The Grey Manes are looking for individuals looking to express the creative side of their Lions Fandom to join us as volunteer contributors* on thegreymanes.com. As our audience continues to grow across all our all our media formats, we are looking to take the outlet to the next level by adding some like-minded individuals to help us with our Detroit Lions content and coverage. Ideal candidates will have a desire to cover the Detroit Lions and NFL interactions and possess decent writing skills, a sense of humor, and the time to create content weekly, including news, feature stories and opinion pieces. The ability to work with graphics, exposure to podcasting and social media management along with having a connection to Michigan and/or proximity to Detroit is a definite plus, but not a requirement. College and High School students who love the Lions and are looking for an outlet to publish your work are also highly encouraged to apply. For those interested in joining our team, please send us an email with your contact information (including social media presence on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.) along with links (or examples) of some writing samples that showcase your work. The Grey Manes Join The Grey Manes Team! *The position is an unpaid, volunteer role

Welcome to The Grey Manes Monday Morning Rundown, a collection of news and notes form the prior week that impact the Lions, the NFL or whatever else catches my eye. The future St. Browns Lions Players, Coaches and Team Amon-Ra St Brown is now engaged to his fiancé Brooklyn Adams The Lions have released additional "Get to Know" Pick posts including Jimmy Rolder and Keith Abney II The Lions Jahmyr Gibbs was rated #2 RB in the league for an ESPN survey conducted with Executives, Scouts and Coaches, although someone had him as low as 8th Lions Aiden Hutchinson was rated #5 overall Pass Rusher for an ESPN survey conducted with Executives, Scouts and Coaches. TE Sam LaPorta came it at #4 on the ESPN Survey of the top TEs conducted with Executives, Scouts and Coaches. For the ESPN Survey, as expected Penei Sewell picked up the #1 overall ranking, unlike the trash rankings ESPN's Mike Clay put out showing him as OT #10 and OL #17. Sewell also ranked as the #1 overall OL and OT in Madden Rankings. ESPN now has had three personalities (Clay, Jeremy Fowler and Raanan) put out negative posts about Sewell trying to tear him down using their proprietary (Nonofficial NFL Stat) of Pass Block Win rate. A leaked Madden 27 Top 100 rated players list has Six Lions listed at 91 or above ESPN has the Lions roster ranked 6th overall, well ahead of the other NFC North teams The Lions unexpectantly picked up a nationally televised Preseason game against the Colts in Indy on 8/29 at 1pm on NFL Network. Tate Ratledge is literally playing with sharks, and Coach Skip and his family are also enjoying the vacation time to get in a bit of fishing There is a beef between Lions WRs Amon-Ra St. Brown (In-N-Out) and Isaac TeSlaa (Culver's) over the better burger place, and both TeSlaa and I are on team Culver's (although I do like In-N-Out). Rumors, Nuggets and Speculation Former Lions CB Terrion Arnold unsurprisingly was not claimed on waivers despite his lawyers stating that three teams are interested in signing him, which we have now learned are the Jets, Texans, Colts and Seahawks. Dates from the NFL's 2027 calender are starting to trickle out including a super quick turnaround from the end of the scouting combine on 3/8/29 and the start of the legal tampering period on 3/9/27. The Seattle Seahawks are being purchased for a massive $9.6B dollars Former Lions RB David Montgomery debuts on the NFLs Top 100 runs list at #49 Things I think are Noteworthy When Super Troopers 3 hits theaters in August you can get a Mustachioed Popcorn bucket and a frickin Liter of cola! Apparently, Michigan Costco's have both a Lions Decanter Set and Pilsner glasses available in case we have another heartbreaking season like last year Save the date! Total eclipse coming to SW Michigan and much of Ohio on 9/14/99 Pringles announced limited-edition pop dog buns available on OnceYouPopMarket.com on July 8th and July 15th for free with purchase of a three-pack of pringles.

Welcome to The Grey Manes Monday Morning Rundown, a collection of news and notes form the prior week that impact the Lions, the NFL or whatever else catches my eye. Jack Campbell is No. 88 on NFL's Top 100 List Lions Players, Coaches and Team The Lions released CB Terrion Arnold after his Bond hearing on Monday. Terrion Arnold was released on $1 Million bond with conditions that he surrender his passport, can have no contact with an co-defendants or witnesses and must be confined to home or work, but will not be required to wear an ankle monitor. The Lions have had several catches show up on the NFL's Top 100 catches of last year, with the latest being TeSlaa with THREE at #30, #19 and #4, joining LaPorta (#48) and Jamo (#41) with Top 100 catches. Jack Campbell makes the debut of a Lion player in the NFL's Top 100 at #88 The Lions reportedly hired John Collins, Michigan Footballs Assistant Director of personnel to be a scouting assistant The Lions have been releasing "Get to Know" Pick posts with Blake Miller and Derrick Moore posted so far Rumors, Nuggets and Speculation Former Titans All-Pro RB Chris Johnson shares about his ALS diagnosis on ABC's Good Morning America Mike Golic Sr s returning to ESPN Radio with his son Mike Golic Jr for a new Golic and Golic show debuting Aug 3rd from 10a to Noon EST. Former Lion CB Terrion Arnold's lawyer told the court that three teams are interested in the CB while trying to avoid wearing an ankle monitor Things I think are Noteworthy Dunkin is selling "Eagle Cups" for a limited time for America's 250th Central Ohio roadways got spicy last week with Franks Red Hot, at least it wasn't a Cow or Human Waste The best Minor League Baseball team hails from Wisconsin and is also the cheesiest In Movie news, Danny McBride is writing a new G.I. Joe movie, which makes the inner kid in me super happy Dunkin' Donuts Limited-Edition Eagle Cups

In a simple 10-word statement, the Detroit Lions have chosen to release CB Terrion Arnold after his bond hearing today in Florida. The now former Lions CB was arrested last week on multiple felony counts of Burglary and Kidnapping and was held in the Hillsborough County jail all weekend until his bond hearing this morning. Former Lions CB Terrion Arnold at his Bond hearing in Florida Fox 2 was live streaming the entire Two and Half hour hearing, in which Arnold was ultimately released on $1 Million dollar Bond with stipulations that he not have any contact with witnesses or co-defendants, surrender his passport and confined to his home except for work, court and meeting with his attorneys. Unfortunately for Arnold, the Lions made quick work of releasing him form the team within a few hours of the end of his hearing. Detroit Fox 2 Terrion Arnold Hearing There will be ramifications for the Lions both on the field in backfilling Arnold on the depth chart along with potential cap ramifications for the release. From a cap perspective and worst-case scenario, the Lions will absorb an additional ~$3.98M for releasing him after June 1st on the 2026 cap, and an additional $4.6M against the 2027 Cap, all due to his contract being fully guaranteed. However, if the NFL potentially added Arnold to the Commissioners list and/or suspended him, then that would invalidate his contract Guarantees and the Lions could see some cap relief of up to $3.8M from the $3.03M in base salaries and $825K roster bonus that Arnold would no longer be guaranteed. As far as backfilling his position on the depth chart, the Lions will have slim picking from the Free Agent Market and will also have ~$14M in cap space to work with without redoing any current player deals. The options are few, but potential candidates in Rasul Douglas, Mashon Lattimore, Tra'Davius White and Darius Slay are some of the "big names" available, but again, they are available for a reason. I expect Holmes to either bring in a youngster or wait until the cutdowns to 53 to pick up a veteran if the current roster guys don't separate themselves. The lions only had Arnold for eight games last year, and in two of them, he left early due to injury. So the current guys in Rakestraw, Whiteside, Dorsey, Abney II, Brown and Rucker will get a chance to prove if they are the guy and can outperform what Arnold gave the Lions last year. Free Agent CBs per OverTheCap.com

Welcome to The Grey Manes Monday Morning Rundown, a collection of news and notes form the prior week that impact the Lions, the NFL or whatever else catches my eye. 2027 NFL Draft in Washington DC presented by Bud Light Lions Players, Coaches and Team The Lions Terrion Arnold was arrested on several felony charges stemming from the Robbery and Kidnapping incident in February NFL training camp dates have been released, and the Lions Rookies report on 7/25 and Veterans on 7/28 With the Lions training camp schedule out, we now know the public/private practice dates that fans can attend Lions also worked out WR Cornell Powell of the UFL's DC Defenders but opted not to sign him Sam LaPorta is back at TE University, which is a great sign for the Lions and his health Lions finally show up on the NFLs Top 100 catches at #48 (LaPorta TD against Chiefs) and #41 (Jamo catch against Vikings One of the OG villains of Detroit Media Rob Parker said something insanely stupid about Campbell and is rightfully getting ripped for it on X Rumors, Nuggets and Speculation ESPN will bid farewell to a retiring Linda Cohn, who anchored more SportsCenter's than anyone in history The NFL is declining to hold a Supplemental Draft, meaning Brandon Sorsby is not eligible for the NFL until 2027 draft. The 2027 NFL Draft will be held in Washington DC on the National Mall from April 29th to May 1st Geroge Gervin and Chuck Lidell can rest easy that a jobber won't be stealing their nickname form them It doesn't appear that the NFLPA is going to rush into an 18-game schedule Judge David Doty, who presided over NFL and Union matters for ~22 years passed away at the age of 97 Things I think are Noteworthy Ballpark Food: Christmas in June Edition in Anaheim Moritz Seider getting his own Draft bobblehead form FOCO available for pre-order There is a 4,731-mile road trip you can take starting at Poo Poo Point in Washington State to view Pee Pee Island in Newfoundland and Labradore Moritz Seider throwback Draft night Bobblehead

Yesterday evening, the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Generals office announced the arrest of Detroit Lions CB Terrion Arnold for his connection to a February 2026 robbery and kidnapping in Tampa. The charges he is facing include multiple felonies with a max punishment of life in prison. Terrion Arnold Arrest Notification The charges stem from an incident back in February 2026 where it is alleged that Arnold and some acquaintances had over $180K in property stolen from an Airbnb they were renting. This allegedly led to Arnold and his friends "taking matters into their own hands" by tracking down and violently confronting the alleged thieves, with the allegations that Arnold was the ringleader directing their actions in a group chat and viewing the events via livestream as they unfolded. At the time the rest of the individuals were arrested, Arnold was never charged, however with recent developments, including two of the members having been sentenced, the DA issued the arrest warrant and charges against Arnold, who turned himself in voluntarily yesterday with a court appearance this morning. Arnold's lawyer and representatives have denied his involvement multiple times and issued another statement last night that Arnold was not involved. Statement form Terrion Arnold Management Team The Lions options at CB are slim at this point in the season if Arnold is unavailable, with only teams unlikely to trade away a staring caliber CB (or the price be insurmountable) and the availability of Free Agents, UDFAs and UFL players pretty well picked over. It's likely their best course of action will be to roll with the existing depth CB chart which includes DJ Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, Ennis Rakestraw, Khalil Dorsey, Nick Whiteside and rookies Keith Abney, Da'Shawn Rucker and Amaris Brown. Roger McCreary can also play outside if needed, if someone such as Abney becomes the primary nickel. Plus Avaonte Maddox, Thomas Harper and Christian Izien also have slot CB experience, so there is a lot of versatility in the current DB room. Assuming Arnold will be unavailable, either due to his legal issues or the Lions cut him, then their best option to backfill may be to wait until the end of training camp when teams cut to 53, as there is more than likely a veteran or two that will become available that can upgrade the depth.

Welcome to The Grey Manes Monday Morning Rundown, a collection of news and notes form the prior week that impact the Lions, the NFL or whatever else catches my eye. Jared Goff and Isiah Pacheco at Minicamp - Photo by Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions Lions Players, Coaches and Team Lions posted photos from Minicamp: Day 1 and Day 2. Check out our Minicamp Day 1 and Day 2 Recaps from last week Updates on injuries to Branch, Joseph and more Media Sessions with offensive and defensive coaches Dan Campbell Media Sessions both days Media sessions with Terrion Arnold, Derrick Moore, Isiah Pacheco, Isaac TeSlaa and Chuck Clark Observations and Depth Chart lists Lions filled out their offseason roster by adding three WRs on the last day of Minicamp. They added UFL players Tay Martin, Lucky Jackson and Tarik Black, the last two fresh off their championship run with Louisville WR depth continued to get churned with the recently signed Kyer Duplessis replaced with WR Lawrence Keys Jamo bought himself a new house in Metro Detroit somewhere. You can grab Jamo's closing attire for $125 Detroit Lions annual Youth Summer Camps are underway throughout the state and run through August 6 Lions received a bit of criticism for passing on Zion Young and Gabe Jacas and trading up for Derrick Moore, but now we may know why Jacas wasn't a target. Mitch Morse on Good Morning Football believes the Lions have the most complete team in the NFL on paper Hulu has Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Detroit Lions available again to subscribers National Writers think that Penei Sewells move to LT and Cade Mays addition are two of the Lions offseason biggest storylines Jared Goff is firmly entrenched at #2 on the Lions all-time passing yard list, sitting behind only Stafford Rumors, Nuggets and Speculation Micah's Parson's brother stated that Parson's will miss "upwards of half the season" putting his return to the field after they play the Lions in Week 7 at Ford Field The NFL, in an effort to have better officiating, is creating a practice squad of up to 12 officials The new CBA with the NFLRA also has the potential to have substandard officials reassigned to the UFL The Bears, Vikings and Packers all made similar moves to the Lions churning the bottom of their roster preparing for training Camp. Things I think are Noteworthy Cowabunga Dude! A new pizza joint opened in Sanat Monica Kentucky...Kentucky!, has a gas station with a disco bathroom Detroit Tigers USA 250 Fourth of July Hat 59FIFTY Fitted hat is pretty cool McDonalds is bringing back the fried apple pie starting 6/26 for a limited time for America's 250th McDonald's Fried Apple Pie coming back on 6/26 for a limited time for America's 250th

The last of the offseason practices are here with Minicamp Day 2, so things will quiet down a bit here over the next few month or so. Let's recap the most important bits of news that came out of Day 2 from the press events, photos, interviews and boots on the ground from the Lions beat reporters. Photo - Jeff Nguyen Detroit Lions Injury Updates Here are the players that are either not participating or limited due to injuries. The list of those not practicing Avonte Maddox was still missing for Day 2 with Personal reasons Campbell mentioned yesterday. TE Sam LaPorta (Limited) and Tyler Conklin Another day, same drill with LaPorta was out there for walkthroughs but came out during the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 situational drills to work with trainers and politely declining to talk to media after practice. Tyler Conklin's was on the field but not participating with the unknown injury he left OTAs with last week. There doesn't seem to be any concern form coaches (Campbell or Oliver) so this is likely precautionary. OG Ben Bartch Not expected back until training camp and wasn't out there again today with his foot injury suffered last year but reiterated he is expected to be ready for training camp. CBs Terrion Arnold (Limited) Did not participate but was on the field and talked to media afterwards. Arnold said he wants to be 100% for camp but is currently at 75%-80% and is healthy and trending in right direction. S Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph Thsi will be a common theme likely into training camp. Both were out there supporting teammates in their drills. Week 4 Minicamp Day 2 Observations form the Lions Media General Observations All three new WRs (Tay Martin, Tarik Black and Lucky Jackson) were on the field for the last day of minicamp When the transaction wire came out after 4pm, it was learned that the Lions had waived WR Kyre Duplessis who had been signed the same day law tore his ACL Amon-Ra St Brown was on the field 25 minutes before practice working with the two equipment guys and the Jugs machine The walkthrough contained a lot of red-zone work with unique combinations of players at positions that the media is unable to disclose at this time due to team rules. It was reported that a punt drill to try and down the ball inside the 20 was run extensively, with Jack Fox getting in 20+ punts from the opponents 45 and gunners fighting through contact to get down and down it. IMedia in attendance mentioned they didn't see a single pun reach the endzone, and ~90% of them were downed inside the 10. Situational Drill: In situational 11-on-11 drill, the offense was given the ball down 33-24, at their own 35-yard line with three timeouts and the clock at 1:59. Added context, the offense needed to score while retaining their Timeouts to use on defense to get the ball back (being down by 9.) 1st Team offense with Jared Goff at QB Reception by Gibbs, TeSlaa, two from Williams and two from St Brown with the second being a five-yard TD with ~:50 seconds left on the clock. Bates XP was good making it 33-31 Offense was given ball back at their 12-yard line with :22 left on the clock after use of all three timeouts and a punt were simulated. Two incompletions and a pass across the middle to Williams that ended with time expiring gave the defense a win. 2nd Team Offense with Teddy Bridgewater at QB (same scenario) Offense moved it down the field with completions to Kennedy, Lovett, Dortch, Cunningham and then Jackson Meeks caught a 12-yard TD. The offense was given better field position, but less time, with the ball placed at their own 45 with :30 on the clock and no timeouts. Teddy had two incompletions before connecting with Cedrick Wilson on a short catch and inexplicably spiked it on 4th down (?), but they allowed Jake Bates a long FG to win it anyways. Bates drilled about a 63-yarder down the middle with about 10 yards to spare to pull out an offensive win 34-33 and end minicamp. Starters and reserves by Position Group Not much mention of who was in each spot for the units, so much of this was carryover form prior OTA and minicamp days. Offensive Line 1st OL: Sewell-Mahogany-Mays-Ratledge-Borom/B Miller Borom started the walkthrough, but B Miller was first out there at RT for the 11-on-11s 2nd OL: Manu-Frazier-Scruggs-M Miller-Cochran Reports are that Juice Scruggs continues to be the primary backup C, but is repping all three IOL spots WRs 1st Team: St Brwon, TeSlaa-Williams TE Wright, Kitselman, Horton and Gordon continued to spill the reps Oliver mentioned that Jackson Meeks is basically a TE now. DL 1st Unit: Hutch-McNeil-Williams-Rotation DE More reports that Tyler Lacy is the big DE in the Five-man front. In the end of game scenario, the DL was Hutch-McNeil-Wingo-Payton Turner. 2nd Unit: Rotation DE-Wingo-Onwuzurike-Rotation DE LBs 1st Tean - Campbell, Barnes and Rodriguez have been the starters in all sessions Starting Nickel LBs are Campbell and Barnes 2nd Team - Damone Clark and Joe Bachie appear to be next two up, with Rookie Jimmy Rolder working his way on the 2nd group 3rd team - Rolder, Hunter and Nowaske Safety 1st Team - Christian Izien (In for Kerby) and Chuck Clark (In for Brian Branch) continue to get 1st team reps 2nd team - Loren Strickland (Maddox out) and Thomas Harper 3rd team - No Reports (Hunter and Jackson) Nickel Roger McCreary Outside CBs 1st Team - DJ Reed with Ennis Rakestraw (primary) and with Rock Ya-Sin rotating in with Arnold still limited 2nd Team - Nick Whiteside and Arnold/Dorsey/Rakestraw 3rd Team - McCreary Punt Returners Greg Dortch, Tom KLennedy, Isiah Pacheco and Amon-Ra St Brown Gunners Cerick Wilson and Keith Abney Rookies Blake Miller - It was observed that although he was splitting reps and 2nd RT out there after Borom for the 1st offense, he was the 1st tackle on the field in the 11-on-11 situational drills to end practice. Hank Fraley mentioned he likes where he is at. Said he is willing, hungry, quiet and listens to whoever's coaching him. Also showed up in Day 2 photos. Derrick Moore - Derrick Moore participated in a media session at the end of practice transcribed below. Jimmy Rolder - Rolder showed up in Minicamp Day 2 photos a few times. OLB Coach Carrao answered a question about Rolder coming from Michigan and if it gives him an advantage in the pro defense, which he said possibly, but they to keep pace with everyone else. LB Coach Dion-Hamilton also had praise for Rolder, but like Carrao, cautioned about rookies and learning curves. Keith Abney II - Mentioned several times in situational drill being on the field and as one of the best reps from Gunners in the punt drill to down it inside the 10. Also showed up in day 2 photos. Kendric Law - Law was placed on IR yesterday and is officially done for season with a torn ACL suffered win OTA Week 2 practices. Skyler Gill-Howard - No mentions or appearing in photos. Tyre West - No mention or sighting of him in any offseason session. UDFAs Luke Altmyer - No reports or mentions on Day 2 Miles Kitselman - No reports or mentions on Day 2 Anthony Lucas - D-Line coach Kacy Rodgers was asked about Lucas and gave praise and reiterated how excited they were to get him as an UDFA free agent. Said he flashes thigs they saw on tape and is just scratching the surface. Aamaris Brown - Was brought up by Coach O'Neil in passing while answering a question about defensive backfield depth. Erick Hunter - OLB Coach David Carrao was asked about Hunter in his media scrum and said he is doing a great job, they are getting him the exposure needed to make the jump to this level and he just needs to continue to learn from, mistakes, not repeat them and get better as a player. Lions Rookies OT Blake Miller, LB Jimy Rolder and CB (#28) Keith Abney II Photos - Jeff Nguyen Detroit Lions Media Scrums with Players The Lions had media availability with Rookie Edge Derrick Moore and CB terrion Arnold after the second practice of minicamp. Moore & Arnold media session on minicamp Day 2 Derrick Moore - EDGE What have you learned from them from being with the vets that's there? “Uh a lot of things. I don't want to really get too much into it, but you know, a lot of things, you know, but like they pretty much just been like, you know, a big brother to me. Um see all them guys and you know, like I said, you know, I'm just trying to continue to be humble, uh keep my head down and just be a sponge.” How do you think Michigan, I guess, kind of prepared you for this? I mean, just, you know, having that experience in an NFL defense and how do you think it's eased your transition here? “Like being at Michigan and then coming into the NFL, you know, I feel like it's really I won't really I really wouldn't say easy, but I was really prepared for it. You know, I feel like, you know, Coach Harbaugh, Coach Moore, they all, you know, treated everything just like an NFL They treated the whole type program like an NFL, you know, program. And, you know, like we was mentally prepared for everything. Um and pretty much every Michigan guy that, you know, that's in the league now was always ready for the league. So, I feel like, you know, they did a good job, you know, training us to be ready for the uh next level.” But even schematically, I mean, just, you know, obviously you have that experience in a kind of ranking style defense. “Yeah, I'll see everything literally uh same knowledge, same everything, same almost like the same system, you know. Um you just got to come out and just be a ball player at that point. So, you know, I feel I feel really well uh in the system. You know the system really well. I just got to come out here and be a ball player.” Envisioning you playing with Aidan Hutchinson, what can this defensive line be about when uh you guys bring pressure and are out there together? “Uh you know, I'm not really trying to, you know, think too much about it. I feel like a lot of people always, you know, talk about how it feel to be with Hutch, how it feel to be with Hutch. You know, you know, it'd be an honor, you know, playing with Hutch, but at the end of the day, uh as a unit, we just trying to be the best unit, you know, in the country, in the league, really. And um you know, just go out and just dominate together as a unit.” What are your plans the next couple weeks? "Obviously, you guys get a little bit of break uh before training camp here. “Uh you know, my plan is probably just, you know, get off my feet just a little bit, but also got remember I'm still I'm still on the grind, so make sure I'm well in shape for camp and just staying in the playbook best playbook best as I can.” It must make it a little bit easier transition than the others or what? “Uh you know, just having Jimmy and also having guys like Hutch in the room, you know, it's just it kind of do make it easier cuz you got some type of familiar faces in the building. But you know, like for me, like my personality and type person I'm in, I'll always connect with anybody no matter what locker room I in, but like having guys like Jimmy, I can have somebody to joke around with and always think about, you know, times we had at Michigan, so it definitely is fun, though.” What would you say is the trademark of a Michigan defensive football player that you guys represent? “Uh I'd say physicality for one. I feel like that's us, like no matter who the defensive coordinator there, that's one thing we always was taught, you know, being physical, defeating blocks, getting off the blocks, and getting to the quarterback.” How many times have you been back there in Ann Arbor? “Uh I actually still living in Ann Arbor, so like I stay in the team hotel during the week and then during the weekends I go back home, so until I move I'll still be in Ann Arbor.” Have you met Whittingham? “Whittingham? "Oh yeah, yes I did. Yeah, you know, I feel like everything about Coach Whittingham, you know, he a great guy. Um when he first came in, I believe like the first week or two, I went up to the office, you know, just go talk to him. You know, we talked a little bit, he sat me down, just got to know me, actually a great guy. We got to know each other. Chopped it up for a little bit, and we just talked about the crazy season we had last year, and then he just pretty much talked about the goals that he had for the season coming up, and you know, it was just a great conversation, great guy, and everything I'm hearing back from, you know, all of the guys back at the facility, everything is sounding good, so I'm definitely I'm definitely looking forward to them guys. I'm going to be at a couple games for sure. And you know, I just hope one of them guys to turn everything back around.” He seems like he's fitting in. “Yeah, he definitely is. He I can see like any other time he just around in Auburn enjoying himself. So, that's what I like.” Terrion Arnold - Cornerback TA, personally, what does the next step look like for you guys? Is it as simple as just staying on the field for 17 games? What does your progression look like ideally in year three? “Year three, I would feel like before I got hurt, I started playing my best ball. And like just as far as getting comfortable. Like with me, I started to get comfortable last year. And then like my injury, that's something that I was dealing with like rookie year, last year. So, just being able to go out there, stay healthy, then be the best teammate I could be. Like that's what I'm looking forward to. Going out there, being a leader, making sure I over communicate, and then really just knowing my teammates, understanding my teammates. And then like Coach Shep, he's preaching like leverage football. So, just going out there and I mean, when it comes to playing corner like all our mistakes are like visual. So, like the next thing for me is just you can't guard every route. So, like that's kind of like something critical that even Coach Shep preaches us. When you go out there and you have trust, you have the ability to make plays in the scheme just by having that trust with your teammates. So, that's like what I'm looking forward to.” Health-wise, what percent do you feel like you're at right now? Where do you want to be entering the spring? “Entering camp, I would say I want to be 100. But uh right now, I would say I'm at about 75-80%. Uh like I think the main thing for me is just knowing that I am healthy now. Like it's one of those things when you have to go through and you have to go out there and play and knowing that you not at 100%, which nobody is at 100%, but just being able to go out there, enter camp, knowing that I done had the surgeries, got worked on, like feeling better, like I'm ready for that.” Campbell has said all positions are up for grabs. Everybody's pushing everybody and nobody is getting handed anything. Do you feel that type of pressure for especially in your guys' position? “I mean, I wouldn't say it's pressure. I feel like when you go out here like the NFL, competition breeds excellence. Like that's what I was just preaching to the guys. Like their job is to go out there and find guys to come into the room to push the guys. And when you go out there and you have environments like that, like that's environments that I thrive in, environments that they brought the guys in they thrive in. Going to Alabama, guys where they came from, like that's what the NFL is all about. So I mean, if you don't have that or you don't have coaches who are going out there trying to find guys to replace you to push you, then it's not going to get the best out of you.” With all the off-season noise, how do you feel like you've grown as a person? “I feel like I grown as a person just because when you have to sit back and you just look at everything, you just be quiet. Like