be in the room with him as he's given one? Uh, yeah. I mean, it's, you know, it gives you goosebumps a little bit. You know, you can you can you can feel his passion. You can feel that he's super believing in his message and you can feel it's coming from the heart. It's not fake at all.

• You want to share a little bit of what he threw at you guys? Um I don't want to put too much out there. Just you know that we're going to go out there and we're going to be physical, and you know we want to make teams quit.

• There is a huge emphasis on fixing this O line this year. How much personal responsibility do you feel in fixing that? I mean I feel it's you know as any player you know it's a it's a duty to your team duty to God duty to your family, whoever it might be, you have a duty to be the best player that you can be. You know, for your teammates, for your family, for everybody, you know, for the city of Detroit, like I have a duty to be the best player I can be, and everyone knows, you know, personally, they have that responsibility as well. And everyone's very bought into that.

The Lions first preseason game is at Cincinnati on Thursday Aug 13th at 7pm.