sometimes silence is like the best answer to everything. And it's like a growth as far as being a man and a growth as far as being a player.” But you're not big on silence, are you? You like to You do like to talk. “Nah, I mean, I feel like with me, like it's a time and a place. But like I'm confident. Like I ain't never going to like hold my tongue for nobody. Like it's a time and a place and even as far as us athletes starting to speak up, like it's always a time and a place and a situation for everything. Some things are better left to address, some things are better left unsaid.” Can you say anything about the off-the-field stuff that you've gone through? “Nah, I just want to focus on football.” With Brian and Kerby both facing uncertain starts to this season, how much of an emphasis is there on you and DJ providing that stability in the secondary as two you know, two of the better cornerbacks in the game? “I would say that's just for the whole group. Like the whole group, when you come in here, everybody who has came in our position group has had to step up and make plays. So I mean, even guys like Rock Ya-Sin, guys like Avonte Maddox, like guys like Thomas Harper, or even just seeing like the growth that Innis has took. Like we have guys in the secondary that honestly are like can go out there and perform. So, like when I want to say we have to step up, I would say we just have to step up as a group. And like I'm looking forward to that cuz I feel like when they come back and us taking that leap forward as a group, it'll make us that much better and that much closer.” Do you feel like in some ways a third year in the NFL is a make-or-break year for a player, especially a highly drafted player? “Nah. I would say cuz that's kind of like the narrative that like the media puts on it, but like for me, I feel like every year is a make-or-break year. And then just like when you go out there and you have to perform under pressure, have certain circumstances, players grow every year. So, when I go out there and play, like I don't treat it almost as far as it's a make-or-break year. Like every game is a win or lose game. Every play, every down, like it means something. So, like when I go in there, I just treat it as far as every day will be like a make-or-break day. And like uh Chuck Clark, he actually said something that was very meaningful, like the term is always you want to stack days, but you should like reframe that narrative and stack meaningful days. Like my uncle always told me like when I lay down at night, do I want to save this day or delete this day? So, like my goal is to just go out there and save as many days as possible.” Because of what happened, um have you made changes outside of this building here? Have you made changes like tightening up a little bit with who's in your circle and who you're hanging out with? “Nah, like I mean, I'm a I'm a home guy. Hang around my family and stuff like that, but I mean, as far as things like that, like I just feel like kind of when certain things happen in life, it's best to like remain silent. And I mean, you speak on stuff if you want to speak on it, but I mean, at the end of the day, like it's silence sometimes is the best answer, like I said before. That's how I treat it.” So, you're very comfortable with who's in your circle and everybody who's around you right now? “Yeah, I mean, I got my granddad, I got God, I got my family, like yeah.” What advice does Campbell give you on issues like that? “What advice does he give me? I mean, there really hasn't been advice on as far as issues like that, but I mean, just having everybody in the building like support and obviously just knowing that you have a coach that will go to bat for you, like it means everything. I mean, it was the same thing like when I came here and I got drafted, like Brad always said, "When you come here, man, this is a family. And this is like the building the type of place that you want to be in." And like a lot of guys preach that, but honestly, like this place feels like home.” Dan Campbell Media Session Lions head Coach Dan Campbell met with the media on Wednesday for a quick Q&A session prior to Minicamp Day 2. Dan Campbell Minicamp Day 2 Press Conference Opening Statement: “You know, send these guys off. It's been good up to this point for what we could get done. And uh guys know this, especially our veteran guys, you know, they they're not required to be here. I mean, I know the vet minicamp technically you are, but they've been here all spring and uh we got the right guys. We always have. We're fortunate. And uh it means something to them, you know, whether they like it or not or what it is this time of year. And if they're going to be out there, they're going to give you what they got. So, uh, always appreciate that. It's what we're built off of. Questions.” And I know you said, um, not to read into, you know, who's working with what team and what field. So, I guess I'll just ask you straight up. We've seen Terry on a couple times he's been out there working on the second field. Can you just, you know, explain why, I guess, and maybe in your view how much he can help you next year, what he has to do to win that starting job next season. “Yeah. Yeah. Well, and he took some stuff on the first field like earlier, you know, the first week, first couple of days here and there, and then we just kind of, you know, we mixed it up. Um, so the most important thing for him is just making sure that he's healthy. You know, that's step one, the rehab, which he's done a good job with. He's getting better. Um, you know, we feel good about where he's at in that regard, but that's the most important thing because he's not full speed right now. I mean, he can at least he's non-cont. he's moving pretty good, all that stuff. But um and so just make sure that you stay on top of that. You're ready to go for training camp and then and then it's on. It's just about competing. You know, we got a lot of good guys in that room and uh you know, he knows this. He's got to go earn it.” Now that you've had Mike Kafka in the building for a few months, what have you liked about his addition to your staff? And then just can you explain the passing game coordinator how they work with the offensive coordinator to perform in that role? "Well, I think there's a lot. First of all, he's been a great addition for us. He's um you know sometimes when you I know what that is when you go from where he's been you were the interim head coach and then you're kind of sliding back to a role you know um with a new team you know it's there requires you got to humble yourself again a little bit and uh and that's a good thing like for me it was easy because I came right back under Shawn Payton who I have tremendous amount of respect for and knew that he could fill in those things for me that I needed help with. Um, but he he's been unbelievable, man. He's a thinker. Um, he's he listens. Um, he's going to do exactly what Drew wants done, what I want done. Uh, he's good with the players and then a lot of it he's just finding his way too, right? You're kind of the new guy, so you're trying to get a feel of the other coaches around you, which is has grown and developed. He fits right in. And then with the players too with Goff with but I think in regards to that because he and David Shaw are both kind of in that think a lot of advanced scouting you know uh division opponents what's coming next down the road 2 3 weeks and then man give us your ideas you know um it's not so much okay this is what we're good at but how do we dress this up how do we how do we maximize the things we do well and it gives us some leverage or it gives us a matchup we want. That's what a lot of that is and because the coordinator doesn't have all the time in the world to do that. So, he needs those ideas and then he can pull from them. He'll have his own thoughts. So, it it's critical, man. It's critical. I do think he's creative. Um I think David Shaw's creative, too. So, that that's where those two guys really help out. But, he's been a really good addition at this point.” You're obviously going to play to your personnel strengths, Dan, but in New York, Kafka really unlocked the deep ball there. Um, it's been a piece of the offense. I think you've been looking to explore more. How much was that part of the thought process with the addition is just the success that they had with the deep passing game in New York last year? “Well, I think a lot of that comes with um, you know, certainly that's I think everybody would love the deep ball. you know, if you feel like you got a 101 and you um and you get really good at it, you know, um you want to you want to feel like you can um maximize those opportunities. I wouldn't say that was, you know, that was part of the niche like, hey man, they throw deep balls well, but he's got a grasp. He's been around some good coaches and he's been around some good quarterbacks, too. We have an excellent quarterback that they can make every throw in the book. Um you know, now is that something we'd love to get better at? Yeah, you know, cuz that helps. That opens up your offense and, you know, with the emergence of J Mo and then Tesla, you know, big long targets that that's always going to help. But it's time on task. It's real work. It's, you know, you got to do it with pads on. You got to, you know, because there's more to it. You got to get a release at receiver. It's got to be a good ball, give him a chance, and he's got to make a play.” Obviously, it's just pad. It's not pads. You won't know. But is there anybody that throughout this whole process has stuck out said, "Man, he's better than I thought he was." “Bates has done a hell of a job and Fox. I like where those guys are at, you know, to this point. I feel big improvement. And uh it's hard. It's hard to really answer. I there's a number of guys that you just particularly the young guys, you just want to see like knowing what it is that there's a step in their growth. There's a little more maturity, there's a little more urgency and I have felt that from some of our young guys, guys that we're going to have to count on or we need to count on. Um now those guys also know they're competing too. Nothing's a shoe in. um you know but I like where a number of those guys have gone you know in particularly our you know second year players third year players I do feel some growth in that regard and this time of year that's all you can ask for.” You said at the beginning of OTAs that you wanted a little bit of more no nonsense you know getting back to business uh approach do you feel you worked toward that you're starting to move toward that And what was your I guess favorite takeaway I guess from the spring? “I do and I and what I'd say there's a number of things that that come up when you're back out there on the grass. There is a um you know there's a little bit of okay, hey, we're kind of starting over in some areas. Let's go back to but where I did not want to let things slip or you know the false starts the offside the discipline penalty illegal formation. Um and so we hit that from day one. you know, and we there we don't care if it's here we go, man. We're six weeks from training camp, seven weeks from training camp, we're however many weeks from the first game of the season. I wanted to hit that stuff immediately because you can coach that stuff up and then the effort, you know, and what I mean by that is not effort to the quarterback or finishing your block here, but it is, man, I the ball is thrown, I'm bursting to the football to make a block or I'm the safety, I see it. So throw, I'm across the field, I'm angling off, and I'm so just the man the basics, the foundation of football without the contact is what we were looking for, and we hit that head-on. So I do like that. Um, and then I mentioned this earlier is just the I feel like we've done a good job of really testing each other um, schematically, formations, shifts, adjustments, defense, disguises. Those are all um those are all things that you can you can really improve on this time of year, you know, is your reaction time, your processing speed, and all these reps that we've learned and guys have learned from and made mistakes, whoever they are, when we start training camp, they'll be expected not to make those mistakes again. We what you already went through it or a teammate did, this should not come up again. That that's what we're that's what we're looking for.” Yeah. Along those lines, from how you felt about your roster when last season ended, which was a disappointment of course, but compare that to how you feel about your roster now, is it completely different? Is it still unknown? Like, did you get any revelations? “Well, we certainly we're younger than we were. Um, you know, and that there's good there's good things about that, you know, the youth. Um, and then there's things about it that that we're going to have to work through because it, as you know, it's about, you know, there's going to be a learning curve for some guys, you know, development and how fast they can go, but we're not going to let anybody hold us hostage. That's not going to happen. So, um, you know, I like the group we have. Nothing is set in stone. There's some guys that you feel pretty good about. I'd be shocked if they don't win their jobs. I think you guys know who those guys are. But we have a lot of open battles and our eyes are open and we're going to give these guys an opportunity and it's the guys that are the most consistent that can be trusted that do it time and time again that are the guys we're going to lean on and they're going to be part of that of the core group we have here.” When you say hostages, I know you don't mean it literally, but um, are you talking about guys that think they have a set position no matter what or? “Well, no. I think I think there there's always a balance when you get into the season of, you know, um, there could be a player that's a tick better. He he's an older player. He's a veteran player. But if you really feel like a young guy is learning from his mistakes and is growing, not making the same mistake twice, and you feel constant growth, at some point it's time to push them into that position and let them go because in about four weeks, they will be better and then they'll continue to grow from there. If that's not showing up, I don't care who those players are. We we're not going through it. We're not going to do it. Does that make sense?” Right. Right. You don't want you're not going to be hostage to a timeline if you're not meeting that timeline, I guess. Sort of. “Well, it's just we need to see growth. Like, we need to see development. You know, at some point, you can't wait anymore. It's not fair to everybody else on this roster or the coaches or us or anybody.” Just speaking specifically about yesterday, what did you like about seeing the defense get their hands on the football, especially in some periods that favor? “I think it was really good. You know, I it's good. you know, uh those were two really good situations and I you saw us get better defensively from there were some things that we learned over the last call it two or three weeks here cuz we've done similar situations to that and um that was good to see you know and look man Chuck made a couple of plays you know AB made a play in there Rolder is getting some knockdowns you know Jack's getting some punch outs I think that's what I like is man we're, you know, we're getting our hands on some footballs on defense, which was one of the things that we kind of emphasized going into this year. Um, you know, it's the takeaways and every team says it, but it's you got to make it happen.” Injuries obviously are a big theme last two seasons. Uh, like kind of looking ahead to training camp, is there anything that you're going to change structurally to kind of, you know, maybe potentially mitigate that? “Yeah, we're going to push it. We're going to push. That's what we do. And uh but we'll do it smart. Um you know, we got to get these guys ready for a season. There is a chance we play some of these guys in the preseason without the joint practices, you know. Um and so, you know, I'm going to do what I think is best to prepare these guys for 17 weeks. Um you know, but also understand that, man, we got to be smart about it and we can't break them in training camp. And so the approach will stay the same. you know it will and you got to get ready and you can't let fear of injury scare you away from what you believe in. Um, yep.” Big picture. You come off last year wasn't good enough. You sit down, you make a plan, you change your coaching staff, you change your roster, which you just talked about, understanding its potential, understanding the work has to be put in. Just your excitement level about the state of the organization right now as you kind of come to the close of this offseason. “Yeah, I'm excited. I am I feel really good. about where we're at right now knowing what we're getting into six weeks from now. I feel really good. I I feel great about the staff and I feel like we have the right we have the right type of players um that we're going to need to rely on and the surrounding spots, positions, area. Man, we've got some really good competition. I mean, some of the best we've had since I've been here in different areas. That's exciting. That's because there is no greater motivator than the guy who's pushing you. You know, he's trying to get what you think is yours. Um there's nothing better.” There was a uh there's a supplemental draft coming up. Um we haven't had that since you've been a coach. I think since you've been here, do you have any idea if you guys would be interested at all uh you know, in using a future pick and you guys did have the gambling suspensions a couple years ago. How would that impact the evaluation? “All I could tell you is that we look at everything. Brad looks at everything and so nothing is off the docket. So our eyes are open. Doesn't mean we will make a move or we won't. Who was who did I miss? Yes, sir.” David Shaw mentioned yesterday that you guys have kind of trimmed down the offense at this time last year just to home in on the things that you do well and maybe not overload guys too early. Can you explain what went into that decision from your perspective? Maybe Drews as well? “Well, I think a lot of it is man, what are the things you really feel like um that you that you can hang your hat on? you're going to want to hang on it. Our we already know our guys do well. We're not going to go away from those. So, let let's trim it down a little bit in that regard. But then, it's kind of what I mentioned. We're doing a lot of the same things, but man, we there's so much different. It's same girl, different skirt. You know what I mean? It So, it's the shifts, it's the motions, it's the turbos, it's the stacks, it's the stack inverted, it's the And so, the presentation for the defense is different. You make them have to talk. you make them have to communicate to adjust on the run, you know, and so it's just enough sometimes. That's where you got to be disciplined on defense, right? You're trying to stress those guys. Um, and so that's what the uptick has been. Okay, the playbook is kind of reduced to right now, but we've done a lot more bells and whistles with it, which is good. Thanks, D. Thanks, man. Thanks. Good summer. Hey, hey, hey.” Lions Assistant Coaches Media Scrum Assistant Coaches Minicamp Day 2 Press Conference Kacy Rodgers – Run game Coordinator/Defensive Line Opening Statement: How you guys doing? Good. Good. Y'all don't have any questions there? I'll see y'all later. How does a guy like uh Aiden Hutchinson get better? Like when you guys have that that meeting at the end of the year, like a guy's an all pro, right? 14 sacks and everything else. Like how does a guy like that continue to reach another level year after year after year when he's already? “Well, a player like Aiden is never satisfied. He is always constantly trying to improve, steadily working on his game. So cuz he's so self-motivated, he'll continue to improve.” Shep has noted how much uh more length there is in the edge position. Okay. What might that length allow you guys to do differently this year? “Well, with the length came a lot of more we feel like a lot more athleticism. So that'll give us the opportunity to play different packages and throw a lot of different looks at uh defenses where more than been more traditionals. You got two big guys inside. You got two out ends outside. You can have four ends out there. You can have three ends in a backer. You can have three ends and a tackle. It just gives us more flexibility on defense.” Dan mentioned Anthony Lucas last week as a guy, you know, popped a little bit just for a young guy, right? What do you What do you like about him? “Well, the thing I we just talked about the other day, he's kind of been a pleasant surprise for me when we got him on. I didn't, you know, when I was looking, I didn't think there's no way this guy was going to be available in free agency when I'm just watching him play. And then the thing is he just start growing and moving up everybody list in the building and before you know it, he's here. Now that he's here, you know, you flashes some of the things that we saw on tape like this guy got a chance. He's really just scratching the surface, but when you look start looking at the skill set, you want as many of those type guys as you can have.” You start coaching over the years, you said that, you know, the ideal pass rush base for Aiden Hutchinson, the crush the can type of guy. Do you still feel that way? “I mean, I feel like uh Aiden just been around a lot of different rushers throughout my career. He has a real toolbox. You know, he can go speed to power. He can go up and under. He has counter moves. He can rush from the right side. He rushed from the left side. I don't know if you noticed throughout the year, he rushed from in the middle. His versatility to me is really growing. I think he's probably a really versatile rusher.” Does it allow you guys to do more on that other side or get more creative with the second? “Exactly right without really jumping in the game plan when you have him and you can do whatever you want to on the other side then you run the problems with here and know you kind of notice just looking at stats he was ranked really high up there in the chips and nudges. So now with having the ability to move him in different spots kind of run away from some of that and keep him on one-on- ones.” Kacy, you guys lost two defensive linemen. We played a ton in in the A gap last year specifically and PJ and Roy. Who do you see filling that void this year? “Well, right now, you know, till we get to camp is we're going to be that's hard duty first of all because we were fortunate enough last year to have two guys I felt like were starting tier caliber guys in the NFL backing each other up. So, that's a good problem to have. And then when you look at what we got now, we got some young talented guys that we're kind of feeling around to see what we what they can do and we feel like we'll be okay.” Feel like Tyliek is someone that can help. “Well, with Tyliek so far this spring, he's had a really good spring going in and it's just the transition. The thing is we got to see when the live bullets, it's hard to really evaluate it just running around in shorts right now. And then the thing is I have to step back, and you got to coach him from the standpoint of you had two veteran noses that certain things you didn't have to coach. It came with the territory and number of years of experience. So now you got a guy that never played the position before. So the transition but he has the skill set. So that's definitely a given. So you know we now we got to coach him. You know what in a perfect world we just got to see how it unfolds. And once we kind of get everybody we got Levi back. You got we got some moving parts. We got some in type guys. We got We got some moving parts. We, you know, once we get to camp and the pads come on, as we always do, some people are going to separate themselves, but right now I think is we have a good problem to figure out.” How does Levi fit into the mix? Obviously, a different player than just your loss. “Well, when you when you look at Levi, he's just kind of the way we play. I say a jack of all trades. We have what we call the big end position. He definitely can do that. You know, if we had to move him in nose, I believe he could do that. Can play three technique and then you got Mac back. So that's like I say you got some moving parts there which is a good problem to have. So it' be interesting to see how it all unfolds.” How does Lacy fit into that mix too? He's gotten a lot of run here with the first guy. Another guy that was versatile did a number of different things for you. What you like? “No doubt getting Lacy in the mid-year like we did last year and he kind of jumped on and picked up the scheme and just took off and kind of ran with it. And so far I thought he's having a really good spring. So, he's another piece that adds another piece that's going to make probably some hard decisions for Dan and Brad down the road.” In what ways do you feel the line is better off this year? “Well, when I look at us right now, the first thing that jumps off me is the athleticism cuz, you know, really in this league, those guys, you can't have enough athletes on defense anyway. And then the length that some of these guys have and then we'll see once the pads get on get on if these guys can translate. You know, you would love if you say you have the ability to put four defensive ends out there at one time or three tackles in one end or just the different packages you can come up with and cause problems for the other side of the ball. You can dictate what protections you get, which way the turn is. We can put these over here and put Hutch over there. Now, what will they do? You know, it just give you the flexibility to do things that you like to do, be able to do deeper, right?” But let's fade the four-time pressure rate. I think you guys were second worst in the NFL back. What can you do to get to the quarterback quick? “You know what that's to me when I look at I don't really look at a whole lot of it like that, but that to me that's kind of a from the structure that we play cuz you go from a low pressure rate to fourth in the league in sacks. Which one you want? There you go. They you know, so I'm like we were finishing the play. Finishing the play. So what we, you know, we want to play defense on our terms. You know what I'm saying? And it's all relative, too. You know, when you go pressure rate, look at the teams you were playing, how many sacks were they giving up. So it's all relative. It's all relative.” What was the biggest area of growth you've seen from Hassanein? “You know what, with our mid, the thing is he's gotten bigger and stronger in the off season. And right now, we're kind of making him we're transitioning from the rush position, which we got a lot, to the big end position. And with his size and stuff, you know what? He's been a pleasant surprise this spring. He obviously came in here with a lot of energy. Then he kind of went through the tough season last year with the end of the week. Just where's his mindset at this time of year? “Right. He just wants to play. This guy just wants to play, help the team. Coach just put me wherever. You know, you can't have a hund of those. You're going to have a good team. You know, he just wants to do whatever asked of him and go from there.” Why do you see him potentially having success uh transitioning to big end? “Well, the thing is with the big end, say right now when you start listening to that, he might be the most athletic big end where some of those guys maybe 20 pounds bigger than he is. So that's going that's another good problem to have athleticism versus the size kind of play the game.” Given this situation that stay get that pass rush going consistently? Well, no doubt. You know, anytime, you know, you would love to say we can sit here, we can just rush for and that's, but in today's NFL, that's not necessarily always the case. “You know, it when you talking pressure, how can you generate it? Is it simulated pressures? Is it six-man pressures, five-man, four, three? You can get pressure with three. So, it's just a lot of different ways, but the more versatility we have gives us the opportunity to do a lot of different things like that.” Kacy, what are the more guys like the important sort of nextgen stats here? You know, time to pressure, quick pressure. What sort of things do you look at and maybe tell you how well a player is producing beyond the… “Thing when we look at it, I want to see, are you winning one-on- ones? Cuz you can win a one-on-one and they get the ball off. So, you didn't get the pressure, but you didn't have an opportunity to pressure. So, we I really, as we look at it, it doesn't hold a lot of water to me unless he's sitting back there baking a cake. Then, that's an issue. But otherwise that co when you look at certain things and criteria people judge off and I'm watching the tape they would by PFLF standards that's a pressure and he didn't even get close. So that's what I'm saying. I don't the analytics part of it. We don't I want to see are you whipping somebody physically and if you win in your one-on-one everything else will take care of themselves.” Win rate essentially. “When there you go more of a win rate. Let me see how many are you. Are you stuck on the line or are you winning? Cuz you can win and not you have 20 wins but no sacks and everybody say you can't rush the quart. I'm winning. He just got the ball off. We can't control when it's quick game or when there's full slide protection. We rushing forward and they block in seven. So we don't really control what we can control.” With Tyliek. I know you want to wait to get the pads on to see where he's physically but how have you seen his understanding of the game kind of evolve? “Tyliek is highly intelligent. You know you're no one ever talk highly intelligent. The transition, the mental part of it is good. The thing of his just a learning curve when you talk about veteran noses who done been in the league 8, nine years that knows they can do certain things in their sleep. He's been there two months, a month, you know, so that's will be the learning curve, but the skill set's there, so, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out.” Deshea Townsend – Pass Game Coordinator/Defensive Back What have you seen? “Oh, man. just the just the ability to compete, you know, especially at the level that we're at now where you don't have a lot of pads on and the rules or restrictions of how much you can press or not press, but just seeing them work, you know, um that that mentality of competing, that's what you're looking for right now.” It's been a hard luck first two seasons for Ennis just from an injury perspective. Just what have you seen from him this spring and going into his third season? Is he in a position if he stays healthy that he can kind of carve out a role and help you guys? “Oh man, his he most definitely u the role is there for him if he can stay healthy. But his body has changed. You know, you can see physically how much how much mass and strength he's put in the shoulder and neck area, which is important. Um but you know, just staying healthy, that's going to be big for him, but he his body most definitely looks different.” Keith Abney, we've uh heard the plan is inside for him a little bit. Just from your perspective, like what fits him without being able to handle that role? “Man, I think the most the thing that impresses me the most is the mental side. Like he has picked up a lot of things and he's able to take it from the classroom to the field, which is really important for a young player and uh it's been impressive to see him handle that that role in in in the way that he's handling it. But inside is probably better suited for him, but he's smart enough to play outside as well. So, I'm excited to see him compete.” But Terrion, how have you viewed his mindset overall this spring after year where he had dealt with a lot of injuries? “TA is most definitely the mindset is good. You know, the mentality I'm sure he's ready to get out there and play, but um you know, he's been working at it. Been doing a lot of things off the field mentally to help him get prepared and especially cuz he's not able to do everything on the field with all the group, but he's been doing what it's been asked and he's been doing at a high level.” You looking forward to the competition for that nickel, a number of guys McCreary, Avonte. It looks like that's really going to work itself out. “It is. It is. And that and that's what we want. You know, that's one thing that that Dan and Brad have done a good job of getting uh people and guys in there to compete and that's only going to make all of us better. And that's one thing that we believe in and that's a good group to go in there and somebody to earn a job. Somebody's going to take it, you know, looking forward to it.” How critical is that position? “Yeah. Oh man, it's most definitely uh important, especially we had a guy like Amik last year who was really a really good player for us and now it's just the next man up. But uh that that that position is kind of, you know, how I was brought up in kind of the quarterback of the defense for a lot of especially for us because they do a lot of communicating. They do a lot of speaking of who's running, setting the setting the defense in a lot of ways. So it's a very important position.” We've seen the defense play a lot of press man coverage. We're hearing maybe a little bit more nickel this year. What are the early challenges about maybe a little bit of different coverages that this this secondary might deploy this year? “Well, you know, I think the biggest part is just the run game. You know, we we're most definitely have used linebackers um in some of those position and that's going to be the biggest part because our first and foremost job is stopping the run. So, those guys have to be physically able and ready to go um to do that job.” Woke up late. Sorry, it's been asked about Terrion already, but you know the uh obviously the injury stuff last year's inability to get on the field. What does he have to do to earn back the trust the starting spot really? “Yeah. I No, I just think the biggest thing is just getting back out there. You know, it's tough when you're when you're, you know, you're rehabbing and wanting to do things, but you know, that's just a part of it until he's out there full time is, you know, you have to go earn it. But he's doing everything off the field to get himself ready, but on the field is just limited to things that he can do. So, he'll get his job back when he gets back out there. But, he's got to get back out there first.” Rock was such a good pickup for you guys. Some good snaps. How awesome was it just to be able to get him back this season? I don't know if you guys expect him to be able to, right? “No, the depth piece is always important, especially at corner. You know, it's tough to find bodies to go out there and actually do what we asked those guys to do, and Rock came in and did an excellent job. But that's who he is. He's a pro. Uh he's diligent. He works the right way. You know, I wouldn't expect anything less. And I'm so happy to have him back because I thought his, you know, for us to get him back, that was a that was a good move for us to get a player like that with the ability to play and the experience that he has and the type of leader he is good for our role. What do you think of the depth overall at the cornerback spot? The safety spot looks deep, too. It just looks from the outside in that you're much deeper, younger, talented secondary. “I think that's what that Dan talked about earlier on especially with us and is just to bring competition like that's the most important thing that we can have is guys competing hungry ready to go earn a spot and I think that's the depth that we have and we're able to do that and like I we all believe that that makes you a better team that makes you a better unit uh it keeps everybody hungry and working in practice and that's what it's going to take to get us to the uh to over that hump.” Get into that a little bit but what sort of chip do you sense on that showing his problem. “Oh man. Well, first off, Ennis is most definitely not a friendly guy first off. He's a good dude, but he is he has a chip on his shoulder just, you know, who he who he is uh me his mentality is anyway. But, um I think he's hungry. You know, I know he's, you know, first he's frustrated, you know, because he hadn't been able to be out there and play, but I know he's ready to go and he works that way.” Clearly got clearly got some more experience last year was a Whiteside. Have you seen him grow this spring? how much you're looking forward to seeing. “That's just the depth. Like you got guys that have played in games and that's what you want. It's not like you're guessing on what you're getting. You know what you're going to get from those guys and so another year in the system, you know, another year of competing is he's going to be better. Um and just, you know, that's the thing about the NFL. You got to have guys to go out there and compete and he's another one that's capable of playing and it's going to push everybody else in the room.” Give me early impressions of Roger since he's been out here. “Yeah, you know, just a vet a vet that can, you know, his strong suit is playing man and that's what we need. Um, you know, he's giving us another competitive piece that's inside and he's all could play outside because that's what that's what he was drafted to do at Tennessee. So, he's a capable veteran that's going to push the entire room.” Seemed like DJ was a guy who just benefited from getting the offseason to get himself healthy. What have you seen from. “Man, he's been good. you know, it's been good uh the way that he's able to move. You see his speed back, you know, you see him changing direction, all those things. And he's back to where, you know, kind of what we saw on the Jets film, you know, pre-injury, you know, cuz before he got hurt during the season, he was playing at a very high level. So, just excited to have him back and as especially for him, uh the mentality that he is healthy and I know he feels that way. So, that's important. How much do the injuries to the safeties affect the way the cornerbacks have to play and prepare? “Uh, well, this is first and foremost a very safety friendly defense. You know, those guys are able to make a lot of communications. They're able to help us out in a lot of spots. And I think uh for us, you know, that that piece of where those guys are like Chuck, Avonte, Izzy, like those guys are picking up and not missing a beat. So, so for us it's important for us to know where they are, but it's also understanding the call and those guys are doing a good job of communicating with us so far this this offseason.” Seeing it from the other side of the field, how special can the wide receiver unit be this year? “Man, those guys are an issue every day. You know, it's the same issue as last year. So, those, you know, J Mo and Tesla and coach St. Brown, those are, you know, coming to work every day. We're seeing three of the top guys in the NFL. So, we can only get better.” Shep and Dan have kind of talked about that offseason defensive deep dive. Yeah. But what were some of your takeaways from that time? You've been going to look back on the defense and try to find answers. I guess from… “I think for me, man, like and what I kind of believed is you've been telling the guys, if we can buy one yard a play, we're going to be a whole lot better. You know what I'm saying? If it's a thousand snaps in the game and you buy one yard, you get back by one yard, it's going to significantly help the defense. And every player can see how they can get one play better or one yard better. And so, I think guys are kind of bought into that that deep dive for us, especially as a coach. It made me want to teach more about talk more technique, you know, more of the little things so the details so the guys can be better and that's what we're here for.” Back to question just since you see the different angle Scotty talking about this yesterday, but Tesla, have you what sort of growth have you seen from him that maybe challenges you’re going back to different? “I think he's learned how to run routes. You know, I think I'm sure Scotty's doing a good job of just understanding how to use his size and advantage and not be so full speed on every play. So, you see him adding some repertoire to his route running game, that's going to make it more even more effective because he is he can run by you and he can highpoint it. But now, when he adds the running the route part to it is only going to make him a better player, you know, especially being around Sane and J Mo, those guys I'm sure are helping him. But he's becoming a much better route runner.” Trickle down for your group when they see, you know, and I'm others. “All right. No doubt. What he can do with this speed with this ability, how does that help your…that's what we're going to see every Sunday, you know, and you're not seeing a group that's going to be better than what you face every day. So, if you perfect your craft out here, it's going to help you when it's time to go play.” Another year running the operation. How have you seen Shep grow in the time he means everything? “Well, Shep is sharp. You know, that's one thing. He's he was already detailed and I think he's pushing us as coaches like he's making us better coaches and I think that was the step from year one to two is how he pushes us to go excel and then what he demands from us as a staff to give him every day and I think that was a big step for him.” Shep talked about playing more nickel this year. What does that change for you and your guys this? “No, like I just said earlier, it's probably a little bit more in the run game. Um because typically when we roll nickel out there, we sure it's heavy pass, but for now, if we're going to play more nickel, those guys have to be more in tune to run game. And what they're going to try to attack us with is probably more runs and play action off of that. So, I think that's the biggest part. when you do um deploy a smaller guy in there line up.” Totally on you, but the um do you have a sense for what the plan is for Kerby specifically when it comes to practicing how much he needs or doesn't need to get back on the field this year? “You know, if it was up to me, just get him to Sunday. That's all I need. You know what I'm saying? But it's on the head coach. It's on it's on it's on how he feels and what Coach Campbell deems whatever he needs. All right. Appreciate it.” David Corrao – Sr Defensive Assistant/Outside Linebackers A lot of young linebackers, they're better going forward than going back. I think that's just naturally versus. But Jimmy's made a couple plays out here on drops. Maybe that wasn't his resume coming in coverage. Was there What have you seen from him early just kind of in identifying, evaluating, and making some plays behind him? “I mean, he's a young player still in the process of learning what we do. And I think it's to sit there and say he's really gotten anywhere. I mean, we're still here in our pajama party, as Dan likes to call it. So, what we want to see from him is the recognition, the running, the huddle, uh, lining the defense up, see putting his eyes in the right place, and then when he does that, you see the fruits of it in that rep, those reps where he's got those interceptions. We just want to keep see him stay on that trajectory and keep developing as a young player.” How valuable was it just coming from Michigan, playing in the pro style system that they had? How much does that help the pay player acclimate quickly to an NFL locker room, NFL classrooms and field? “I think I think because every defense has different, they're not all the same, but I think that gives those Michigan guys kind of a prerequisite of understanding. They understand conceptually how an NFL defense worked. So, I do I do think it gives them a little bit, but at the same time, you get they got to be on the same pace as everybody else. I don't think it gives them so much of an advantage that it keeps them ahead of other guys because the speed at which we operate, the speed at which NFL offenses operate, they're going to put pressure on rookies no matter where they come from.” When you see the uh when you look across and see the offense, you know, how difficult is it to prepare for them now? Just the camouflage looks that they present. “Oh, I think Abney is doing an outstanding job. uh they're putting us in a lot of situations where we're already into the mode of we got to have answers. You know, we build our defense within the structure of our rules. We give our players, this is your assignment, this is your alignment. Here's your keys, your reads, but then we've got to make these adjustments and we got to make sure that we have easy rules for these guys to operate with. and Drew is constantly putting pressure on us every day with shifts, motions, new alignments, new plays that it's already putting us into a mode of this is what we're going to see from these advanced NFL offenses. Basically, it put you in the deep end of the pool right out of the gate.” How challenging is that when you basically have the same formation, same play essentially, but then it's just you've got these variations off of it that can really kind of, you know, again… ”Well, you're back to you're back to what are your rules? Like how do I get lined up? Where do my eyes need to be? And then what am I looking at? And what is it telling me? And then you should be able to react based on you know what you're supposed to do. And then no matter what the offense does, you should have a reaction already in plan in place. And that's where we want to get to the point where our guys know what we're doing and they're worrying less about what they're doing. And then we get to coach more on how to do it. And I think that's where Drew is challenging us is we know what we do. So, we got to get ahead of this curve and help our guys improve every day on how they're doing what they're doing.” Because the offense is forcing you into the deep end of it. And because it's year two under Shep, does the defense feel more advanced, more mature at this time than it was last year at the same time? “Well, I mean, advanced year two, I mean, obviously, we're going to be uh, you know, we're going to try to be more in depth and more advanced in year two because, you know, the, you know, you go back to the continuity of our coaching staff, right? It's the first time in as long as I can remember where we have the exact same coaching staff from one year to the next. So, that allows us to drill down. Again, we're back to we're not spending as much time on what we're doing, but now we get more time on how to do it. And then that's the pressure the offense is putting on us is again, we're already in this mode of coaching to give our players answers. We're not in the mode of just line up and play basic football. These guys, this is the NFL. Like, the offense isn't just going to line up and show us what they're doing. So, we have to uh ingrain in our players to anticipate when things are going to move, when things are going to change, and the more we can do that, the better off we'll be in the long run.” In what ways do you feel like you guys can improve the pass rush? I mean, is it just a matter of personnel or is it are there schematic things that you feel like you guys can do to kind of bolster that area? “Well, you're always trying to improve personnel, right? It's an old coach once told me in the NFL, you you're either getting better or you're getting worse. You're not staying the same. So the introduction of new players, their skill set, we still got to figure out who can do what and where, and that's what this process is all about. And then when we figure out what we have and what we can do, then we'll put together a plan that helps, you know, to sit there and say, "Oh, schematically we're going to do this on pass rush." I think we're way too early to sit there and say, "This is what we are." We don't know what we are yet. We haven't even put shoulder pads on yet.” With a young player like Erick Hunter making a pretty large jump in level of competition, what's kind of the early steps of development that you really focus on to make sure that he can have the best possible training camp he can have as a as a first-year player? “Well, I think exposure to the bigger jump in in levels that he's dealing with coming from where he came from. Um, I think he's done a great job. Uh he's an excellent young man to work with and I think he's just got to keep being that sponge that soaks up any and all information. You know, be the guy that learns from your mistakes and don't be repeating mistakes and then that's how he's going to improve as a player. But I you know, again, we're out here in shorts and t-shirts. So if that based on that, you kind of everything's an open-ended. We'll see when we get the pads on.” A player like Alex is tough. doesn't matter where you are, but to have a security blanket like Rodriguez who's one been in the scheme for a really long time and has started reps, how valuable is that for you as a coach? “Again, that's the core of the guys that we have that have been here. Uh getting Malcolm back to where he was before the injury. Um you know, that's part of that whole process of us spending time coaching the how to, right? We're not, we don't with a player like Malcolm, we're trying to spend less time on the what because he's a more advanced, developed veteran. Now he gets to worry about the how, my feet, my hands. Look at this play. What's my reaction? Did I key this right? Did I get to the right landmark? All the little nuance details that speed a player up when they're no longer thinking about that.” Is Derrick Barnes turning more into a leader now? “I hope so. I mean, you know, I think Derrick's what in his sixth year now? So, you know, you see some growth. You know, again, we've still got a long way to go here and I'm excited to see where Derek goes where, you know, he's now made some plays in big games for us in the past and he's got to be that guy that is a is a reliable player for us that we can count on and hang some things on his hat to help us win.” He has more pace than maybe last season. obviously leaving a lot of things off incorporate more nickel. How much is Jack's uh growth in past coverage to also give you guys maybe more flexibility to do that? “Well, I mean whether we play bass, whether we play nickel, I think a lot of that is still to be determined. You know, that's part of the process where, you know, there's going to be 10 other guys on the field besides Jack. You know, Jack is a rare player. you know, you know, the amount of football that that guy plays for us and the way he plays, you know, I mean, if we had nine, 10 guys just like that, yeah, we can do whatever we want, but not everybody's like that. And so, we got to figure out, okay, what else is out there? And that's part of this process in any given situation. What does the offense have in the game? What's the best 11 players for us to put on the field to give ourselves a chance for success” Shep has talked about Derek's ability to play five positions on the field and do it. We've seen kind of his role change based on year to year what you need to plug him in and play with Alex again. Is there more opportunity for off-ball stuff for Derek in his season? “Yeah, I mean that that that all remains to be seen. I mean, we're not we're not getting into that. I mean, every guy on the depth chart has this is where you're going to start and this is where your starting point in base. We don't even call it a depth chart, right? It's a position chart. So, here's what you need to learn in base. Here's what you need to learn in nickel. And then as the rest of the team develops, we'll figure out who can do what and when.” Jim O’Neil – Assistant Head Coach/Safeties What have you thought about the depth, especially the veteran depth that you guys have added there? It seems like that room is much deeper than you were at this point last year. “Yeah. No, I agree. I think that uh if there's one thing we've added is competition. So, if you ask me right now what it's going to look like week one, I have no idea. But, um you know, between Chuck, Avonte, Harp, um uh Izzy, you know what I mean? We got a lot of guys that have banked a lot of a lot of reps in this league. Uh and we got a lot of guys that that have a chip on the shoulder because this is they're all on one-year deals. So, it's going to be a highly competitive uh training camp. You know, we've kind of soaked all four of those guys with reps, especially Izzy and Chuck to try to catch them up to where Harp and uh and Avonte are mentally. And it'll be an all-out battle once we get into training camp.” A little bit more security just from your sense knowing that you got some veteran guys. I think Izzy and Chuck have started 95 games in this league. So, you know, you got guys that have played. Is there just a little bit more comfort level with you just knowing that you've got a little bit out there, too? “Absolutely. And the thing that I like the most about those guys is they fit our culture and there's a lot of guys that are playing in the NFL that are good enough to play in the NFL, but they might not be able to play for us because they don't fit our culture and both those guys do. So, they're two great additions.” How much communication have you had with like Brian and Kerby for all those? “Oh, every day. Every I love I love both those guys. I mean, they're two those guys. They're so different and they're two of my favorite guys that I've ever coached in football. But, um I mean, I'm sure you guys have been out there. You see them on the sideline. They're in it. We've been meeting extra with both of them. It's driving them both crazy not to be out there on the grass. Uh so, they're both highly motivated to get back and they're doing everything that they can uh to get back. So, uh, those guys are doing an awesome job.” Just as I walk there a little bit, Kirby's out there with a call sheet yesterday. We see him kind of, I don't want to say running a drill, but participating in, you know, running a drill. Like, you know, how hard is it to pull the reins back on a guy like that that's just so desperate to get back into the. “Well, no, I think they got a great plan for him. We're doing everything we can with them in meetings. Um, you know, if you ask Kerby, you know, before he retires, he's going to be a backup quarterback somewhere in the NFL, which I don't see that happening, but, you know, but no, they they've been great and they're into it. Um, you know, like they, you know, we've even gone back and watched stuff from two, three years ago just to keep them interested in in some extra meeting stuff. So, those guys are awesome. They're awesome.” Specifically, with Kerby, do you anticipate like he'll practice every other day and practice back-to-back days? Like once you get into camp, “I don't know. I don't know. I know he's doing everything he can to get back as soon as he can. Um Dan and the medical staff have a plan. So, whatever that plan is, that's how we'll go for it and we'll execute it.” I guess follow up. A veteran guy like that, does he need does a guy like Kerby need I guess what's your perspective from a poetry of a guy dealing so much? Does he need to practice? “Yeah, you can't every day. Yeah. No, maybe not every day, but you need to practice. You can't take a year off of football and expect to go play at an all-pro level. So, and that that's everybody at every position. I mean, you need to practice to get the timing to get have the chemistry. I mean, we got a lot of new guys, so absolutely he needs to practice. Does he need to do it every day? Probably not.” There's going to be so much focus on those guys health and specifically Kerby. You got some pretty good, you know, guys behind them, too. Just, you know, maybe it's a tough one to answer, but at what level does he need to be at in order to be better a better option than those backups? You know what I mean? “If Kirby or Brian Branch is healthy enough to practice, those are starting safeties.” You picked up a new title here. You opened up new coordinator in this league college. But just curious, you know, what does it mean that the organization made that effort to retain you and then what new responsibilities have come with that? “It I mean I obviously had some opportunities this past offseason. So um anytime an organization, you know, wants to keep you around and I'm not a big title guy, so it is what it is. But it does feel good to be want to be, you know, when the brass and they want to keep you around. So I if my opinion's asked a little bit more, that's awesome, you know. But I, you know, anything I can do to support Dan, to support Shep, um, you know, that's what I'm going to do. I love it here. My family loves it here. And, um, we got unfinished business here. So, I'm glad I'm back. I'm glad I'm back.” You guys spent a lot of resources. Fortifying the depth kind of makes it a tough run for someone like Dan Jackson who lost that rookie season. How's he kind of responded to that challenge for competition in that room? And I guess where do you see some growth there with him? “Yeah, he missed a lot of reps because he got hurt pretty early on in training camp last year. Um, the thing that's fortunate with Dan though is he's not a high rep guy. He's really smart. He's really cerebral. He's a guy you can make an adjustment to on the sideline and he'll go out and execute at the next play. So, it's not going to hurt him as much as it would some other guys, but obviously he's got some catching up to do because of all the time that he's missed. So, it, like I said, you know, you got a Aamaris Brown, you got Lauren Strickland, we haven't even talked about those guys. So, it's going to be a hell of a battle and as a coach, that's all you can ask for. You know, you might see different guys run with the ones every single day of training camp through the first two weeks, which is great because the best ones will play. And then when Brian and Kirby come back, if those other guys earn a role for themselves, they're going to play, too. Shep's going to find a way to get the best 11 on the field.” Chuck and Christian, they've played every position within the safety realm. We've seen you flip them kind of the strong weak side stuff here, strong three stuff here. So when you're trying to figure out what they do best, how much of that is scheme specific? Like just figuring out how they best use those skills within what you guys do? “Yep. Well, I think that's a lot what the spring's been about. Like we've gone out in days and say, "All right, Chuck, you stay left. Izzy, you stay right. We've gone out some days and say, "All right, all the down safety defenses, Izzy, we want you down. We want Chuck. Then you flip it on them and then you go back and you evaluate it all. Obviously, as we get closer to uh to game planning and stuff, you're going to put those guys in the best position to make plays. So, if Izzy's better down in the box than he is high, we're going to try to we're going to try to highlight that stuff with him. Um but, you know, if you get Kerby and BB back at different times, you know, if you're out there playing with Kirby, you're going to be down more. If you're out there playing with BB, you're going to be high more. So, we're going to play off those guys, too. So, it's important. You just can't say Izzy, you're always down. Chuck, you're always high. And then you get out there, you play with Kerb, and it might be opposite. or you play with BB and it might be opposite. So, um, those guys have done a great job. Uh, I'll throw Thomas Harper into that, too. Like last year, Harp played a lot of reps for us, right? But it was mostly at deep safety, right? So, this whole off season was getting him comfortable down playing in the box some, right? Just in case he's out there with somebody who's better playing deep safety, so he can do both. So, he's taking a big step um for us. So, I'm like I said, it's going to be it's going to be a great competition. All those guys have a chip on their shoulder. Uh I expect a hell of a training camp out of all.” You mentioned a couple times. There's like there's more problem solving going on at this time than there was last year on both sides of the ball. Like offensive defense putting each other in conflict more often. How have you felt that happen? “So just with football in general nowadays, right, offenses are doing so much pre- snap and forcing communication. So, um, you know, we you talk a lot about guys who can be a racers post snap. There's also guys that can be a racers pre- snap and make guys around them better by communicating. Like Chuck Clark is unbelievable. Avonte Maddox is unbelievable as far as their anticipation pre- snap and being able to communicate with the nickel, the corner or the linebackers. And that allows Shep now to maybe go into every play with the two play calls. Or hey, you know, if they're in shotgun, we want to be in this. If they're a quarterback under center, we want to do this. If they're three by one, we want to do this. If it's 2 by two, you want to do You can't do that if you don't have smart guys. So having smart guys allows Shep to be more creative with his play calling. And it allows Shep to be right more than he's wrong because he can give those guys the flexibility, all right, along with Jack Campbell, all right, to be the alphas in the back end and get us where we need to be in the best position to make plays. But that is huge in today's football game. Like you can't just single play call, line up and play or hey, my eyes are here. There's multiple levels to every call and there's multiple things happening before the ball's even snapped. When did you feel that shift across the league? Like always needing more than… ” Yeah, I so I felt like uh you know I was at I was with the Raiders in in 2020 and I felt like the motioning and stuff really started to amp up and then obviously I was out of the league for three years when I was in college football and then when I came back it was like it's every play and that's the whole the Shanahan influence, the McVey influence of everything. So they're forcing they're forcing guys into positions that they're not normally in like Nicholls in the box playing linebacker and they're forcing communication amongst the defense which makes it harder on us. But you know with Drew we get it before every play. So it's great that we're getting it. So we're seeing who can handle and who cannot. You got to be able to process fast to play especially safety or linebacker or nickel anywhere in the middle of the defense um in this scheme you know and for us. So, it's a challenge, but it's good to see that those guys can do it.” Just building on that a little bit, but just specifically as it relates to Chuck, the value of the leadership, the experience, the knowhow that he adds. I mean, apart from the physical skills that he brings to the opposition, what do you what do you get from just having that comfort level having? “Well, first I love the fact that he's got a chip on his shoulder. I mean, this time last year, he was sitting on his couch, right? And now he's here running with the first group. So, so that's one, right? and every rep to him is meaningful. Like he appreciates being here. Um I think he is he is stone cold serious about football and he takes he takes notes like he's a rookie. Um but how he can anticipate out on the grass and how quickly he can process and like I said make guys around him better I is a quality that's hard to evaluate unless you have them actually in the building like that. That's really hard to evaluate in the draft. That's really hard to evaluate in free agency because you're not experiencing that firsthand. And there's not a lot of what of what I call alpha communicators in the back seven. He's one of them. Like he can run the whole show. He can run it all back there. So, I've been really impressed with him to answer your question and I think he'll really help us as the season goes on. Have you seen him smile yet? Shep said he's never seen him smile. “I saw him smile when he had an interception yesterday. So outside of that, he's serious and like I said, he knows he's fighting for his NFL life and him with some other guys in that room, they're fighting every day for their NFL life and it's highly competitive and we should get the best out of all of them, the best version of themselves, so.” Shawn Dion-Hamilton - Linebackers As you uh get ready to kind of break for the offseason here, what are you just thinking about the progress of your room and what the defense is for? “Uh, I think it's been a bunch of progress, you know, um, for sure. Like, uh, picking back from where we left off at last season, uh, obviously a bunch of new guys. Uh, I think we've, uh, made some good strides, uh, going into this last, uh, minicamp day or whatever. Uh, excited to see guys come back, see how they retain information, uh, coming back for training camp.” What's the dynamic of the room change with Alex gone now? Obviously was here for a long time, a big leader for those guys. “Um it for sure has changed, you know, but I think that what comes with change is opportunity for growth, you know. So now you get to see uh Jack who's going into his fourth year, you know, you get to truly see, okay, the leadership step up, you know, and you know, he's not the little brother anymore, you know, with the veteran like an Anzo. You get to see guys like D Barnes, you get to see Malcolm, you get to see guys who we sign in free agency drafted. You get to see guys grow, you know. So I love it, man. you know, I get to challenge these guys to be uncomfortable, you know, and tap into roles that maybe you hadn't done, you know, in in years past.” Our impressive has been Rolder? “He he's been good, you know, still has a lot of room for growth, you know, but I'm pretty good with where he is now, you I just continue to challenge him like day in and day out, you know, where it's always a learning curve uh for rookies, you know, coming from college football to the pros, you know. Um but I'm excited to work with him and uh it's going to be a lot of meat on the bone, a lot of things that he can grow uh coming into training camp. Think he'll have a good player.” He made that play yesterday, too. Where have you seen the most? “Um, I'll probably say uh just probably as a total football player. I think one thing that uh specifically linebackers, you know, in this league is different because of uh offenses in the NFL can't do what guys do in college, you know. So, a lot of starring from square one like, hey, okay, you don't see this formation in the NFL, you know, you may see this in college. So just trying to work with him as far as understanding, okay, like the big picture as far as an offense, understanding like, okay, how they're attacking us, what's the weaknesses in the defense and all that type of stuff. But I've seen a tremendous growth with him, uh, primarily from just like the understanding football, NFL football concepts primarily.” He was known as a pretty stout run defender in college, but didn't get to play much in in coverage. Where do you where do you see his instincts, his ability in that that area coverage specifically? “Um, you know what? I can't wait to see when training camp comes. I mean, you know, now, uh, we're OTAs and things like that. You know, we can't get too nitty-gritty, you know, out of just protection of the players. So, I think that you'll really see like the instincts cuz it's not just a seven-on-seven lead. So, you get to see, you know, in the run game and in the pass game, see how those are tied together.” There was a big uh kind of emergence of, you know, the multi tight end since last season. What does that change the responsibilities of the linebacker? Maybe what you have to prepare for this time of year, assuming that trend continues and more tight end usage across. “Um, you know, I always tell the linebackers, man, you know, it's a passing league, you know, it's an offensive minded league, you know, so I'm always preaching to the guys, man, you got to be ready to go and knock somebody out on first and second down, and then you got to be ready to cover a tight end on third down. Nowadays, I mean, teams giving us a bunch of 13 personnel, teams can have 13 personnel that play like 12 personnel and open us up, you know? So, we got to be able to just continue to grow and expand as far as in from run game wise and also as far as in man coverage and zone coverage.” You've been to the point of the football calendar where it's just speculation and questions on the outside for months. Why can your role be a strength with this defense? “Um, first thing first, sorry, I'm going start off with Jack Campbell. You know, he's been he's the he's the anchor. He's the safety net, I would say, on our entire defense. You know, he's the uh the man in the middle. Obviously, that's the reason why he got the country our heads. You know, I told Jack, we're going to go as far as you take us, brother. You know what I mean? So, Jack has to be the safety net, the common presence, the alpha male, you know, as far as in the defense. You know, everything goes through him, you know what I mean? So, he has to be the voice for everything. And we're we've been putting a lot on him since we got him here. And for sure, you know, he's showing us that, okay, I can grasp I can I can withstand all this, you know, and that only will increase with him, especially losing Anzo.” With more time removed from the injury, how have you seen Malcolm Rodriguez progress and what expectations for him this year? “Malcolm's in a great spot, man. You know, the had the ACL myself, you know, it's always that first year it's kind of like ah, you know what I mean? But now he's moving around great. He's feeling great. I think that also was telling Shep it it's great that he got a full off season to be in Shep's defense rather than AG, you know what I mean, with some of the changes and stuff like that. So, I'm excited where he is. I can't wait to uh see him in training camp.” You guys played bass more than any other team last year, but there's a lot of talk about or nickel. Um, how does that affect, I guess, in the linebacker room and, you know, and along those lines, how much is Jack's growth in coverage uh maybe can influence, you know, that move to Nickel and expedite it, I guess. “And I think we do so many things uh schematic wise on defense. Shep does a phenomenal job with that where you know we've had some new guys that we have signed in free agency drafted as well and I know going into the week we'll see okay do we want to be more base or do we want to be more nickel I think that is more of a great thing or great problem that we have you know where you have the luxury of okay we play base verse 11 okay now with personnel based okay we can play nickel as well you know just could put more stress on the offense as far as in preparing for us.” You expect that to be more of a week to week shift this year than maybe last year? “Um, I think give or take it probably will be based off of personnel and what we have available, things like that.” In what ways have you seen Shep evolve from year one, tier two as defensive coordinator? “Oh man, you know, I've seen Shep, man. I think it's a beauty seeing him evolve from a linebacker coach all the way to a coordinator. You know, he's grown tremendously. Um, I think he's a phenomenal teacher. Um, you know, he can see things like light years before, you know, that sometimes that coaches may not be able to see. You know, I think uh even un understanding like even better, you know, how the offenses are trying to attack us, what's the weaknesses in defense and things like that, you know, I think he's a big problem solver and a big firefighter or he's able to put out fires before they even start.” Jack played I think all eight snaps last season. I mean, uh do you envision his workload kind of doing the same where he's on the field? I guess 98%. “I think one thing about Jack where I got to make sure I'm always telling him like, "Hey, bro, you know, like just trust me as a coach, you know, if I'm pulling snaps off of you, uh, just practice walk through, just trust me. You know, I think he does a freaking I've never seen anybody take care of his body the way that he does. You know, he's first one in, last one out in the weight room. You know, during the season, offseason, stuff like that. So, it's a reason why he's able to play that many snaps.” Can you speak to how hard that is? I mean, as a one. “Oh, yeah. It's I mean it's tremendously hard you know and I think you can't make the club in the tub and in this league your best availability is your availability you know so being able to do that I mean like I just keep on saying that's the reason why the guy's all pro that's the reason why he got the contract like he did because of the work he puts in.” What were your first words after got the extension and how cool to see that? “Um I think my first words you know um like coming from Saban and Kirby you know one thing those guys have been at the mountain top for so long you know and one thing they always do they regroup reload and they reset you know so just telling that okay that was great now it's more meat on the bone that we got to accomplish more goals and stuff like that you know that guy is going to respond every time like he does.” With Derek we've seen the line of scrimmage off the ball how do you see this scheme benefiting him the most in terms of maximizing what he can do for the defensive? “Oh it's going to be great this year I mean you know like guys have talked like I mentioned, you know, Anzo's no longer here. Now we get a chance to really see D Barnes uh take off into his uh level to be unlocked like maybe never before. You know what I mean? Where he can I think Deb Barnes is such a Swiss army and I not many guys in the league can play on the ball, off the ball, can cover tight end, can cover running back, but also they can get at a three technique and rush your guard or line up at defensive end and stuff like that. So I can't wait to see him just tap into a level that we've never seen this year.” The Lions will report to training camp in late July, dates unknown at this time.

The fourth week of offseason workouts for the 2026 Detroit Lions has begun with mandatory minicamp, which will be the last two official team workouts before training camp starts in late July. Let's recap the most important bits of news that came out of the three-day camp from the press events, photos, interviews and boots on the ground from the Lions beat reporters. Photo - Jeff Nguyen Detroit Lions Injury Updates Dan Campbell gave some updates in his media press event on injuries and said it was basically the usual suspects not participating today. The list of those not practicing Avonte Maddox was missing for Personal reasons per Campbell, but that was the only unaccounted player after a bunch of guys missed last Thursday. QB Teddy Bridgewater Teddy was back at practice after an unexplained absence last Thursday. TE Sam LaPorta and Tyler Conklin As Campbell mentioned, LaPorta was out there for walkthroughs but came out during the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 situational drills. Tyler Conklin's was still absent with the unknown injury he left OTAs with last week. OG Ben Bartch Per Dan Campbell, OL Ben Bartch was still out with his foot injury suffered last year but reiterated he is expected to be ready for training camp. CBs Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw and Rock Ya-Sin All three were back out there this week after missing parts of last week's OTAs due to the sickness going through the defensive back room. S Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph Campbell mentioned no new injuries, so more of the same for both Branch and Kerby. Week 3 OTA Observations form the Lions Media General Observations Practice had 7-on-7 work, special teams punt drills and ended with situational 11-on-11 You get an INT, you get an INT, you get an INT: Apparently the defense was in an INT mode, as it picked off three passes and should have had two more. Rolder started it with an INT off Bridgewater in 7-on-7s that was reported as a likely pick-six if it had been game conditions. Altmyer was the next victim, as picked off by rookie Aamiaris Brown the throw after a beautiful TD pass to Tom Kennedy, Finally, Chuck Clark completed the tri-fecta getting a pick off Goff in situational 11-on-11 near the end of practice. Khalil Dorsey apparently dropped a perfectly read wheel route and Loren Strickland jumped an out route to Greg Dortch that should have been Teddy's INT #2 on the day. The defense was getting their hands on plenty of other balls as well, with it reported that LBs Joe Bachie, Trevor Nowaske and Jack Capbell all were able to tip passes and Reed, Whiteside, and Rucker also knocking down throws. Tim Twentyman observed that Jameson Williams had a really good practice, making some nice catches in 7-on-7. Also mentioned how much his route running has improved over the last year and is starting to look like a complete receiver heading into year 5. People helping people: Brock Wright and Derrick Barnes were working on the side on Wright's Pass Blocking footwork with Barnes showing him counter moves and how he might attack him based on his feet and hand placement. Anthony Lucas the Pest and instigator: Prior to practice Hank Fraley when answering about Skipper moving into coaching jokingly said he told Skip No fighting coaches or players. About an hour later, the first observed practice fight (during walkthroughs) took place between OT Devin Coachrane and UDFA Edge Anthony Lucas, which Skipper helped break up. It was reported that Lucas continued to harass the OL with Manu and Sorsdal his targets. Something to keep an eye on to see if it continues, because counterintuitive actions will get a player tossed off the field and cut. Situational Drill: The previously mentioned situational 11-on-11 had the Offense with the ball down 1 pt starting on their own 8-yard line with :45 seconds and 2 timeouts. The 1st team offense completed a 17-yard pass to St Brown, called TO and on the next play Goff was picked off by Chuck Clark. The second team offense led by Teddy Bridgewater sucked a bit less, completing an 8-yard pass to Kitselman, nearly had a pass picked off by Loren Strickland, an incomplete ball to Lovett and then a Nowaske blitz on 4th down forced an errant throw down the sideline to Kitselman. Offensive Line 1st OL: Sewell-Mahogany-Mays-Ratledge-Borom/B Miller Borom started the walkthrough, but B Miller was first out there at RT for the 11-on-11s 2nd OL: Manu-Frazier-Scruggs-M Miller-Cochran Reports are that Juice Scruggs continues to be the primary backup C, but is repping all three IOL spots WRs 1st Team: St Brwon, TeSlaa-Williams TE Wright, Kitselman, Horton and Gordon continued to spill the reps Kitselman was reported as being on the starters field today with Wright and getting 1st tea reps. Oliver mentioned that Jackson Meeks is basically a TE now. DL 1st Unit: Hutch-McNeil-Williams-Rotation DE More reports that Tyler Lacy is the big DE in the Five-man front. In the end of game scenario, the DL was Hutch-McNeil-Wingo-Payton Turner. 2nd Unit: Rotation DE-Wingo-Onwuzurike-Rotation DE LBs 1st Tean - Campbell, Barnes and Rodriguez have been the starters in all sessions Starting Nickel LBs are Campbell and Barnes 2nd Team - Damone Clark and Joe Bachie appear to be next two up, with Rookie Jimmy Rolder working his way on the 2nd group 3rd team - Rolder, Hunter and Nowaske Safety 1st Team - Christian Izien (In for Kerby) and Chuck Clark (In for Brian Branch) continue to get 1st team reps 2nd team - Loren Strickland (Maddox out) and Thomas Harper 3rd team - No Reports (Hunter and Jackson) Nickel Roger McCreary Outside CBs 1st Team - DJ Reed with Rock Ya-Sin and Ennis Rakestraw rotating with a bit of Khalil Dorsey with Arnold still limited 2nd Team - Nick Whiteside and Arnold/Dorsey/Rakestraw 3rd Team - McCreary Rookies Blake Miller - It was observed that although he was splitting reps and 2nd RT out there after Borom for the 1st offense, he was the 1st tackle on the field in the 11-on-11 situational drills to end practice. Hank Fraley mentioned he likes where he is at. Said he is willing, hungry, quiet and listens to whoever's coaching him. Derrick Moore - Was mentioned that he was getting plenty of playing time on the starers field, but LTyler Lacy was repping ahead of him and DJ Wonnum.. Jimmy Rolder - Rolder made what was described as a likely pick-six of Teddy Bridgewayer in 7-on-7 drills and had excellent coverage on TE Gordon later, but the ball was still caught. Keith Abney II - No mentions or appearing in photos Kendric Law - Done for season with a torn ACL suffered win OTA Week2 practices, spotted on field. Skyler Gill-Howard - No mentions or appearing in photos. Tyre West - No mention or sighting of him in any offseason session. UDFAs Luke Altmyer - Altmyer had a bad pick one play after what was described as a "gorgeous" TD throw to Tom Kennedy. Ups and downs are expected out of any rookie, let alone a QB, so good to see he is out there and making both plays and mistakes when it doesn't count. QB Caoch Mark Brunell had praise and mentioned he's a smart kid. who has played a lot of football and is like a big sponge. Miles Kitselman - It was reported that he received some run with the 1st team offense and caught a pass form Jared Goff that was punched out late by the defender. Anthony Lucas - Second week in a row that Lucas was mentioned in media reports, but not so much ina positive light today. He got into a fight with OT Devin Cochrane and continued to chirp at both Gio Manu and Colby Sorsdal later in practice. Aamiaris Brown - Brown was the CB that victimized Altmyer for an INT on a throw across the middle to RB Small, jumping the route, although reports are he may have gotten their early. De'Shjawn Rucker - Rucker was one of the active Lions defenders that got his hands on a pass intended for WR Dominic Lovett. Lions Rookies QB Luke Altmyer and CB Aamaris Brown Photos - Jeff Nguyen Detroit Lions Media Scrums with Players The Lions had media availability with RB Isiah Pacheco, WR Isaac TeSlaa and S Chuck Clark after the first practice of minicamp. Pacheco, TeSlaa and Clark media session on minicamp Day 1 Isiah Pacheco A couple of weeks ago when I was sleeping with you, you said that uh Char was the running back told you needing what we talking about how we picking up things and how take the constructive criticism. Just how has everything been going so far and what has been teaching, you know? “Yes. Uh first and foremost, pinpointing the details um in the work and coming out here and executing at a high level, but most importantly, not making the same mistake twice. um coming out and being better from that mistake. Um most importantly, coach is pinpoint details at a high level and he loves the game. You could tell by his coaching and he's determined.” You're obviously coming from a franchise with pretty high pedigree. I don't necessarily want you to compare, but like what's different? What's the same about Detroit compared to Kansas City? “Um I know that for sure. Uh they got their own culture here and um I love being a part of it so far since I got here and it's the grit. Um you got guys willing to compete um every single time we get a chance and most importantly you got guys showing up to not mandatory uh minicamp and now it's mandatory and you got guys here but we've all been here during the whole time and that's what I love to see. Um we're getting older.” Have you learned anything new about the game of football since you got here? “Oh shoot. Definitely, bro. You is you can learn something new every day with this game and when you uh pinpointing these details, you know that you guaranteed to learn something.” How things been going under uh defensing obviously first year offensive coordinator here, first year here. How are you? “Uh it's been very flexible. Um you know, coach is open always, offense is always open. Uh we got questions, he's willing to answer those. and most importantly getting us out there and having us adjust to his offensive scheme and playing fast is what he needs from us.” Like the Native uh Dan mentioned that Jahmyr is the bell cow. I mean, how do you adjust to that? I mean, as the role and just handling, you know, knowing that, you know, you're going to be playing obviously behind him in that sense and there's no “Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Um just be ready at all times. uh this game here, you know, it takes a lot of us to win the game and not just one person, everybody on the team, the staff, the coaches, nutritionists, everybody plays a part and I'm pretty sure we got that culture here to uh get things cooking.” How challenging is it as a running back? Cuz you know, a lot's been made of the fact that like you have to have a certain amount of touches to kind of get a feel for the runner like they're coming or like maybe not have as many, you know, touches, I guess, to get going. I mean, how do how do you kind of adjust to that? “Uh, you adjust to that during the times now and during camp, during those moments where you get those mental reps where you're not in the game. Uh, so when you're in the game, you get to play that you might may not had in camp, but then you get it, you got to execute at a higher level cuz not that you know you're not paying attention, you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing. So, most importantly, no matter who's in, if you're playing that, if you're if someone's in, you got to watch them, get that mental rep. So, when you're up and then ready to go, you got to compete at a high level.” How beneficial has it had to shard in that sense because he he played that role in Dallas in particular behind Demarco Murray. I mean Yes. Um how much does he talk to you about his own experience? “Uh he talks to us a lot about his own experience, how much of the guys that he played with was a dog and how hard they worked just in the room, their environment. Um it was all about working, pushing each other. Um who's going to get better today and let's win the day.” People talk about championship pedigree and how it carries with player when they go to a different organization. How can that translate as you step into a new team? “I've been a leader uh since league. Uh just having that that mentality um being unsatisfied. Um willing to get better, learning every day daily. Uh most importantly building that relationship with the guys in the room so we could uh figure out each other game. He might have seen something different than I on the sideline uh versus the other backs and you know compete play off each other's game and build.” Continue to get reps at punt returner and kick returner. Uh do you have a lot of experience that in your past and what do you think you bring to that position? “Um in high school for sure I had kick return reps uh during when I was over there at the Chiefs rookie year. Most importantly willing to get on the field at all cost. Just doing whatever I could do to help the team win and being better uh version of myself.” Is there a specific ask you to do? I mean, more so maybe you were likely, you know, to focus on, I guess, you know, uh, like a specific pass protection, you know, catching up, anything like that? “No, just being willing to know everything. You got to know everything within the game. Um, you see Job playing all different uh, areas over the field. Who knows if I'm going to be in those situations as well. So, I got to have those notes in my details. When he's talking to Jah, he's talking to me as well, and it goes for the rest of the guys in the room. Um, just being flexible, uh, accountable, and hungry.” What's the offseason look like? What are you trying to accomplish? “Get fast, physical, and continue to build off of this camp. Don't want to lose the work we put in this whole month. Uh, come back in shape. Ready to roll.” Isaac TeSlaa What how exactly did you how do you work out from this? How do you work out of some of those things? What are the things you do? “Uh, yeah. I mean, a bunch of things. You got uh things you can do in the weight room. Uh, and there's things you can do like jump rope, cone drills, like there's you can do with field work. Um, are you asking like specifically or just in general? Yeah, just in general. Yeah, just in general those things.” Where did you do some of that work this off season? “Uh, some of it I was back home on the west side and then I was down in Fort Myers at X3 uh training with Jordan Llewellyn for month and a half. Had you done that pre-draft with him, too? Correct. Yeah. Yeah, I really liked it there. Just what's the comfort level here too? You know, you always talk to guys going into year two and they just seem calmer, more relaxed, everything comes a little bit easier. Is that kind of what you're feeling right now? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I've told people like coming into your sophomore year like compared to a rookie is just so much more I wouldn't say relaxing because you I don't think in football you can ever really relax like you got to have an edge about you. But just being so much more comfortable uh not only like just being familiar with like the guys and I'm not like trying to learn names and stuff, but also with the offense. We have a lot of translate from last year. Uh, so it's just a lot more comfortable and I feel like I'm able to play a little bit faster, doing a lot less thinking this year.” Do you think this team is in a place where you can focus on more of those small things and not trying to learn everything all over? “Oh, absolutely. And I think that's the biggest thing from last year to this year is just like I wouldn't call it simple, but it's just like I feel like we're trying to nail the basics before we start adding on stuff. Uh, I felt like there were times last year where we were just kind of like throwing a lot and we had to kind of sift through it and figure it out. I feel like this year we've done a good job like mastering the basic things, especially during this OTAA period where we can really, you know, harp down on those things and then just building off those as we go throughout the weeks and then into training camp.” Isaac, we saw your role expand last year once Dan took over and play ball in more snaps per game or a few more targets per game. Did you feel that over the past nine games? What kind of platform does that provide for you to turn on your team? “Yeah. Uh I definitely felt a little bit of a shift. I don't know if it was play calling or is it just comfortability overall with um you know being a new guy and just trying to uh learn my place on the offense. So I don't know exactly what the shift like what caused the shift, but yeah, I definitely feel like uh as an offense we got a lot of weapons and I'm excited to see how we utilize them in this next season.” We're starting year two, but Dan said in his press conference earlier that you approach the game like a veteran. to hear that from your head coach heading into your second season. I mean, does that tell you you're doing things the right way? “Yeah, absolutely. But I don't want to like hang my head on that and say, "Oh, I've done a good job." You know, pat myself in the back and keep going. But I always want to have an edge about me and kind of have that mentality of being a rookie where it's like, you know, you got to do everything the right way in order for the coaches to even notice you. And once they notice you, then you got to keep building on those things and making plays and they'll be comfortable with you. So, just keep building on those things and just become more and more reliable on the field.” You mentioned the skill level. was the excitement level of just playing in this offense in a bigger role, you know, and there's so many different ball type guys. I mean, they can't cover everybody. There's going to be some one-on-one situations there. How excited are you to potentially get a little bit more of that in your team? “Yeah, I mean, it's exciting for me. It's exciting for the whole offense just cuz I mean, with the weapons that we have, I don't know how you're going to guard all of our skill positions. Uh I feel like if you want to try to double a guy, then you're just leaving another extremely skilled person wide open. So, I think it's a great opportunity uh for the whole offense. Uh they got to worry about a lot of guys and we're excited to punish them on the field.” Earlier, earlier I asked Dan about the Knicks title win, seeing them in their drought, you know, the Lions fan, the drought of not being able to win the Super Bowl. You've been a being Michigander, long time Lions fan. Did you take a moment watching them win the title like kind of sit like the like what it'll be like to win the title with the Lions? “So, I'm going to be completely honest with you. I didn't watch a single game in the NBA finals. I just I could never get into it. I don't know why. I've just always been an NFL guy. Like I watched one NBA game this year and it was the one that I went to and it was actually the P the Pistons beat the Knicks by like 40. So when people like I I don't even know who's in the finals. I'm like who's in the finals? They're like oh it's the Knicks. I was like we killed the Knicks. Like why are the Knicks in the finals? And then they won it. But if I had been watching Yeah. I mean it's always surreal to see you know the champions and it would be nice and it's obviously our goal to be able to hoist that and have a parade down uh what's the name of Woodward. Yeah. So, I think that's all our that's all our goal this year.” Do you have any goals personally suggested this year entering year two? Do you care to share any of them? “Uh, I'll keep them personal, but yeah, I do have some goals for sure.” How I guess how much loftier are those goals that compared to say last year? “Yeah, I mean last year I came in not really knowing what to expect. I don't know how much playing time I was going to get. I was really just working on earning my role. So, this year now that I feel like I've got a little more comfortable and yeah, I I have some pretty lofty goals for myself, I'd say. How much different do you feel I guess now versus say at this point last year obviously coming in you know brand new to you know the NFL experience and having more. “Yeah I think like I kind of talked about earlier it's just comfortability: “Um obviously I don't have the game master by any means on year two. Like I'm still a year two player. Uh still coming in, still have a lot of things to learn, but like you said, I do have a year under my belt so I can, you know, learn from the things I did last year and build on the things that I did well and just continue to grow and grow with this offense.” Chuck Clark What's your first impressions of being out here with the guys and with everybody here now? “Uh it's been fun being out here. We playing football. I think my element I feel like it's all our element, you know, just being out here to be able to get on the grass and do what we do and compete. It's been fun.” You're uh feeling some important shoes while they're sitting out. Do you feel any pressure on that coming in from the outside? “Never been pressure. It's to me it's football, you know. Um regardless of how I go, who's up, who's down, you just always got to be ready. And I think for me, any player in this league, you know, that's what you train for, for the moments, for your opportunity to come whenever opportunity comes. I mean, I just look at how I got my start in this league. You know, I wasn't a starter, but in a matter of a week, you know, I became a starter, a green dot player, captain of a defense. So, it's like you got to be ready for whatever in this league.” I notice like between reps, you're talking a lot with the other guys. How's the communication flow going off the new guys? “It's been good. I think that's just how you learn how to be able to play and play fast. And uh it just comes with natural communication like off the field as well as on the field. You know, this past weekend we kind of got together watching film and it was actually some things that happened today. It just naturally came with our conversation over having over the weekend. What those conversations are like? “Just talking about certain routes that we've seen and how another person see it, you know what I'm saying? And then it's actually good, you know, hearing another person's perspective and how he watches film as opposed to how you watch film and seeing it from a different person who like who plays a different position. So just certain routes and just talking about who he's going to jump and whatnot” Lead to one of the interceptions today? “Uh no, it won't interception, but it was actually a couple breakups. Yep. Mhm.” You guys picked off a lot of passes, got your hands on a lot of passes today. That's definitely a point of emphasis. Is that something that you've been around playing in the basket or where else you've been? “Definitely. You get the ball back to the offense so they can go put up points and we do it again. That's the name of the game. Defense go get the ball.” Shep talked about how quickly you've stepped up as the leader for the guys in this room with your experience. Just is that something that you are mindful of? Do you step in trying to, you know, make sure that you avoid the turn? “I just think it's my personality. Uh being a safety on defense is similar to being a quarterback on offense, you know. You got to learn the whole defense. So I think that was my main thing when I first got here early OTAA is phase one just trying to learn everything, the plays, the calls, talking to myself in the room. So then when I'm on the field and I'm saying it, it's just the same thing that I did like when I was a rookie. Getting comfortable saying the calls. So when you out there on the field and you are talking and making your checks and what not, you just feel comfortable doing it. You don't am I saying the right thing or not? Whenever you described you as kind of I guess mature like very steady. Is that something you've always been or I mean growing into that better? “Yeah, they used to joke with me uh like my first two, three years, you know, they just saying I had a older personality, older soul. And I mean, it's cool with me, you know. I feel like it slowed the game down for me, you know. My first my first year definitely I'm, you know, like a rookie out there, you know, just all over the place. But then just start slowing the game down once you start getting that experience and whatnot and it just naturally carry over.” Does anyone ever tell you that like before football like as a kid were you? “No. No. No. Yeah. No, I ain't never really heard that like before football.” We've heard a lot about your personality, but what about like your actual physical game do you think you're bringing to this defense? “Mhm. I mean, I like to be physical, physical player. You know, I do whatever the team asks, honestly. I mean, I'm going to give my everything. I'm going sacrifice my body, lay my body on the line. I mean, I think that's any player in this league, but that's just how I feel going into any game. If it's truly something that's bothering me, I'm going to try to go play regardless. The only thing that I feel like I mean, you look at my career history like that kept me off the field was something that I really couldn't play through, you know? But I'm going to sacrifice my body and lay on the line.” Well, I mean, given that you play with that physical style, how what's the key to having a long NFL career, 80 games, that's kind of phenomenal given how physically you play? “I mean, it's a little grace and favor, but I mean, you also got to do the work, take care of your body as well. I mean, the weight room is a big part of that, you know? I firmly believe in that. Like, you got to got to, but you also got to, you know, stay on top of the body work, recovery, stretching, everything. Just it's not one specific thing. It's just a accumulation of things, honestly.” And with that meeting that the DBs had, who kind of got that together? Where was it? “Mhm. Uh it was DJ. He just, you know, reached out to the group message. It's like, "Yo, I'm having film, little food at the house. Y'all come over, you know." And I've seen that at different places I've been before, and I I respected it, you know, like, "Yeah, let's go over here and let's watch some film." So, it was a good time.” Dan Campbell Media Session Lions head Coach Dan Campbell met with the media on Tuesday for a quick Q&A session prior to Minicamp Day 1. Dan Campbell Minicamp Day 1 Press Conference Opening Statement: Campbell hopped on stage and said, "Questions? We're good. We got two days here, two days". Was asked about injuries this week: Campbell said the norms, nobody new. Maddox won't be out there, personal but nothing big. Some guys will walk through but won't be doing full speed like LaPorta. Said they got some guys back that were sick like Rock (Ya-Sin) and Rakestraw. Follow up on if LaPorta will be ready by the start of camp: Campbell simply said "We like where he is going and he is trending in the right way." Was asked about competition in OTAs and now for minicamp and if he liked where that is going: Campbell said it's been good, you see where it will be heading once they get to camp and it live and real bullets are flying. Bartch (OL) will be ready for training camp and the D-Line, Safeties, said they are excited. Campbell was asked about what he does to prevent burnout: Campbell joked that he just burns the hashes and comes back up. Said, it's a good question. Tries to be mindful of that and be smart during the offseason and every year he is more Intune with that and himself, but job is consuming and he isn't perfect, but he loves it and most coaches love it. Addictive and consuming but will have a chance to step away for a minute and be ready to go. Asked about the annual trip to take the coaches up north: Said it is, they went to Petoskey, weather was beautiful, people will unbelievable, chance to relax and coaches are like brothers and are around each other m0ore than their own wives. Especially when season starts and to bring their wives, be together and relax and enjoy the company. Said the area was beautiful and just great people, and they had a great time. Follow up about if everyone went, Cmapbell joked only if they did a great job in spring, left a few at home. But joking aside said everyone made it. Asked about being able to galvanize the city of Detroit like the Knicks NBA title has: Said it was a loaded question, the fact that took that many years of going through the ups and downs, to finally get there with a loyal fan base. Was pretty special to watch what they did, whether you like it or not, you respect it and the way they go there and will it to make it happen, is what the Lions are striving for. It's about winning a championship and that's why people are in the business. That's what drives you. What are expectation for LG with Mahogany and whether it is open: Said it open, Mahogany is very much in it, but they know he has ability with games started in past. Said there is a reason why they brought in Bartch, why Frazier is in there, try Manu a bit, gonna let it go and see what happens. Expects that the competition will be good for everybody. Sid Mahogany is in the running and they expect him to compete and play some of his best football. On Dan Jackson: Campbell said he is a pretty smart guy, he was around after the injury, in building quite a bit and is a smart guy. Live reps will be new to him, but ins and out and knowing what to do, fells like he has done that. It's all about getting reps, a full training camp and preseason games and see what he can do with it. Where does Sorsdal stand in Year 4: Campbell said he is the same, with the rest of those guys. Lions' eyes are open, every year they acquire completion, invest in someone, they expect that they will take a spot, but not a guarantee. Coming off injury and doing a good job out there, albeit not in pads, but said they will see. So many guys in the NFL that get overlooked and they get their confidence and start making play and earn a role and a spot. Has an Opportunity. Asked about TeSlaa seeming to get more involved after LaPorta went down and next step fo him: Campbell said they wanted to get him more involved, along with Jamo and ST and Gibbs in the pass game. Felt like they did some of those things, when they go back and look, they left a lot of meat on the bone and wished he would have gotten more touches. Said it wasn't because of him, his growth took off, he got better every week and became a guy they had a lot of trust in him by end of year. Was steady and consistent for a young guy, doesn't get frazzled, he has been not flashy in OTAs, but consistent and where they expected him to be at this time in year 2 and exactly where they want him. Feels like a veteran right now and meant that as a compliment. Asked about Vaki and want him to be part of the offense: Campbell said they would love to, he has ability and when you watch him, he pound-for-pound is one if their best athletes. You watch him and he is explosive. RB is a bit raw, and he hasn't played RB that much mainly due to injury. Liosn eyes are open, if he can do protections, and a few things out of backfield, and proves that, then Lions want to move football and win, he can do that, they will be putting him on the field. Campbell asked what the difference is between an assistant and associate head coach: Scottie is the Associate head coach and is Jim is the O'Neil is Assistant Head Coach. Said Sciottie is the guy who he puts a lot on him but was very fortunate to have Jim stay with them, he will also pick up some responsibilities. Lions Assistant Coaches Media Scrum Assistant Minicamp Day 1 Press Conference Scottie Montgomery - Associate Had Coach/Wide Receiver Coach Opening Statement: “Yep. Another year, man. Just good to be back. Um, a lot of the same people in the building, a lot of new people in the building, but overall, it's just been a great all season. We've been able to, you know, we're a lot further along. We feel like we've been in a lot of years. Uh, just the transition uh on offense and then defensively having new people in. Um, bringing some guys with new roles. It's it's been a really really good offseason so far, though. Uh we we probably put in more work this off seasonason on the grass and in the class than than we've been had the ability to over the last few years, but this is this has just been a great great offseason so far.” On no rookie minicamp and where that work is coming from: Yeah. “So I I think when when you think about just the repetition of what we're doing like it was a lot less learning I think for our guys this year. So the process of learning can kind of slow down the process of reps. Uh the process of learning takes a lot more time in the building of doing this. Now we're actually talking through the details of how the rep should look versus what the rep should be. Uh I I think all around uh whether it's in our in our front was the skilled guys, receiver, quarterbacks. I just think us being on a page a little bit earlier than we've been even in the past few years has been really good and JG and and you know and Saint and Penei uh then Hutch a lot of those guys have just really they it's just been a huge drive for those guys that are up top and our leaders and the people behind them have done a great job following so a lot more detail in the reps that we're getting.” On Jamo growth and change you see in him: “Mentality um you know we've really worked as hard this offseason even just even on the phone talking about the detail that it takes to go from being good to truly elite uh in our game. Uh and then the things from a mentality standpoint of uh the way that we go about we working like not even just uh the start of a drill, but also just the finish of everything that we do, his detail, his eyes, uh his catch points, his checkpoints, uh everything that we're doing now or we did March, April, man, it showed up. We we're really excited about where he is right now. This is this has definitely by far been his best off-season, his best, you know, chance to grow as a player since we've been here for uh a number of reasons, but he's done a good job. Same question about TeSlaa, message to him heading into this year: “Yeah, we we try to do a good job of coming out of the season talking about, you know, where we wanted to be. Short area quickness was something that we wanted to improve. Um, and that gives him the ability in those one-on-one situations to not just win with length, but to win with quickness and length. That gives, of course, JG just a even bigger window to throw the football. Uh, he's done a good job of going and getting, you know, the football since he's been here. And then now at the top of his breaks, they they're so much cleaner. He's so much stronger. Uh, last year, what I like to do is I like to watch uh where we were. Um, especially from an athleticism standpoint to where he is now. It's not even close. He had some knee uh soreness last year. Uh this year he came in was able to work on the things before and not after. So we look forward to him really really growing.” What will allow Gibbs success as a Bell Cow RB: “Man, uh just you know opportunities. I I think everybody knows what this kid is and we got to keep him healthy. Uh we we got to do a good job on the perimeter of keeping him healthy. We got to do a good job on the interior of keeping him healthy and and just playing through the echo of the whistle. The biggest thing about Jhyr, he's not down. You know, you think he's going down, he's not down. He's going to come out of the back of there. At the same time, if you don't finish the play, you know, late hits on backs, different things on backs, it can slow him down. So, our biggest detail in our room and up front is just making sure that we protect his opportunities. Uh, because we know he'll do he'll do the rest with the football.” What like about Greg Dortch so far: “Yeah, so fit first of all. Um, you know, he he can handle being a good player in the room with great players as well. Uh, I think that Saint does a great job of leading in the room. J Mo has really stepped into more of a leadership role uh rule or role in the room and Dorch has taken that and so that's that's the first thing you know fit right after that we come to the grass he has unique short area quickness as well he can catch it in traffic and come through some of those uh we're looking forward to seeing what he can do more when the shoulder pads come on of course right now it's a little bit difficult but to see all of the things that he can do but what he's been able to do he's been able to grasp a couple of different positions at the receiver position so that flexibility also gives us something that that that Leaf at one time could give you without even thinking about it. So, he's done a lot of great things so far. Can't wait to see him in the, you know, in a real training camp with the pads on. Really excited about where he is right now.” Impact of Jamo in the locker room: “Uh, I think more it's more so I I can't speak to the locker room. You know, coach is not, you know, I ain't going in there. Well, don't go in there. But in the classroom, the one thing that has really, you know, surprised a lot of us and made us feel better is uh his ability to be vocal and ask questions about the why, you know, why is his depth that, you know, the fifth time outside foot hit and this one is very similar. Well, it's the reason because the option route under has maybe been reduced a yard or two. Now that he understands all that is conceptual football and now that he gets the concept of it, he also understands how we go attack. So, if he's helping one of our young guys, uh, and we have a rap option, he understands now, listen, man, you can't get any higher than three yards on this, and this is why. So, that's what we're seeing in the room.” What can Law bring to team: “Man, Strong, fast, physical, uh, two position flexibility already, really came in with his head in the right place. Our guys, they they fell in love with him immediately because he does have the grit that it takes to play with us. um very disappointed and and frustrated for him uh because he physically was ready. His body was ready. He was his body, you know, coming from where he came from and and and from the SEC to to this was a is an easy transition physically for him. Really wanted to see how it worked out in training camp, but you know, I like where he is right now. He's working his butt off every day to make sure that when he comes back, uh we'll get a lot out of him. He's a good pick. Like him like him a lot.” Opportunities for others like Tom Kennedy or Dominic Lovett: “It's stacked it's a really stacked group uh and I think because of that that's going to let our you know our ones now even go to a higher level because now they are competing those guys that are competing for that second area when they get a chance to make a play if it's a big play the ones feel that so now the ones are going to go level. Uh TK, uh Dom Lovett, Malik, uh newcomers, Ced, Dortch, all these guys are in there now and it's just this huge competition to where the hardest part is I'm I'm trying to make sure that I'm getting everybody the same looks in different situations. So, the quality control behind their opportunities is probably what's most important. So, if I come out of uh this in training camp, I want to see a certain skill set of each one of these guys matched against each other, not necessarily just their best skill set versus someone else's uh skill set.” On where WRs can improve and if vertical passing game is an area to see more of: “Yeah, we Yeah, we definitely want to be able to marry what we do maybe just a little bit better. Uh you know, run game, pass game. You always want to do that when you come out of years. But where I felt like we could have got better is there's explosives out there in the run game. There's explosives in the pass game that either a lack of detail, uh, a not a connection that wasn't made throwing catchwise. Those are the things you you don't you don't get those fixed in the season, man. You got to have those things ready to go. And right now, I feel really good about where we are.” Value of adding Cedric Wilson to that room: “Huge. It was huge for us. At the time, you know, we thought he was still a good player. We didn't realize how quickly he could pick up the the playbook.Uh he's three position functional. Uh he he has a large catch radius. He understands our route game. He has a certain level of smoothness to him that those outside guys have to have, you know.” On the part of his game that showed the guy can play for Scottie: “Uh contact balance with the ball in his hands. Receivers, you know, especially young receivers, one of the easiest things it is to do for him is to get them on the ground. This was a guy, and there was a couple other guys in the draft that we really liked like that. He was a guy that could get his hands on the ball, make a play in space, but it wasn't all about making someone miss. We're going to need four to eight yards sometimes that we need to go through guys or get on edges of guys, and that's an elite skill because that's a chain mover.” Impact of reduced play-action passes: “Yeah, the reduction of the run action pass game has a lot to do with how efficient you are on first down as well, right? If you get behind on first down now, the efficiency of faking the ball like you're going to run it in the second and 17, second and 18, you can't have those. So the TFL's are what's probably most important for us adding to our running action game. we get our TFL fixed, the way that we block things on the perimeter, then our run action pass game will create more explosives down the field. Yeah. Tashard Choice – Running Backs Coach On Gibbs approaching season as the main runner: “You know, that's that's been one of the biggest things of me and our conversation with Job once he finished the season last year was the fact that I wanted him to start faster at the beginning of the season. And so going into the off season, how he prepared his body, uh doing some MMA training, training out there in Cali, uh with Saint doing some different things so he can come back so he's looked the best he's looked so far in his pro career pro career. And so for him, the biggest thing was to make sure that he understands his responsibility. Um, his responsibility from the head coach cuz when the head coach tell you, uh, he's giving you the keys and you have the responsibility for everybody in the organization, every kid, every fan that's a Detroit Lions fan. So my onus is to put that on him and he has to handle that. He has to handle it well. So for him to be in the best shape that he can be in, uh, praying for no injuries at all, but the fact that he's smarter, he understands the offense. So I'm I'm excited for him. He has a big role to play and I and I'm I'm really I'm really to see what level he plays at right now. On the MMA training: “You know with training? Let me let let me say something. When you train in the offseason, you put your body through different things. So you can handle the rigor of the season like how hard the season really is. And so when you do MMA training, a lot of times most people don't understand boxing, when you punching is all about hand placement and hand eye coordination, balance, putting the weight on the balls of your feet, the same thing you do when you in pass protection, the same thing you do when you running and playing on the outside foot. Guys got to understand how those all sports all correlate to each other. That's why you should play all sports. And so when you do MMA training, your abs, your core, striking, power through the ground, all those things affect. So when he does that kicking, extending your legs, hamstring, your quads, all that stuff takes trainers. But the mental part of it is just the aspect of always having what I would say um putting yourself in a situation where you're training in April, but you see, you see January, you see February. That's the biggest thing. It's the mental aspect of it. You know what I mean? Making sure that you're training right now for a goal to get later on. And so that's why I try to tell the guys when they're training off season.” On relationship with Isiah Pacheco: “You know, for me, man, like as a as a former player, you you you hate it when a coach told you a good job and you knew that wasn't the right thing to do. When you go back and look at the tape for me to Z, I I always and it's hard for me most of the time because when I see guys play, I see what they do wrong. I see all the things that I want to get better at. And for him, he's very coachable. And so when you have a coachable player who has the experience, played on two Super Bowl teams, was a starter, and played a lot of a lot of meaningful minutes, for me is to get him to be the best he can and be the most efficient I can get him. And so every little thing that he does, his alignment, his tracks, his landmarks, his eyes, I'm on him by every single thing. And when you when you coach and you want guys and you want to be great, you want coaches to get on. You want them to tell you there's always ways to get better. And so for me to him, I always want to make sure I coach the person, the player, but I love the person. So my biggest thing is to get to know who Zay is. I call him Zay. I get I want to know who he is, what the things he's been through. And then once I go through that part, then I can coach him. I can say whatever I need to to say to him on his grass because he know at the end of the day, Coach Choice rock with me. He love me. But second of all, he going to make sure I'm trying to be the best I can be cuz he going to have to play big for us this year. And so for him to understand that, I think he he respects that, man. I got man like it's a all players I coach man I want them to feel the same way so I respect that from them. I'm going keep going.” On Pacheco’s response: “Uh quick and it's and it's day by day and that's the thing you want to see just each and every day somebody to continue to get better and that's one thing that I realized about Zay like I can coach him on something and you can see him come out on the field the next day and he's working at it and as a coach that's the biggest thing that you want especially in this this part of the year. So once we get to the fall, he has the confidence of everything in the offense cuz he's new to the system. And so having confidence in the offense so he can be ready to roll.” Vaki development at RB: “Vaki Yaki. I love Vaki. And Vaki is one of the the he's probably the best kid you can possibly get. A salt of the earth type of person, but I'm probably the one that cuss Vaki out the most. I'm sorry to say it. Mama got to forgive me. But the biggest thing for me to Vaki is is when you have a player with the talent level, he's explosive, he's fast, he's smart, he's physical, and so he's putty still. You know, he had a lot of injuries last year. Had to have a chance to really be hands-on with him so much. And he's a one of our best guys in the league and special teams. And so for him this off season, you can see the development. You can see the work ethic. I can get on Vaki all day. I'm going to probably get on him the most, but he never never complains, gets back on the field, does what he's supposed to do, and he works his tail off. And so when you got people like him that works hard, and then he wants to get better, that's the easy part for it's easy to be a coach when you have guys like that. So I got to continue to to to push his envelope. But for me, to him, man, it's just it's been remarkable to see him work through the injuries, get back this year, and really work at his craft. It's been good for him.” On mentality needed for backup RB role: “And you know, I guess that's that's that's that's huge what you asked. You know, as a when you when you preparing for NFL as a running back, you always got to prepare as a starter because you always know you want to play away. And so for me to for me to say was the simple fact like whenever you get your opportunities, you got to make the most of them. is very huge because it's plays in a it's plays in a game that are critical yards, critical pickups, critical catches that you have to make that we didn't make last year. And I got to do a better job with the guys on when we have games where we're not clicking all the way on offense that we make those plays to turn the game around. And so for me to him was to make the most of your opportunities, love every possession that you get, every carry that you get, every catch that you get. And the more you can do that, the more trust you get with, you know what I mean? The coaches are more important your teammates cuz JG got to he got to he got to respect you. He got to know that you know what you're doing. Pay need to know what you're doing. And so it's saint cuz we got guys that are leaders out here. And so everything that you do on the football field, it's all about having the guys around you feel comfortable with you being in there and then you making the plays and now you have your own swag and now you can go out there with confidence and play well. So that's my biggest thing to any back is always to make the most of your opportunity. Don't count the reps, make them quality. So when you do, you turn back and I look at the game and you got six carries for 60 yards, but then you got you five for five on blitz pickup. Hell, you didn't had a good day for me. That's winning football. That's what we need. You know what I'm saying? And so he know he understands his role. I try to tell the guys, you don't know. Role changes from week to week. You never know. But when you do get your make the most of that's all you can do as a football player.” David Shaw – Pass Game Specialist On Mike Kafka being in the building: “Oh, it's been awesome. Uh I met Mike two years ago um at the accelerator program. Um both of us were there, met for the first time, hit it off and then come to find ourselves here. Uh he's been a great addition. Uh me, him and Drew have talked about a bunch of different things, both football and life and this profession and uh he's been a great addition to the staff.” On if they hit it off when first met: “Uh well, you're getting us back-to-back so you kind of see we've got a very similar demeanor. Um we both have various experiences but we also have a lot of crossover right and kind of a west coast style of offense me with John Guden him with Andy Reid. Um so there's a lot of things that we see very similarly.” On collaborating without stepping on Toes: “I I think I trust, you know, Dan's done a great job putting the staff together and he talked about at the end of the year um with all the staff changes, he's like, "Hey, it's it's his job to put the best staff together that he can put and it's on us to work together. Um so I don't worry about titles. We don't care about titles. Um Drew is running the offense. Whatever he needs from us, we're going to give it to him. Um we're all experienced play callers. We've all had experience being head coaches. Um, so it's whatever we need, that's what we do.” When you take a socket with the passing game, uh, after one year, I mean, what do you what do you think you did really well? What do you think of the things that you could really improve? “Well, I I I think offensive football in general, um, particular to answer your question about the passing game, you look at what's our offensive philosophy, you look at what our players do well, and you look at what we're go, what defenses we're going against, and that's our game plan. That's what we're going to do. We're going to continue to lead on Jared's talents. St. Brown Williams, we've got such a great group of guys and with LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs and a bunch of other cast of characters. We're just going to put those guys in position to make plays. Um the season win and loss didn't go well the way we wanted to last year. Um but you look at some of the things that we did. I think we did a lot of good things and now Drew's brought in some more thoughts and ideas and different ways to put those guys in position. Those guys are going to win the games for us. We got to put him in those positions.” Timeline. What would you ask quarterback coach early? When did you kind of get an impression of a player as maybe a coaching gene in them? And I guess how you seen his mind for the game grow? “Well, the short story is that um I was given the ability to pick uh you know, Gruden's like, "Hey, I'm coaching Rich Gannon. You know, you got to find a young guy. So, I did this long process of getting ready for the draft and I focused on guys that made plays on third down and in the fourth quarter and in the red zone. Um, those win games and Marcus and Drew Brees were the top two guys coming out of college that year. Drew in earlier and we took Marcus in the second round. Um, but spending that year with Marcus, he's got a great ability to just ingest things and make adjustments. Would you look for any quarterbacks anyway? But then over the next couple years, and I stayed in touch with them, I saw those guys. Um, uh, there was when I left the Raiders and you saw him make that transformation to not just understanding, but then be able to manipulate the offense. Um, that's when you can see a guy that, okay, this guy might be able to be a good coach. I always advise guys to get the hell out of coaching, do something else, some other profession that actually makes sense. Um, but if they've got that gene and they got they've got that itch and Marcus has that.” How did you, you know, how did you digest it? “Uh I've been in this profession for a long time and I grew up in this profession. Uh my dad used to say, you know, you look at pretty much most great coaches at some point in time they've gotten fired. Um that's just part of this business, part of this profession. Doesn't mean people are not did. Sometimes it's a situation. Um this is a tough situation. Um but we're all professionals. Um things happen. People have to make decisions and then we gather back up and we go back at it again. Um, I think a net positive has been a net positive for the Detroit Lions. It's been a net positive for John Morton. Um, but now it's about 26. It's about what we can do with the staff and the players that we have now and find a way to get that championship.” Well, last year you mentioned the lack of efficiency kind of being an issue with the offense. I mean, where do you feel like you guys I kind of diagnosed I guess you know the problems with that and where do you where do you think that goes from here? I guess. “Well, I think the most important thing is that, you know, um, Coach Campbell's been on that boat. Drew Ping is on that boat. Um, we had all the explosives, a bunch of explosives, but we weren't great sometimes on third down. We weren't great sometimes in the red zone. We weren't great sometimes answering a score. Um, Coach Campbell talks a lot about we have to win the game that presents itself. If it's a shootout, we got to win a shootout. If it's a defense struggle, we got to win the defensive struggle. Um, and when those things h when those when the game presents itself, whatever it takes to win that game, what we have to do, we got in some positions last year in the second half, we didn't run the ball efficiently. Um, we didn't convert on third downs and we end up losing by 10 points. We lose by a score. Um, so for us now, it's really about what it what it is to take to win those games. Um, so looking how efficient we can be, um, we can't have a lot of second longs and third and longs. That's hard to win football games. So the more efficient you are on first down and second down, the better you'll be on third down. The better you're on third down. The more often you get in the red zone, the better you're in the red zone, the more touchdowns you score, the more touchdown score, the more games you win. It's pretty it's pretty straightforward. It's pretty easy to see, but it goes all the way back to when we call a play. it's on all 11 guys to do their jobs and be efficient and make sure the wink had a positive play. You've been around some pretty special football players. Just to be around Jahmyr Gibbs and to see what he did last year, what's his ceiling? “Uh, I would hate to be the one to put a ceiling up there. Um, this guy, every time he touches it, um, he gets people out of their seats, coaches included, you know, guys up in the box, you hear it on their headset, you just start to hear, "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." Right. Um, so that's going back to Drew and our philosophy. We have to give him those opportunities to change the game. Um, it's about the number of touches, yes, but it's also the type of touches. You know, we talked a lot about after the season, early in the season, he caught a lot of balls, but he caught a lot of them with his back to the defense. It's hard for Jahmyr Gibbs to be what he's capable of. He needs to be facing the defense, catching the ball on the move, and you see that later in the season, we did some more of those things, getting him outside, etc. Um, but this guy's a weapon and we get him to give him every opportunity to change the game.” David Dan's mentioned a couple times that there's more problem solving happening now with both those sides of the ball than the rose maybe at this time last year with the offensive defense maybe being in one conflict in a good way. I don't know if you felt that manifest itself or happen either in film or out here on the field. “Yeah, so I I got to go back to Drew's approach um Drew Ping's approach which is how what do what do our guys do well? What defenses are we facing? and how do we how do we get ourselves in position to score points, right? So, um maybe trim down a little bit of things that we carry and be better at the things that we do well um so we can change formations, change personnel groupings, stay in a core, keep Jared Golf in his comfort zone, keep our offensive line in their comfort zone, um and go out there and just play great football. Um so there's really it really cutting down what we do and being better at it, I think is the answer to your question.” Um, I think you guys threw 16 fewer passes off play action than you did the previous year. I mean, how much did that affect the vertical passing game? I mean, and your ability to kind of access that. “So, when you really dive back into the film and watching how games go, that's a direct result of not being able to run the ball efficiently. When you don't run the ball efficiently, you end up being in second and long into being a drop back passing team. When you run the ball efficient, you're second and medium. Now, the play action pass really, really matters, right? It's hard to play action pass at second and 15. So, being better, which I got to give Hank Fraley a lot of credit. Hank really dove into his guys. We've got a great group of guys. We have to run the ball better. We have to run the ball more efficiently. We have to run the ball more uh this year in order to be the offense that we're capable of. Um because I'll say this, when we play action pass, I mean, can you find a better group of quarterbacks and receivers than we have to be great play action pass uh offense? I don't know if you can. Um, so being able to run the ball better, more efficiently, um, allows us to be more of a a an offense that can put defenses in conflict. Oh my gosh, we're second and five. We can do whatever we want.” I mean, how important in the NFL is play action though vertical, you know, passing it because, you know, obviously if the team sits back with two high safeties is kind of. “Yeah, it's the two high safeties. It's also the werewolves that are rushing the quarterback. We have to make them think there's something else that we can't. If you if you want to be a drop back passing team, you better have multiple Hall of Fame tackles and Hall of Fame guards, right? Because even the even defenses that have under 500, they still got two great pass rushers. So, we have to keep them in conflict. We have to be able to run the ball. Now, the play actions, the movements, all those things work together, the screen game. Um, but it all hinges on once again running the ball with efficiently with efficiency allows us to be the offense that we can be. “As a coach, have you guys have you sensed a renewed hunger or defy from Dan Campbell as a result of what happened last year? “Uh, I don't know about renewed. Um, I would say I don't even want to say refocused. I think it's really just going back to who he is as a coach, who he is as a person, who this team is, uh, being made in his image. And that's going back and being physical. That's going back and being simple and saying the toughest team is going to win football games. So, that's our mentality. That's what we're going for this year and I love the guys we have in our building.” Mark Brunell – QB Coach Curious coming off the last season the offense kind of top five in every major category. What was your I guess point of emphasis for JR going into the offseason? What did you like that he did last year? “Uh you know, I thought he did really well last year. You know, we did have some production on offense, but we as far as the wins, that's where we were lacking. Of course, we just didn't quite have enough. But uh specific to Jared, I thought he did well and uh we fully full fully expect him to continue with that. He's a good player. He's one of the best in the league. He's having an excellent spring and uh what I love is not only his talent and his ability, but this is very important to him. And uh um I think I said this last year, Jared is in pursuit of a championship and uh and that's how he approaches every day, which is great. He's uh great to coach.” At this stage of his career, is there like any charge you have for him or things you want to see differently, improve? “Probably more of a consistent, you know, consistency. Um and uh and what I mean by that is just, you know, just doing what do what you've been doing for the last few years for us, you know, staying consistent, staying at the top of his game, which uh he will. Uh he works very hard. uh he's smart and uh has been in the system. He's but probably well he's very accurate and uh we expect him to play at a high level and uh and he will that's what he brings to the table every day and listen this is just OTAs this is minicamp and he approaches every day as if it was the regular season which we love we will go as far as he takes us and we're very fortunate to have a quarterback like him to have a person like him to have a leader like him in in this building.” Coach him through that frustration at a position where ultimately, he's going to feel like the record and all that stuff falls on his shoulders despite what you put on tape and on the stat sheet. “Are you talking about last year? Yeah. How do you help him work through that? I'm sure >> uh it was it was last year. It really was and we've moved past that and uh we've done all the self-scout. We've looked at all the plays from last year, things we could have done better, situations that we are in that we could have been better all across the board, but um at some point you have to move on. And I think really uh this spring, this whole this whole team, offense and defense, special teams, uh we really are looking forward um I know it's brought up about last year, but honestly, I think this team and the coaches, all of us have we're thinking about this upcoming season and we have learned from our mistakes last year and now it's it's certainly time to go forward and uh and get ready for the Saints.” What was your reaction when Teddy Bridgewater was brought back in? “Oh, I was excited and I still am excited. Um, listen, I can't say enough about him to have his presence in just the quarterback room and on the field. Uh, he's been at it a long time and uh, which I remind him of all the time. I talk to him about how old he is, but uh, he's uh, he's here because we trust him. And if given the opportunity uh if he's in a position where he has to play for us, we trust him. You know, he's there is no sit there are no situations that he has not seen and he's he has always produced for us and uh he knows this system. Uh he works hard and he's very instinctive and does a very good job of getting us into the right plays, anticipating situations and uh we're just we're very fortunate to have him.” Know it's early, but what has been the addition of Mike to the coaching room? What has that done? “Kafka, he's awesome and uh he obviously was a player. Um he's been a quarterback coach, a coordinator, a head coach. Uh he's seen it all and his expertise, his experience. He's a great guy to work with. Always has some really good ideas and he's been great for me. It's just him having played the position and coached the position. I've learned a lot from Mike Kafka and I'm so glad he's here.” Does it feel like he takes a little bit of load off your shoulders? “Um I don't know about that. I he's just a great resource for me and uh um but uh and I'm I'm grateful that he's here. I'm really grateful that uh um Coach Campbell saw the same thing and brought him here and he's going to be huge for us.” Does it feel unique that there's so many kind of coaches in that passing game room right now? “Unique. Um I we probably have a we got a ton of quarterbacks up there. I I can tell you that. So we got that we have that co that position covered, guys. We got that position covered. Um, but uh, yeah, I mean, just the coaching staff has been great and a lot of experience. We've got some really good guys. They're all great to work with. And, uh, for some of us, we've been around here since Coach Campbell got here and so, um, yeah, we work very well together. And we have, and you know what, and we have really good players, too. That that obviously helps as well.” One more on Goff. Just And I apologize. I walked in a little bit late, but we've seen in the NFL like these quarterbacks when they hit 30s, you know, they're getting better and better. I don't know if that's a newer thing, but what is it about Jared that you can see that, you know, trend continue? “Well, I could just speak to the season he had last year and who he's been for us the last, you know, five years and just his performance and his production this spring. I mean, he hasn't missed a beat. Uh his accuracy, getting us into the right play, understanding our offense. I He's been excellent with the situational football stuff uh the end of game, the end of half. Um and uh hasn't missed a beat. We got to keep him on his feet and uh we're going to do some good things. We're very fortunate to have him and he's playing at a very high level.” Mark, in two years, what is has Tui brought to your to room? “I think I said it. You know, he played the position. He's coached for a long time and uh we work very well together and uh he's a good coach and uh and plus, you know, he's a husky, too, which I'm a big fan of. And so we have a lot of uh um a lot of things in common, but uh I've been friends with Tui for a long time. And the fact that we were able to get him a couple years ago has been huge for me. I just love working with the guy. And he is always Tui is always, hey, what can I do? What else can I do every day, every day, hey, what else can I do? Is there anything you need me to get for the quarterbacks? And uh um and I love that. He's just he wants to be a part of this. He is a part of this and he's helping us quite a bit.” Mark's his play, he had a great career, played with some great talent. But, you know, when you coach these coaching these guys, you take a step back and just wonder what it been like under center with that offense. “Um, yes, sure. We have some really good players and uh um and I I'll say this, you know, the uh and Jared's very fortunate because he has some he's surrounded by some guys that could play at a high level and um and that's the name of the game and he would be the first one uh to tell you that those guys deserve a lot of credit and you know, you're only as good as those guys that that are in your supporting cast and he is uh he's very fortunate as have been a lot of you quarterbacks. Um, I think they'd tell you the same thing. You know, receivers, tight ends, offensive line, running backs, you know, when you have a good group of guys, you got a chance to play at a high level.” Your early impression on Altmyer and what you've seen from the other. “He's doing he's doing a good job. Uh, he's a rookie and uh um and I've been uh very pleased with clearly the time that he has put into this. He's a smart kid. He's played a lot of football. um he's like a big sponge, you know, you can't give him enough information and we've seen that translate out on the field. So, uh yeah, I'm excited about him. It's been a it's been good working with him.” Do you see coaching in Jared's future? “That's a question for Jared. Um yeah, that's a Jared question.” Of all those quarterbacks in the coaching room now, who's still got the best arm? “Me. You? No doubt about it. But no, that's a great question. We talk about it quite we talk about it quite a bit but um it's not me. I mean it's really it's really not me. But my money's on uh well shoot between CFKA and Bruce and Tui. >> Who else is in there that that used to throw the football around a little bit? Yeah, they uh there's a few there's a few good ones. Um yeah, all kinds of good former quarterbacks up there.” Hank Fraley – Run Game Coordinator/OL Coach So, what’s it been to have a skipper on staff and just kind of see his transition coach. “You know, the first role I gave to Skip was like no fighting coaches and no fighting players. So, um it it's been fun. It's u it's a great transition. Um you know, it takes you back to when, you know, probably any of us that played from say the professional level right into coaching and didn't really take any time off and got into coaching. Um, so it's been a good experience having it and it's been uh I don't want to take any words out of his mouth. It's definitely eye opening of, you know, how much goes involved in it, how much time's involved, you know. So, I think that's more eye opener once you're really your feet are in it. It's like, whoa. So, but he's been great. It's been a great energy. the guys uh in that room that have been around with them. You know, he's always been like coach Skip to those guys anyway, you know, after practice running drills and doing things and taking young guys under him. And so, it's just been a smooth transition for him.” He's okay with those rules? “It's still early, you know, we haven't got the training camp, so it's we're wearing underwear running around right now. Wait till training camp happens. just a reminder, hey, if a fight goes on in the field, just stand back here. You don't have to don't get involved.” So, a lot has been made about Sewell to LT, you know, to make sure the transition, but how are you helping them early on? Just mentally, physically, emotionally, switching over positions when you have that much success. “I told him I told him it's like riding a bike, right? Like, so you can go years without riding a bike um mentally and then you get on a bike, you just got to find your balance, your timing a little bit, how you pedal, how you do all that. And so, um, you know, it's been a long time since he's done, I guess, you know, consistently. I mean, his rookie year, we didn't think he was playing right tackle or left tackle, and then something happened to Deck, and he had to jump over there without any practice again, and it took a little bit, but uh, he's transitioned uh, pretty smoothly. I mean, he's a everybody knows he's a very good athlete. He takes pride in his work. Um, and it's just ironing it out uh on some of that stuff, the timing of this punch and cuz you build habits and that's really what this is about right now for us in the spring uh for us line and really anybody in here is you're trying to build those habits. You got to break old habits, you know, and a lot of its footwork, balance, weight distribution. Um, you're used to in a right-handed stance, now you're getting on the left uh constantly. But uh it's building those habits now, breaking old ones, building new ones, and being comfortable there. “I think the line took a lot of lot of arrows last year. I don't know, you know, as you sort of, you know, step back after the season and looked at it, some of it deserved, how much of it was deserved, and what do you think happened? “I mean, this this game's about wins and losses. Um, I think everything really starts on both sides of the ball, normally inside the trenches normally. I mean, uh, if we're not doing our job up to our standards, and our standards are pretty high in our room. Um, and I think, you know, the standards are very high. Coach Campbell sets it for the whole team, but our room in particular is very high. And if we're not living up to those standards ourselves, then we're not going to have the year we want to have. And really the thing I'm harping on these guys is it's not necessarily always the strongest, the fastest, the most talented, but you got to be consistent. And I think um if you just look back over last year, we weren't as consistent as we need to be in certain things, certain times. Um, and we got to clean that up and be more detailed on that. And we're never going to be perfect in this game. Even those years past where we got to where we haven't been where we want to be anyway as a whole team, um, holding that trophy up and stuff like that, but it's the consistency and that's how you play offensive line to be a good offensive lineman. It's how consistent can you be play in and play out because we're going to get beat, you know? Um, do we learn from what our mistakes? And um you know I think as a teacher and even as a player can you can you learn from your mistakes and try not to make those mistakes over and over. Uh cuz majority of time when we do get beat you know Aiden's going to beat us out here. Aiden's going to beat Penei. Aiden's going to beat our rookie. All right. How did he beat us? Was it because of our footwork? Was it our hands? Or did he just freaking run us over? That doesn't happen as often. It's normally going to be something technically he set it up. He worked a spin move off of something. We dropped our leverage. we lost our leverage. So I think when we when I when I watch it as a coach it's more hey our consistency lacked a little bit you know so but to be play OL throughout anywhere from little leagues to at this level it's how consistent are you because we can help you with that we can help you with other things uh to get better on or you know give you help here and there but can you be consistent.” I know D said he wants to kind of get back to the physical starts the ball efficiently as a coach, how do you help these guys reestablish that? “I Well, there's a lot that goes into play with it. You know, when you break it all down, but to do to do it, I always say you got to earn the right to run the ball. Um, to get the coordinator to call the next run and establish it, it takes a lot O line from everything to scheme to everybody else. It's just the mindset. I think that's where you got to go with it. It's that mindset. It's kind of when you there's not too many sports where you get to walk through on this field and you get to bully people and that's really what it is. Offensive lineman the mentality is being a bully. Um and but it's in between those white lines and then we can be as nice as we want once we get off that field. So it all starts with our mindset, our demeanor and there you know there's things we control more is like you know attitude and effort is something you always can control. So with that that in mind, your mindset going out, man, we're here to bully people, run or pass. And we want to push people around and not be pushed. So it kind of starts really the mindset when they first came back this spring and then it's going to carry over to training camp and hopefully into the season and holding each other accountable, myself included, and demanding it, you know. So uh I think I like where we're headed, the direction we're headed. The room's great and uh you know, we'll see where we're at. You know, we're still in just underwear here. So, it's like how good are we going to be? We we'll see. There's a lot to be you know, there's a lot of unknown still, but I love the direction we're headed in.” Did it feel like you guys lost that identity at times? “I mean, I was at the end of the year, you're just frustrated because you're watching everybody else play and uh there's sometimes you're sitting back and it's even as a player back in the day, you're like, man, I know we're better in this. I know we should be playing, but what was it? Why did it hold us back? Was it, you know, for myself as a coach, and I think all coaches should do this, it's a reflection. The first thing you should look at is the mirror yourself. Like, what indie am I running? Am I getting them prepared for the game? Am I doing the right things? Can I get them better prepared? Am I giving them the right notes? Am I showing them the right film? Am I giving them too much? You know, sometimes there's too much info and now you're thinking instead of just playing. So, you're trying to process everything. So, uh I think it all started I think all of us in this building, I think we all took a se seat back. You know, for me, I closed my door and just, you know, I knew we once we were moving on, it's like what's going on? But I still took my process. What can I do better first? And then how do I get those guys to respond better? How do I get Penei to play even better than where he's at? Because he his ceiling's not even touched yet, you know? So, uh, and from the top player to the bottom player, am I reaching them all? Am I doing all that? Cuz you're going to have to rely on we're not just going to have five guys out there all year. If we could, it'd be great. But, um, we got to be ready for the ninth and 10th guy in. So, Oh, there's a lot. Don't worry. It's there. So, hopefully we'll see. The reflection will be out there and the work they're putting in.” Impressions of Blake Miller?. “Yeah, I like where he's at. You know, it's not perfect. He's making some mistakes here and there, but the impression I got though, he's coachable and when he does make a mistake, is it a mental mistake or it's hard to say physical mistake cuz we're not physically going. But, um, he's able to adjust and clean that up. And that's what you want to see with anybody. Like, if you tweak something, do they revert back to what you just tweaked or do they move forward and go forward and work on the next thing? cuz you know it was old thing that there's only like one thing you should really focus on at a time in a day and you 1% better and that's how you get better and so it's like is it my first step off the ball? Is it my left hand's going to be better and that day of that focus you know once you accomplish that you can move to the next thing and that's where I like where he's at. He's willing. He's hungry. He's quiet. He's listens um from myself from whoever's coaching him. He's taking it all in. And um I think you know we have two young rookies and they're doing well for right now.” Where do you see Manu at this point in his career? And uh I mean how receptive has he been with the you know kind of in intermixing in guard against or guard? “Uh you know we're trying to play the best five once we get there. Uh and then when I always tell these guys if you're not the guy that's starting you know in your mind you should always want to be that starter but when you're not you got to be able to flex to different positions. Gio's been, you know, uh, great with that. We've, we've messed with it a little bit during the season, even as rookie year a little bit, throw him in at guard, you know, at times, uh, especially when there's injuries, uh, that come up, you know, guys have to go play. It's kind of how, you know, Skip was around and it's like ideally if you would just look at Skip, you're not going to be like, hey, you're putting him at guard right away. But when you need people to play it and you know what he's gonna go do, and we talked earlier about consistency and you already know how he's, it's easy to plug and play somebody like that. So, I think Gio is learning. It's a whole new um take years past. When we had Big V, he was really a tackle and he got slid in the guard. It took him a while to passing games off of a guy to my right and left. And when you slide Gio in there, it's the same way. You just got to learn and get a good feel. And he's been great with it. Um and he's been good in the classroom. And I think year three for him is a big year for him this year. And uh training camp's going to be a big year for him. So, we'll see where it goes. But the competition's great in the room. And I think all the guys are pushing each other.” Mays is pretty new to the center position. Just what did you see on this film that makes growing? “Uh yeah, I remember him uh one at senior ball had him a little bit um you know talking to him and then uh two just watching his tape at Carolina um there you're always growing as a player and he's willing to grow and he's learning. Um and then you know we put a lot on our centers here so he's really adapted. I mean, he put a lot of time and effort in it when we first got him, but the what you got to see off his film is he was playing physical. He could was stout at the point, kept the depth of the pocket, stuff like that. And you know, Carolina had a very good year and he was one of the reasons why. And uh we like this tape and I'm glad we got him and he's been great for the room and uh he comes ready to work every day and he's always just give me give me something new, coach. And I'm pressing him and you know, it's great. We've got Goff here. He's been in our system for a long time, you know, with Drew and all this stuff. So, he's able to help. He's a veteran out there. But, uh, Cade's really taken the leadership role. Uh, centers have a lot. Doesn't matter what center has to run in there and go, they have a lot on their plate and Kad's, you know, taking it personal and it means something to him. So, um, I'm excited where he's going to be at the start of the year. What's the next step for Tate and what ways we don't see him on the year? “You know, it's uh he's got, you know, like you said, I have my stuff to work on. You know, I always say every week you're writing a chapter in your book. Uh his season one's done. He's in season two. So, it's cleaning up some of those things that got him, you know, bit him a little bit and how do you uh perfect it and how do you counter certain moves in the pass rush move? You know, how what were D-Tackles doing to you setting you up? Um and then uh you know, limit that some of the pre- snap penalties, you know, stuff like that. I'm not calling him out at all. We all need to do that as a whole line. We had too many of them last year, you know, for us. Um, that's an advantage us, so we got to be better there. So, I love where Tate's at. I I think he finished pretty strong in the year, there's little things that he just needs to detail that as you go in this league and play, you get better and better and you start seeing the bigger picture. I think that's the next phase of him is seeing the big picture instead of here's my D-Tackle. All right, what's around that? What's giving stuff away? Is there pressures that given away? Is there some tips, tails? That's the next step I think for him to take.” You got a lot of competition at the other guards. I think that one's going all the way through. “I think at the end of the day, you got to play your best five and we'll figure it out, you know. So, I like where he's headed and, you know, we've had all our conversations. I'm pretty upfront with our guys too in front of each other and you know with all 15 guys in that room talking or 16 and then um you know so competition is you know it's there and it's breeding it makes everybody better and so Tate Tate's in a saying he's not you know settled in you know we had our conversation but I like where he's head it and we'll see where these five go. Mike Kafka – Pass Game Coordinator You and how to stay out of what it feel to you about this position with this team. “Yeah. So, uh we started off with going through the interview process. Um getting to meet Dan, Brad, Chris, um and really getting to know them, what they're about. And obviously a lot of respect for them from afar and competing against them and just kind of watching over the last several seasons. So, um just a lot of really good conversations that led to me being here and it was, you know, it's an honor and it's a privilege to be here. But did your game against them come up at all during those conversations and in particular the trick play that you ran at their expense last year? “Yeah, we watched it that was part of the interview like we watched the game and kind of went through my thought process and um it was good. You know, it was a good football conversation. Um but yeah, that's pretty much the thought process.” So, what was the thought process especially with the pass? “Oh, no. Oh, we had we had a few trick plays up our sleeves that we knew in certain times that we kind of wanted to get to in the hall and uh those guys made great plays. I mean, it wasn't necessarily super clean, but those guys made make a heck of a play out of it.” With the with the aspirations that you still likely have as a young coach, talented coach with success in this thing, what does this stop here being part of this organization do for you and your personal goals? “Listen, I think that to really go down that road is hard because right now I'm just I'm so absorbed in what we're doing here, especially at this part of the season, you know, in the offseason getting ready to ramp up number one to finish the veteran minicamp and then to ramp up in training camp in the season and really trying to, you know, still work together with Drew with the off staff to contribute as much as possible. Um, so it's hard to really think of all that stuff right now.” You have a reputation for being a collaborative coach, Mike. I'm just curious how do you and Drew's views, visions, philosophies of the past game, how have they married in this this early setting for you guys? “Yeah, it's exactly that. It's like the collaboration part of it. It's talking, it's communicating. Um, you know, he obviously has a really good feel for what he wants to get done and what he wants to get accomplished, and I'm there to support it and contribute as much as possible.” Obviously, you lean into your personnel to kind of craft what you guys do. Uh, you used the deep ball quite a bit last year in New York. When you look at this roster, you see guys like Jameson Williams, Tesla, Jared Goff. How much do you look forward to maybe trying to incorporate more of the deep passing game into this offense? “You know, I think it's too early right now to really kind of go down there in terms of like the specifics there. And again, I'm going to support Drew and his vision and coach Campbell's vision and how they want the offense to go. And you know, that's really part of my job and to help you know, coach Brunell and Tui and Jared to be in the quarterback room and contribute there as much as possible and use my experiences whether it was at a as a player or as a coach to their benefit.” Yeah, Mike, it is a great problem to have. But what are your early thoughts about just having an offense that has so many weapons at wide receiver, even at tight end and running back, too? “You know, um, starting with the offensive line, been really impressed with that group and what Hank has done with that group and how they communicate. Um, and then Jared, you know, being in the room with Jared, he's phenomenal. And he's one of those guys that I've had a ton of respect for from the outside and I think, you know, you look at him, this guy's like a sniper, you know, he's just he's into it. He's got great command in the huddle at the line of scrimmage. Um, he's so accurate. I I didn't really realize how accurate he was thinking out here and seeing the anticipation, the velocity, the timing, the ball placement, all those things that go into the pass game and watch him operate. It's been really impressive. >> Your resume as a coach gets himself as a grad mentioned.” I'm sure you had other potential options or offers this offseason. Why was this the right fit for you? ”I thought this was the best place for me and my family. Um, one, you know, I think just being able to meet Campbell with Brad from a culture standpoint. Um, you know, to work with Drew, right, and the staff that I have a lot of respect for, you know, me and so I was a player in Minnesota when Drew was on staff there. I was in the same quarterback room with Teddy. So, you know, there's some there's some good collaboration there in that room. It's easy to kind of work through. And that's the best part, one of the best parts about this organization right now. And this team is it's a great quarterback room, right? It's really we able to kind of sit there and talk and talk it out and work it out and get, you know, problems solved. But, um, it was great for me and my family being able to meet, you know, Holly and, um, all the wives, you know, uh, last weekend, um, was really cool. and uh have a little staff retreat. So that that was really those are the those are the things that when you look at a team trying to build it's not just like the football side of it. There's a family on it too. What are your long-term aspirations? Would you get a taste of being a head coach like you did in the field last season? How does that sort out? "Yeah, I do have of course. I think everybody you're in this business to you know you aspire to be a coordinator, aspire to be a head coach, you aspire to continue to move on and help support your family and do things that you love. I have all those things. Uh but right now my focus is on my role with a client.” Dan's path is similar to the one you you're trying to chart right. He had the interim opportunity. You know, went and worked for a successful organization. How much is just maybe tapping into his experience valuable for you? “Yeah, that's one that's one thing we have in common. We've certainly shared some uh war stories about that that experience and uh you know, it made me stronger, made me better those. I mean, I loved I love every minute of it when I was there with the players, with the coaches, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Tish, like the ownership group with Joe. Um, those are great experiences I'm going to carry with me for a long time.” What are some of maybe the responsibilities of the past game coordinator during this this phase of the offseason, Mike? Just for us that maybe don't understand the scope of the position. “Sure. It's a lot of communication with Drew, you know, throwing him ideas, getting on the same page with how we're coaching certain routes, how we're coaching certain things. um from a schematic standpoint, it's also there's a um you know a learning curve because there is some continuity with the SAT which is a good thing. Yeah. So I'm able to kind of pick their brains how they've done it in the past some of the ideas that I've done and just kind of really work together to get all on the same page and put the right stuff out there.” Your early assessment of Isaac Tesla, seeing him what he's been able to do out here? “Isaac, yeah, I've been really impressed with him. Um young player, but he's got I mean he's got some juice to go up and get the football. He's an aggressive at the catch point. you can run through contact. Um, you know, kind of does it all. Can play inside, can play outside. So, I'm really, you know, been really impressed about." On (MSU HC) Pat Fitzgerald: “Yeah, Fitz is going to do great. So, um, coach has been coach Fitz has been a great mentor of mine for a long time. I've known him since I was like a sophomore in high school. So, um, going on the better part of almost 15, 20 years now. So, Coach Reed, I mean, Coach Fitz, not Coach Reed, but Coach Fitz has been a great mentor of mine. Um, actually, when I took over in New York, he came out for the week, it was just kind of a fly on the wall and was able to kind of sit in the background and give me some pointers and help me build the week out. So, he's been a great asset and I'm, you know, excited to go visit uh down in East Lansing.” That made you better. Kind of what types of things made you better? “Well, you have to problem solve different things every day. There's always things you have to work for, work towards, um, getting everyone on the same page, whether it's just simply like scheduling or, you know, um, you know, things from the football side of it. But then there's a personal element, too. You know, you're talking with kids and I've been in those shoes as a player before, but 19, 20, 21 year old kids who've got real world problems, whether they're dealing with family, whether they're dealing with um, things in their, you know, kind of arena. So, you know, you have to be able to make sure you reach and touch point a lot of different groups. You know, as offensive coordinator, you know, your focus is just on the offensive guys, those 25 these guys. Well, when you're the head coach now, you got to go to the special teams. You got to go with those guys and get them on the same page that they're carrying on your vision and carrying on your work.” Curious which coach on this staff that maybe you didn't have previous working experience that you've I guess enjoyed getting to know that you've kind of already started tapping into their knowledge. “Yeah, I've been spent a lot of time with Coach Brunell, Coach Tui. Um, those guys again have done a great job with Jared over the over the last several years. So, it's been really nice to work with them and get to know them.” Working with Drew, do you see any similarities early on with working with Andy Reid? “I mean, I think they're both different. They're both very different, but Drew has a really good heart about him where he's organized. He's well thought out. He's not afraid of um you know different thoughts and different ideas and he wants that kind of information. So that's been good. I mean I think you know we're in we're in June right we're in we're working to get to the um finish up the veteran minicamp the right way but we're doing a you know feel like we're on a good spot. Looking forward to it.” You referenced that retreat last week. Did you have you ever before the NFL? “No I have not. That was really that was really unique. That's cool.” Yeah. What do you get out of something like that? “Yeah. Well, it's just the camaraderie. Yeah. You know, you're getting the wives together, you're getting um significant others together and um and the coaches and there's an opportunity to do some do some stuff together and um have some fun, you know, for until we get ready to skip rolling during the season.” The vertical passing game was kind of an emphasis last year, but it didn't really like fully materialize, I guess. I mean, what are some things that you can do to kind of maybe I guess enhance that uh part of the passing attack? “You know, I think the specifics of it as we kind of get rolling. Right now, we're still putting in the introductory part of the game plan and scheme. Um, I think that'll grow and I think as we continue to work um as an identity, as our offense, whether it's in the passing game, whether it's in the running game, all those things will start to work itself together. But I think what's important is that we're all on the same page.” Steve Oliver – Tight Ends Coach How's the experience been? you know, having your own room. You worked a long time to get it. So, you know, just a few months in, what's that experience been like? “Uh, it's been awesome so far. I mean, it's the transition has been great. I mean, Drew Ping has been awesome to work under and then having the familiarity with, you know, the rest of the staff. I mean, working under Hank for the last, you know, five seasons and, you know, coach Campbell and then the familiarity with the room, like so much of that crossover between the O line and tight ends, you know, being very familiar. Brock and I actually came in together at like the same time. He was a UDFA when I came in as a quality control. So, you know, getting to kind of come up with him the same way. It's really made it, you know, pretty an easy transition. And those guys have made my, you know, my life pretty easy and just trying to do the best I can for him every day.” I think most of us have experienced a new boss coming in and just the uncertainty of that when you first meet Drew, when do you kind of recognize like, oh, this is going to work really well for me? “I think when you just realize how quick and concise he can make complex information seem simple and he does a great job of that in front of the room as well that the second he kind of comes in and he's you know very laid-back very personable and you can tell very quickly into the conversations he knows football at a high level and when you start talking to you know very like I said very complex things and he can kind of make them dumb them down and kind of like hey a b and c kind of this is this is how you operate this I think you immediately kind of gravitate to like wow like he's been around a lot and he's a good teacher and he's a sharp he's a very sharp coach.” What is your early assessment with the tight end? “Uh I think it's been great so far in terms of competition, attention to detail, uh trying to ask him to do a few different, you know, techniques we might be working on that are of things that are different here and there. And uh I think I'm really happy with where they're at uh in terms of you we're putting a lot on their plate conceptually, run game wise. And uh they show up every single day with it and it's been great.” The label is just having that like confidence you knew Sam was going to be kind of brought along slowly in the recovery to have a guy that's had that much experience in the league, a few different schemes to just kind of go out there and plug and play. “I mean, Conk’s the ultimate pro. I mean, year nine coming in and he wants to be coached. He wants to get better every day. He's grasped the system really well and the guys in the room have been great. I mean, he's been a great addition. I'm really excited to have him.” Perspective, how much did the offense change? “I mean, Sam, you can always tell. I mean, he's a difference maker when he's on the field and run game, pass game, protection, all three facets. And, you know, I think Brock did a great job stepping up and, you know, putting guys in positions that, you know, had to at the time. You definitely noticed Sam's absence because the impact player he is. And we'll definitely be excited to get him back out there.” Skipper kind of held down that big blocking tight end. I'm sure you're trying to lull him out of retirement, but you know, how much is that a competition that you're watching this offense? Seems like there's a lot of guys kind of taking some snaps there, checking it out. Like, how much are you looking for that guy to step into the six though? “Well, selfishly now as a tight end coach, you want it to happen zero times because that means it takes one of your guys off the field. But, uh, at the end of the day, it's, you know, who can best serve the matchup week to week and uh, is it an advantageous week, you know, put an extra line on the field? Is it better to stay in, you know, 12, 13 personnel, whatever it might be? And be excited to see once the pads come on in camp, you know, who kind of separates themselves and settles into that role.” This is a good time to become a tight end coach given the I guess leaguewide momentum toward using more of the 12 and 13. “Uh I mean anytime you can get your f first opportunity to run a position this league is a great opportunity but uh getting to you know be involved with the run game, the pass game, the protection, all three, you know, phases of it that tie together. It's definitely great for you know all offensive knowledge of it and for you know being able to kind of have a have your hand in all the pieces of it. It's a great time for it and I you know 13 personnel 12 personnel as a tight end coach you love it but also I mean look at all the weapons we have on the offense you know we're deadly in 11 to.” So what was the next step for Sam? He's obviously had a very good start to his career seeing the blocking took a nice jump in his third season. What are you looking for growth for him in his fourth year? “Uh, I think it's just, you know, Sam being the best version of himself, you know, and, you know, getting where, you know, he's feels great in all three phases and just continue to hone down the little techniques, you know, little route running things here, a little, you know, footwork and hand placement in the run game, you know, protection wise. I think he's like you said, he's done a great job in all three and just continue to see him, you know, improve on those every single time he gets a chance to.” Impressive or unique is that mindset to come out franchise records as a rookie as a receiving option, but to put the work into being a better locker that he has. I guess how impressive our unique is that? “Uh, I mean it's definitely you don't see that across the league with, you know, not every, you know, tight end can do all three and he truly can and it, you know, it's a testament to, you know, how he came up at Iowa and the work he's put in since he's been up here and just, you know, the dedication he has in all three phases to make sure that he is an asset and, you know, he can be very effective in all three of them and, uh, I'm just excited to see him keep doing it.” You think of the three young guys in your room, you got, I mean, a UDFA and I think two city. I mean, what have you seen kind of those guys are obviously going to be fighting tooth their nail for an opportunity. What have you seen out of them so far? “I think that they do a good job pushing, you know, pushing each other to it's going to be a great competition once the pads come on this fall and uh, you know, have Zack Horton, Thomas Gordon, you know, Miles Kitselman and Jackson Meeks. They've all they've all done a good job of, you know, showing up every day to work and, uh, you know, indie wise, asking some different techniques, you know, putting them in different spots, you know, trying to stress them mentally a little bit. And uh physically obviously it's you know we're in kind of the underwear right now so it's going to be a little bit different until u come you know July and we get the pads on but see uh who can you know start separating themselves once uh once we start hitting and get into training camp. But I'm happy where they're at and uh not where we need to be but uh obviously, we try to work there each day.” You did mention Jackson there. Obviously that was a change midseason seemed like last year. Um, you know, what has he done to kind of grow into that role? Has he had to add in the weight or comfort was that receiver type? “Uh, I mean, I I'll leave all the weight stuff to coach Campbell to talk about, but I can't speak to, you know, he's attacked it every single day. It's really important to him. He's asking the right questions and it helped having, you know, Scotty Montgomery did such an awesome job with him, you know, in the receiver room for all the, you know, pass concepts and knowledge there. So, just kind of getting you a little closer to the box. some of the run game stuff. I mean, our receivers like to, you know, they get involved in the run game. So, so that's nothing new. It's just a matter of you might be working, you know, a little different guys here, combinations might be a little bit different, but I think, you know, he's done a great job trying to, you know, take, you know, sink his teeth into it and, you know, find out what he doesn't know and what he does and just, you know, some days are a new day and then other things you start to see the progress, though. And I'm happy where he's at and he's continuing to get better every single week.” The Lions will report to training camp in late July, dates unknown at this time.

The third and final week of OTAs for the 2026 Detroit Lions has concluded and as the Lions get deeper into the off-season workouts, we start to see some trends emerge along with players that start to separate themselves from the pack early in the process. Let's recap the most important bits of news that came out of the three-day camp from the press events, photos, interviews and boots on the ground from the Lions beat reporters. Photo - Jeff Nguyen Detroit Lions Injury Updates Dan Campbell 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 QB Teddy Bridgewater, WR Kendrick Law, TE Tyler Conklin, G Ben Bartch, CB Terrion Arnold, CB Ennis Rakestraw, CB Rock Ya-Sin, Safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, while Sam LaPorta was a partial participant QB Teddy Bridgewater Bridgewater's absence was of the unknown variety, and there was no official reason provided for why he was not available. TE Sam LaPorta and Tyler Conklin Following the same schedule as last week, Sam LaPorta was out there for the long walkthrough to open practice but left the field when the teams broke out to positional drills. Tyler Conklin's absence had no official explanation provided by the Lions, but Justin Rogers noted that Conklin left Wednesdays practice with an injury, although it appears minor based on Campbell not addressing it. OG Ben Bartch Per Dan Campbell, OL Ben Bartch is still recovering from the Lisfranc injury he suffered last year while with the 49ers. Even though he has been treated with more precaution than Joseph and Branch, they anticipate him being ready for training camp. CBs Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw and Rock Ya-Sin Campbell mentioned that neither Rakestraw nor Ya-Sin would be practicing today when the media hit the field, as they both have been slowed down by an illness that is impacting the Lions locker room currently. However, both have been out there all spring other than the illness for today. S Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph Campbell jokingly widened the return window to December for Branch before saying he could be ready to start the year, as there has not been any setbacks with him and he is doing a good job and putting in the work. Branch was also observed by the media attending practice for the first time and it was reported that he wasn't wearing a sleeve or brace and was walking without a limp. He is a candidate for the PUP list per Campbell and would likely have to miss the first four games of the season if that is the case (aligning with expected recovery of his injury.) Kerby was spotted watching the end of practice with Branch and apparently tried to get the coaches to let him participate in a punt catching drill, which they declined to do. Week 3 OTA Observations form the Lions Media General Observations The practice was open to the media but did not feature any 7-on-7s and a single 11 on 11 situational drill to end the work. In the situational 11-on-11 work, the Offense was trailing 31-27 with the ball on the defenses 44-yard line, 40 seconds on the clock and one timeout available. Per reports, the 1st team offense had a false start (1st and 15 at the 49) right out of the gate, but then Goff found St Brown for a 19-yard completion down to the 30-yard line where he was able to get out of bounds to stop the clock. Next play saw a Goff to Gibbs pass in the flats, with LB Malcolm Ridriguez getting a hand on him to limit it to a three-yard gain to the 27-yard line, followed by an incompletion by Goff to stop the clock at 13 seconds left. Next play Goff hit St Brown on a crossing route for 17-yards down to the 10-yard line where they called timeout with seven seconds left. Next play was a an almost TD throw to Jamo in the back of the endzone where he tried to toe-tap in bounds but just touched the line. However, a holding penalty on the play gave the offense the ball at the five-yard line with one second left, and on the next play an interference call on DJ Reed against Williams gave the offense one more untimed down. On this play, operating from a five-wide set, Goff found an opening behind LG Mahogany for a TD "run" and proceeded to chuck the ball onto the adjacent practice field in celebration. There was an NFL officiating crew present at practice. Apaprently Sewell was called for a penalty (Illegal man Downfield) and picked up the official's flag and put it in his picket. There was a QB drill observed where a golf cart that was moving full speed through the end zone with a dummy on the back had to be hit by the QBs while rolling out to their right. Reports are that both Altmyer and Goff connected on ~half their throws which were from 15-20 yards out. Lions ran Punt Retorn drills during practice that saw many of the same players from Week 1 OTAs participating in Dortch, Pacheco, Kennedy and St Brown. At the end of practice, the team had a Punt Return catch competition, with 1-minute Planks on the line as a punishment for the losers. The Offense and Defense each picked their players, and first team to miss the punt catch lost. Dortch and Reed caught their punts, but WR Dominic Lovett missed his and the Offense, including Coach Campbell, had to take their punishment while the defense cheerfully watched. Offensive Line 1st OL: Sewell-Mahogany-Mays-Ratledge-Borom/B Miller Borom received the most 1st team reps at RT for the 2nd week in a row Reports are that Miller and Borom were rotating at RT and as the swing T in practice. This is the first report that B Miller has been at RT and swing T, as it was previously reported he has only taken RT reps. Reports are that Juice Scruggs was also receiving 1st team reps at LG. 2nd OL: Manu-Frazier-Scruggs-M Miller-Cochran Campbell brought up Manu rotating into the IOL a bit, but the Lions believe he is a T first. Last week McLaughlin was noted getting many of the OC reps on the 2nd and 3rd units, but it was Scruggs getting all the 2nd unit reps this week WRs Veteran Cedrick Wilson, repping low in the rotation had a good move to put rookie Keith Abney in a spin-cycle during an end zone drill. TE With Sam LaPorta and Tyler Conklin out, that allowed Wright, Horton, Gordon and Kitselman to spill the reps. DL 1st Unit: Hutch-McNeil-Williams- Rotation DE Tyler Lacy has been the "big' DE in a Five-man front and reports are that he has consistently gotten work early in practice in the rotation. 2nd Unit: No Reports LBs 1st Tean - Campbell, Barnes and Rodriguez have been the starters in all sessions Starting Nickel LBs are Campbell and Barnes 2nd Team - Damone Clark and Joe Bachie appear to be next two up, with Rookie Jimmy Rolder working his way on the 2nd group 3rd team - Rolder, Hunter and Nowaske Safety 1st Team - Christian Izien (In for Kerby) and Chuck Clark (In for Brian Branch) continue to get 1st team reps It was reported that Clark in particular has picked up the defense quickly, but will see when camp starts Per reports, Izien and Clark flipped roles in practice open to media Thursday (Izien for Branch at String, Clark for Joseph at Free) 2nd team - Avonte Maddox and Thomas Harper 3rd team - No Reports (Hunter and Jackson) Nickel DJ Reed basically spilled the beans saying "our new nickel Roger McCreary" during his media session. Outside CBs 1st Team - DJ Reed and Khalil Dorsey (Arnold, Rock Ya-Sin and Rakestraw all out) 2nd Team - Nick Whiteside and De'Shawn Rucker 3rd Team - No reports (likely due to missing players) Punt Returners WR Greg Dortch, RB Isiah Pacheco, WR Tom Kennedy and WR Amon-Ra St Brown were the reported participants Thursday, with all four having taken repas previously in open practice. Gunners Kyre Duplessis, Khalil Dorsey, Dominic Lovett, Keith Abney, Malik Cunningham, Nick Whiteside, De’Shawn Rucker, Isaac TeSlaa, Christian Izien, Roger McCreary and D.J. Reed. Rookies Blake Miller - He was observed still splitting 1st/2nd team RT reps with Borom. But new intel suggests he was observed also getting swing T reps (either LT or RT) for the first time. Derrick Moore - Finally showed up in some OTA photos and his name came up in both the new Edges with Length (he is 6'3") and during Tyliek Wiliams media session asking about the dynamic of another Michigan guy in the DL room. Jimmy Rolder - Rolder was seen in photos on multiple days and was mentioned has having worked his way into the 2nd LB unit occasionally. Keith Abney II - Showed up in some photos this week and was mentioned as getting cooked in a jog through end-zone drill by veteran Cerick Wilson. Kendric Law - Done for season with a torn ACL suffered win OTA Week2 practices Skyler Gill-Howard - Sighting of Gill-Howard in OTA photos and he looks menacing in that #50 jersey at 6'0" 280 and his arms being ripped. Tyre West - No mention or sighting of him in Week 3 OTAs photos. UDFAs Luke Altmyer - With Teddy Bridgewater not practicing, Altmyer received many reps with the 2nd and 3rd team offenses, but only the 1st team had a handful of full-speed drills. Seen in OTA photos and mentioned as part of the QB drills above. Miles Kitselman - Back at practice this week after missing last Thursday and received additional reps with both Ty Conklin (no practice) and Sam LaPorta (limited practice) missing time. Anthony Lucas - The UDFA Edge was mentioned by multiple coaches and playes in the media session as one of the new Edges with length. Lucas is a big kid at 6'5" and 256lbs with long arms. Shep also mentioned he was on his radar for a few years and can't believe they got him as a UDFA. Lions Rookies DE Derrick Moore, CB Keith Abney II, DL Skyler Gill-Howard and QB Luke Altmyer Photos - Jeff Nguyen Detroit Lions Media Scrums with Players The Lions had media availability with DT Tyliek Williams, CB DJ Reed and LB Malcolm Rodriguez after the final practice of OTAs. Tyliek Williams Asked about how much different it was fo him in year 2: "Feels way better, not nervous and playing faster. Learned a lot last year and trying to use that to build on this year and get better." Follow up about what he learned last year helping him i these OTAs: "Just how the NFL is played, it's a lot different than college. Players are way better. Schemes are way better. So just having a year under my belt I am playing faster and more fluid." Asked about big goals for the offseason for success in year two: "Probably shed a little bit more weight. Say the playbook and being a better teammate is probably it." On whether he expects to move up and down the line to different positions: "Yeah, I think I will be playing some nose this year, and some 3-Tech, we'll see." Wiliams on the Edges with length being added to the room: "Yeah, we did bring in a bunch of long-armed guys. So, I mean, I think it will help, we'll see. I don't know" On adding another Michigan guy (Moore) to the room: "Uhh, you know we have our conversations about the game, obviously I troll him, he trolls me, but you know he is a good dude and a great player and he'll help us." On how much leaned on McNeil this year for how to pick up position with reader gone: "Shoot, I talk to Alim everyday about something with football, so. Last year it was DJ and Alim, now its Alim, so I mean Alim helps me whenever I need help, he's been a great leader for me going into year two." Asked about rookies looking to Tyliek as a veteran on where to go and what to do: "I dont know if its that, but you know I help when I can it's kind weird being like a, having been a rookie last year looking around for everything and now I am helping people, it is kind of weird, buyt I am all for it." DJ Reed On his health this year vs last: Said main goal was to stay healthy, which is really important. Doing things in his control like hydrating getting the right amount of sleep. Reed then mentioned that this offseason he went to Panama and underwent stem cell treatment on his hamstring. Said it feels good, but you need to continue rehab in the offseason and take care of it. Frustration with injury last year after starting well: When asked how frustrating it as to go through the hamstring injury, Reed said it was tough, as it was bad strain and severe enough that he thought he might need surgery, but its football. Said he had to teach himself how to walk, jog and sprint again during rehab to get back to plaiting football, but there are no excuses. Said he is looking forward to getting back healthy and balling out and getting back to doing what he was doing before the injury. Asked about what Percent healthy he was last year after coming back vs now: Rehab team for Lions id a great job, while watching tape before vs after injury he didn't see that burst he was accustomed to having that let him be stickier in coverage. Later in season was using same technique, but guys were running by him, and he didn't have that extra gear. It was definitely humbling and he had to alter some of the ways he played to stay on top. Says he definitely has that burst back now. On his second year in Sheppard's system: Feels more comfortable in system, happy to be here in OTAs with new safeties and new nickel (McCreary) and understanding how they play is very important. instead of him just coming to training camp and not knowing how everyone plays On how long he was in Panama getting treatment: Just one week. Where did he get the idea fo stem cell treatment: Fred Warner told him about it two years ago (They were drafted together with 49ers) been going down there a few years now getting a few things done while he is there. Asked how he thinks camp will be different with all te new faces back there: Coaches talk about how they think it will be much more competitive, not a lot of solidified spots, bring more competition everyday which he thinks is good for the betterment of everybody. Follow up on whether he can feel it already: Yeah, he said they say in OTAs you don't lose your job but feels like every day you are being evaluated and you have to put your best foot forward with every practice you get. Asked about depth on team with injuries to Kerby and Branch: He said he believes so, Lions have a lot of guys brought in. Chuck Clark is doing a great job with the role Lions have asked him to play at Safety, and he is in Year 10 and has been around a lot of football so you can tell that he just understands it. Izzyis still learning, but he is super athletic and can range around the field and does good down in the box, so he fills that role Reed believes. Roger is learning a lot of nickel right now, and it's a lot, because Lions put a lot on their nickels, but he is learning and trying to understand it to the best of his abilities, and he is doing a great job to. What has been Shep's message to team in practice: When they get back for training camp, they aren't starting over. That is important because installs were all put in during OTAs, even though in training camp they will be re-installing them, but they don't want to have to coach the basics again after the five weeks off. Asked how Sheppard is doing in Year 2: Reed thought he did a great job last year, especially with all the injuries on the back end, but Coach Shpe seems mor poised this year on correcting people and explaining things better this year than he did last. Malcolm Rodruguez Asked about being called "Fourth Starter" and now getting starting reps: "Really no different, Shep has always preached about competition. One of those things where you come back to camp and get ready for competition and best guy will play." On his focus for offseason and was WILL LB an area of focus: "It was never to play better, it was about getting back healthy, getting back form injury and getting healthy. Coming from last season, I didn't feel like my best, what I used to feel like, so was one of those things going int offseason, fresh mindset, clear mindset and getting back right." Asked if he feels different coming into this training camp with opportunity in front of him (no Anzalone): "Other than feeling healthy, no I really don't.one of those things where every year I come in and there is always competition. So, I take it as it comes, one of those things like I said, there is competition all around and Shep has always preached that in the defensive meeting room, so guys are going to throw us out there and give us opportunities and go out there and have a chance to make plays." On if he gets the vibe of competition at spots all across the team: "O yeah, it brings the level of play up for sure, and it's one of those things where those guys are going to stand out to the competition. Shep and all the coaches preach it all the time about the level of competition and training camp is gonna be a great one this year." Level fo Hunger to get out there and play on defense: "I'm always hungry you know, its one of those things you get the opportunity you gotta go out there and showcase my talents again. One of those things were coming into this year is kind of a refresh and going back in there like I am a rookie again. That's the mindset you gotta have and just keep going." On Shep's ability to communicate in Year 2: "They did a good job on self-=scout, so it's one of those things for like what worked well last year and what didn't he is a very knowledgeable coach like that and he's always implementing on us, teaching us all the little details in and out of offense and not just defense he is an awesome DC to have and excited to play for him again." Healthwise, what was missing last year when came back vs now: "Just one of those things where I was dealing with some stiffness trying to get through some scar tissue an all that. Getting that mental strength back, it's one of those things. This year I fell 10zx better, night and day so, last season is last season, and this year I am excited to come in healthy." Follow up on if they were mental or physical limitations: "Could be a little bit of both, it's one of those things where I have never had to deal with injury so it was something new for me, so had to jump over that bridge and is water under the bridge now." Dan Campbell Media Session Lions head Coach Dan Campbell met with the media on Thursday to cover quite a few topics that have come up since last week. After opening up with some comments about where the team is at in the offseason program, he took some questions. Dan Campbell OTA Day 9 Press Conference Opening Statement: Cambell said that this will be OTA #9, mentioned two Vet Minicamps next week. Said team is putting in the work, testing each other on both sides of the ball. He also said for what they can do, they are getting better even with the restrictions that are upon them at this time of the year. Said he appreciates the guys that are there putting in the work especially the veteran guys that are the leaders of the team, aid all are just trying to improve. Asked about where team is at now vs last year at this time and if happy cadence of the offseason and if they are all done after Minicamp next week: Campbell said that everyone will be done next week, including the rookies, stating that the rookies will have gotten their full share of the program. On this year vs last, said everything was little different this year because it was a later start for the league year. Campbell stated he likes that they are here together another year, especially with guys like Jack and Hutch with Sheppard's system, it allows them to expand on things and find things that fit the team schematically and continue things that they do well. They will tinker a bit here and there, but thinks team is further along on defense because they didn't have to start over like last year when they had all new coordinators and coaches coming in. On offense, said the same thing, fortunate to have a lot of veteran players in Detroit and have a system that works, and when you add Drew Petzing with his ideas and things he has been able to do with what he has had, and some of the tweaks and adds, it's been good for this time of year. Campbell said as a head coach you get to step back and although you don't get the physical part, you do get to watch that they can process the information that gets on them fast, see how are they reacting, because that won't change whether you are in pads or not, your reaction time should look the same. Was asked about the addition of Dan Skipper to the coaching staff: Campbell jokingly said they "...are still trying to figure Dan out, we don't know a lot about him." Said he loves Skip, he's a natural, he just stepped into it, but he fits us like a glove. His temperament, the way he goes about his business, he is a professional, he was that way as a player, smart, wants to know all of it, the big picture. Certainly, he is going to do what Hank asks him to do. But he has been trained in it, so he knows exactly the way it is supposed to look. Skip's doing a really good job. Asked about Ennis Rakestraw and what he has done to be more available: Campbell said he won't be out there today before he answers, he and Rock Ya-Sin had a bit of an illness that is going around. Said Rakestraw has had a good spring and been out there every day minus the big that has a hit a few of the guys. This year he had a lot of time to rehab and work back there with Coach Schuler and Mike Clark when he was here and Fish (Dir of Player Health and Performance Brett FIscher) and has added a little bit of bulk, a little more dense than he was that is always going to help the body. There is nothing to say or tell me (Campbell) that he won't physically be prepared to go into training camp. Whatever happens, happens, but he is where he is supposed to be right now in early June. What are his early impressions of Blake Miller: There again, he wants to do it right, he tries to do what he is asked to do, coached to do its early though, there are things he learns every day. Look, even for not being, the physical aspect of this with the pads, the D-Line doesn't cut them any real slack anyways, so whoever lines up over him is trying. Sewell went through it a bit, Hutch went through it a little bit. He is learning and as long as he continues to grow and take these small steps every day, he will be fine. Asked about Thomas Harper and his ability to step up to provide a big role again this year: Cmapbell said he did some good things for us, he did step up and I think te biggest thing was there were some good things, and some things that weren't as a good, some little inconsistencies is what comes with a young player. What we are looking for, and we like him, we like the ability, we like some of these things he is able to do, can he continue to increase on that consistency. Knowing he will do that time, in, time out, every play it's not gonna get on you and that comes with reps. He has done a good job though. Asked about early impressions of Edge room: Campbell jokingly said I know you guys need something, but it is early. However, for all the drill work that the team gets and times where they can turn it up a little bit. Wonnum looks good, said "we have some length now." Cmapbell then said, let me step back a minute, I like where Wonnum is at. He is coming off that injury, hasn't missed a day with the Lions and been putting in the work. And he is doing a good job. Campbell then said, "We've got some guys now you know, between Wonnum and Turner and (UDFA) Lucas, obviously Moore, we got some length now, we got some size and length and athletic ability on the perimeter."Lacey is more of that big end, stacked, but Campbells said the Lions are big, long and you can't wait for training camp. You just can't wait, Kacy (DL Coach Kacy Rodgers) is doing a good job with them, and they all have their own little niche, their own knack, and to watch them fundamentally get a little bit better working on their craft and then we will see what camp looks like. Asked what Campbell thins they have in Payton Turner: Said won't know until they get into camp, nothing that he has done that has been a disappointment to us. through all of spring and since they started the offseason program. The meetings have been good, the film work has been good, he is moving around well, his care factor is up there, he seems like a pretty smart guy. Campbell said they are intrigued, which is also why they brought him in. Said they liked him when he was coming out as a pup a long time ago. So we'll see. Asked if he sees a big jump in Year 1 to year 2 in SHep and how he is coaching the defense: Campbell said he is much more comfortable relative to last year at this time. He has a much better grasp of how he wants it to look, and now he is coaching all of it. Campbell said he is coaching the front, the backers and the back end and stated that you get better in year two by doing self-diagnsis and made adjustments and loves where Shep is at right now. Question on Gio Manu being all over the OL after predominately LT and what his outlook is: Campbell said that some of that is what this is, experiment a little bit trying him due to injuries or bugs at other spots and see what he looks like at Guard. Essentially giving Manu the best opportunity to showcase what he has and who knows, maybe he is better at Guard. Lion still think tackle, but if he can prove something, then that is good. We'll see, he has been here, been working and won't know until camp. Touched on Ben Bartch: Campbell said he is much more precautionary that Jospeh and Branch but anticipate him being ready for training camp. He is doing well. Was asked about shortening timelines for Achilles and if Branch has an outside chance at training camp: Campbell said he doesn't know and I guess there is always a chance, but he jokingly widened the window the window so that he doesn't have to talk about it anymore, saying December and anything before that is a bonus. Said he could be ready to start the year, as there has not been any setbacks with him and he is doing a good job and putting in the work. He is doing well. Campbell was asked about Branch entering a contract year and if the organization factors that in: Campbell said that you always want to know that your guys are healthy and that this is truly healed knowing the investment that would go into that. Kelvin Sheppard Media Session Lions' Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard met with the media Thursday fand covered a range of topics form coaches, players, defensive philosophies and how he envisions this season shaking out. Kelvin Sheppard OTA Day 9 Press Conference On first impressions of revamped Edge room: Shep basically said he loves the make-up, with a blend of player sizes and especially the increased length. That was a focus area this offseason for the front office, and they did a good job of adding that component to the room. Competition should be fierce once the pads come on and there will be several guys competing for the last couple of roster spots. Where did not having length hurt in 2025 and who has caught his eye such as UDFA Anthony Lucas: Shep mentioned Lucas being 6'7" and others like Wonnum, Eric Moore, Payton Turner, Ahmed Hassaneien looking to make a push, Lucas junior film at USC against LSU he was a game wrecker. aid he has had his radar on him for a few years and couldn't believe they got him undrafted. For length, it's what teams look for on edge and what compliments the werewolf they have (Hutch) and that length will compliment him. On Rolder and picking things up quickly: It all starts with Lions LB Shawn Dion-Hamilton who Shep feels is one of the best in the league when it comes to developing. It's what he looks for in a coach, a guy that is a teacher and can pull the most out of his guys through developing. As for Rolder, Shepp it means something to him, to be on this end and to play LB and Safety in this system, especially where we have taken it now, it takes mental capacity, and he has it, but he still has a lot of ways to grow, as this isn't a guy we are looking to go out and call the defense tomorrow, but his trajectory and where we see things going for him is definitely on the upswing. Asked about Alim McNeil going to be back to where he was two years ago: Shep said he is confident as he has ever been, last year it wasn't physical it was more in his mind. Loved that McNeil attacked this issue before coaches and he has closed that gap already, but Lions need to see what it looks like in training camp. Asked about Harper giving Nine starts in 2025: Another position the front office did a good job of address was Safety. Shep stated that not sure if most people were aware of this, but last year was Thomas Harpers first true time playing safety. Said he played nickel in Las Vegas, more of a nickel/corner hybrid type player and never fully poured into the safety position. Shep said that’s not easy to do in the NFL, as it’s about repetition and a lot of second-nature things take place and instincts kick in. Also, those are areas where you saw him getting better as the year went on and we feel he is continuing to grow and get better and will push that unit to be in that lineup Follow up on what made the Lions think he could play safety: Shep said the range of the player and said that is his superpower as an “Angel in the Outfield.” Those two things are range and ability to eraser tackle, that's when the ball pops. In the NFL the guy needs to be able to do those two things. Shep believes in him because he showed it last year. Shep asked about Branch/Kerby/Anzalone all out or gone, changing structure of defense more toward pass coverage: Shep said we have a system and we know who we are here. Does that alter week to week and by game plan, yeah, listen those were two all-pro caliber players, so when you call to that or someone, its Shpe's job to make sure those players are put in the best position and doing what they do well and mesh that with how that looks. OTAs have allowed them to work on that and the Lions like where they are at right now. Shep not saying there will be a schematic overall, but brought in some good players like Izien, Calrk and Maddox that have been getting significant reps at safety plus bringing back Harper and they have Strickland and Jackson (who was showing promise). Shep said he has no idea what the room will look like, but whoever the two guys are they will be able to operate well within what the Lions do in their defense. Asked if the Nickel CB position takes on more importance: Shep said it was based on matchups, but they are planning on using the nickel position more and they have a lot of candidates that have been logging into that role with the loss of Amik. Lot of question marks, but this is an opportunity for growth as a defense and a team, to get uncomfortable and not knowing who the starting Safeties will be. Said he basks in that moment because it is an opportunity for them as coaches to develop somebody to make sure they are ready to go when week 1 kicks off. Shep on how him being more comfortable can help the team this year: Said he think sits human nature and with more time on task you move forward. Shep has gone through a season of needing to adapt and adjust and learn from it, so next time it comes up they will have answer when it comes up again. Mentioned how Drew Petzing has come in this spring and shown them so many different looks, things that they hadn't even began to discuss last year until they got to the season. That has led to conversation right now in the spring due to what Petzing has presented offensively. Cmapbell loves having problem solvers on his staff. Said Life is hard and it's their job as coaches and leaders to figure it out and make it easy on the players who have to go out there and perform. On whether team is more versatile to be able to match up week-to-week defensively than in past: Absolutely. Said look at 2nd unit in totality, and there are a lot of guys in there that have played a lot of snaps (mentioned Abney as part of this group). Said they feel like there is a lot of versatility within that group. Ther guys whether it be college or NFL where they have been in the slot or outside, also said some swing players like Izien came in and asked "What you guys need me to play" which Shep said may need you to learn two spots, which Izien said that would be one less than he had to know in Tampa where he learned three. Loves being able to have guys that are used to adapting and said that the adaptability he has for coaches is vítale and said by the 2nd Qtr. of the Saints game something will be different than what they thought it was going to be. On main takeaways form offseason deep dive and changes playing out: Said there were a lot of takeaways, no stone unturned. Mainly identifying the "why" things happened so the last eight weeks they have been using to explain the why whether it was lack of understanding, detail or communication. Schematically, they found room for certain thing s they want to do but identified if that is the best thing they could do, and being able to adapt instead of being had headed or stubborn and adapting and adjusting off that. On Chuck Clark and what he adds to the defense: Shep said Chuck Clark is a man of man, he is a man, a grown man. he walks in the room, never seen him smile, because it means something to him. And why he has played 10 years in league and the amount of leadership he has grown into. When Clark is on the field you know where the safety is, you know what the check is, you know what the communication is and that is vital and important. You talk about explosive plays and that is the number one component to limiting those. Making sure the Lions are all on the same plays. Chuck Clark on the field is rarely to never a mistake on the back end because everyone knows who is in charge, because he makes it known. Leader, leader. When it comes to athletic ability, can he still do certain things, that is still yet to be seen in training camp will allow us to see that in those four-to five-week period what he is still capable of doing. But form everything Shep has seen so far, this was the player he saw on tape previously in his career, but more importantly the leadership has been outstanding from Clark. The Lions last off-season workouts wrap with a mandatory minicamp from June 16-17th.

Welcome to The Grey Manes Monday Morning Rundown, a collection of news and notes form the prior week that impact the Lions, the NFL or whatever else catches my eye. Isaac TeSlaa on Day 7 of OTAs - Photo by Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions Lions Players, Coaches and Team Lions posted photos from Week 3 OTAs: Day 7, Day 8 and Day 9. We get our first look at rookie Skyler Gill-Howard and TeSlaa immense athletic ability. Check out the OTA Week 3 recap from Saturday Updates on injuries to Branch, Joseph and more Media Sessions with Tyliek Willaims, DJ Reed and Malcolm Rodriguez Dan Campbell Media Session Observations and Depth Chart lists Frank Ragnow opened up about his retirement and how much Guilt he had about it Isaac TeSlaa shared a story on Good Morning Football about his Rookie Dinner at Sexy Steak that Amon-Ra St Brown chose Jake Bates is a World Cup Superfan... Amon-Ra St Brown giving "one" word answers to describe each NFC North Team is as entertaining as you would expect it to be. Jared Goff is sitting at #3 in NFL Cash leaders for the 2026 season Jameson Williams is one of only four WRs to record +90 Yards After Catch over Expected in each of te last two seasons Jared Goff was Top 3 in the NFL in 2025 in both Red Zone Pass attempts and red Zone TD passes Happy Birthday to Christian Izien Congrats to Sam and Callahan LaPorta on the announcement of their first child Rumors, Nuggets and Speculation Ben Johnson had had daily meetings and changed his offense to get on the same page and fit what Caleb Williams does, because he hasn't shown he can do what the offense requires to run properly. Bears fans are coping with Williams awful accuracy issues by using a made-up stat called "On target %" to justify why it isn't that bad The Vikings QB situation continues to devolve into an absolute sh*tshow of awkwardness, complaints about splitting reps and petty tantrums, and we are here for it. A judge just gave permission to every NCA player to gamble underage and on their own team with little to no consequences... As expected, two of the worst QB-WR duos by passer rating of reside in the NFC North and are exactly who you would expect them to be... The Seattle Seahawk's Super Bowl Ring is out, and it is massive.... The list of Most Explosive offenses in the NFL (+15-yard plays) from 2025 has the Lions sitting at #3 Things I think are Noteworthy Dillon Dingler went 4/5 with 2 HRS and Mother Nature did this Tuesday night Stadium series food gets another sweet treat courtesy of the Houston Astros AAA farm club the Sugar Land Cowboys The World Cup has brought a Miller light Soccer ball, but how about the Tallerboy boy Coors Light that holds three cans? The Galactic Glizzy and the Coors Light Tallerboy

Welcome to The Grey Manes Monday Morning Rundown, a collection of news and notes form the prior week that impact the Lions, the NFL or whatever else catches my eye. Tate Ratledge on Day 5 of OTAs - Photo by Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions Lions Players, Coaches and Team Lions posted photos from Week 2 OTAs: Day 4, Day 5 and Day 6. We get our first look at rookies Derrick Moore and Keith Abney this week. Check out the PACKED OTA Week 2 recap from Saturday Lions lose 5th Round WR Kendrick Law to a torn ACL and have replaced him on the roster with WR Kyre Duplessis Lions hired former Dolphis GM Chris Grier as a personnel executive. New Panthers draft room video shows them worried about the Lions taking Monroe Freeling and having a good discussion on their thought process and calls to Mike Disner about trading up Brad Galli's first piece in his new adventure includes a sit down with Barry Sanders and Jahmyr Gibbs to chat about their relationship. Former lions QR and QB coach, and Hall of Famer Raymond Berry passed away last week Injuries matter when getting to the Super Bowl, with the last 12 participants in the top half of least injured teams and last 6 winner sin Top 6. The Lions over the last six years from 2025 back, 31st, 25th, 18th, 27th and 30th. Brian Branch shared some video of his post-six-month rehab Jared Goff had to get the ball out quick in 20205 FOCO has a limited-edition patch Amon-Ra St Brown bobblehead in the works for $75. On presale and limited to 125 and 500 receptions ($80) limited to 96. Ahmed Hassanein shared on Instagram about his offseason workouts, using Hutchinsons trainer to improve his body Happy 24th Birthday to Ennis Rakestraw Rumors, Nuggets and Speculation The Packer's Micah Parsons is hoping to be on the field by "Mid-October" from his torn ACL, with the Lions hosting the Packers in Week 7 on Oct 25th, they may miss him or have a rusty version of him to contend with. Time, dates and TV partners are now set for the 2026-2027 College Football Playoffs The Official College Football 27 cover features a trio of players destined for the NFL ESPN announces with a little help from the Toy Story cast that Super Bowl LXI will be played on ESPN/ABC on Feb 14th 2027 CBS has added Russel Wilson and Kyle Long to The NFL Today show Things I think are Noteworthy Grandma got run over by a reindeer FOCO is bringing Gordie Howe into it bobblehead listings. Limited to just 226 units and sells for $70 Tigers getting in on the Bobbleheads, giving away two Tarik Skubal bobbleheads to celebrate his back-to-back Cy Young Wins during games on July 7th an 8th. The NFLMemes X account provided some alternat Madden Covers that could have been used for 2027