Getty Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell walk on the field during Lions training camp in 2021.
After the final round of cuts and the setting of the initial 53-man roster, it’s tradition for a team’s coach and general manager to provide some updates on what played out, and the Detroit Lions’ session had more than a few intriguing moments.
The duo of Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes spoke for over 30 minutes, and along the way, provided some great detail about where the first roster stands and why plenty of the decisions were made that played out in the way that they did.
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When condensing things down, what were some of the most interesting takeaways from the September 2 press conference? Here’s a look at cutting through the fat to get at the meat of the issues.
There Remains an Egoless Approach With the Lions
Listening to both Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes speak, it’s clear there has been no cracks in the harmony that exists from the front office down to the staff. Whereas some might have worried about how things were constructed this offseason in terms of the timing of the hirings, Detroit’s collaborative approach seems to be serving them well every day, even during potentially terce and divisive roster discussions which never seemed to turn that way according to all parties involved.
“Dan and I are always on the same page, we’re aligned and because we see things the same way in terms of what we see the vision for our football team and the players we want, it was a pretty seamless process,” Holmes admitted to the media.
Right down to the scouts and his staff, Holmes is always deferring credit, as he did to pro scouting director Rob Lohman for helping find wideout Trinity Benson. All of this shows that the harmony the Lions set out to achieve is still real and isn’t just imagined whatsoever. That might bode well for them moving forward in terms of trying to first get their program established, then off the ground successfully.
Lions Could Have Major Hopes for Trinity Benson
Speaking of Benson, it’s clear that the Lions have major faith in the preseason standout that they acquired after he passed an exhaustive internal test from the front office to be considered for trade. The Lions quickly found a way to get a deal done because they didn’t want to wait for the waiver wire and chance losing a player that they felt offered them some big things for the future.
“He just popped off, he had juice, he had explosiveness, his upside as a route runner gets you really exited for a young guy. Then the more work you do from an intangible standpoint, he’s a tough kid that’s a hard worker, he’s smart, does things the right way,” Holmes told the media.
Listening to Holmes speak so glowingly, it’s clear that the Lions don’t believe that Benson is just a player that the team is trying out for a role, and the Lions feel as if Benson can make some noise for them in a fast way at a position of need.
Nobody’s Worried About Detroit’s Young Cornerback Room
The Lions cut many of their veteran players from the roster at one of the toughest positions to play in the NFL, electing to keep plenty of inexperienced players with a small-stature such as undrafted free agents like Jerry Jacobs and A.J. Parker. Never mind that age or experience level when watching them, though, as the Lions see players who are moldable that can grow into the type of contributors they want for their team. That’s true even if there are some struggles to be had along the way.
“From a coaching standpoint, you’re going to have some growing pains at times, you will,” Campbell said of the cornerbacks. “But the important thing is whatever mistakes are made, they’re not repeated, and if you do that and they stay young and hungry and they’re eager and continue to put the work out, I think we have coaches that can develop them, good things will come sooner rather than later.”
Seeing who can develop quickest under Aubrey Pleasant and show those good things might actually be very exciting for Lions fans, especially at a position that has long been considered hopeless in Detroit for years outside of a few aberrations. Campbell later admitted that the cornerbacks are coming along pretty good, and hyped up cornerback Amani Oruwariye and safety Will Harris as having great camps. Bolstered by what Holmes claimed is a deep and impressive defensive line, the secondary might have time to grow this year.
Organizational Faith Remains Strong in Penei Sewell
If Sewell’s rocky preseason represented a telling alarm bell to plenty of anxious fans, it was just the opposite to Campbell and Holmes. The head coach has remained steadfast in his faith in Sewell all preseason in spite of some struggles, and Holmes seems to agree. As he said, he believes Sewell is “ready now” for his role at right tackle, and has actually impressed him in spite of some of the negative press.
“He’s going through the normal process a rookie would go through regardless of where he’s drafted, that’s a tough position to play out there on that island and he sat out for a year. What he’s done and what is maybe seen as a hiccup now and then, there’s so much other good stuff that is hidden when you really deep-dive the film, little subtle nuances he’s doing that is going to make a big difference. I think he’s gotten the work he needs to get,” Holmes said.
Additionally, Holmes said he believes the offensive front is one of the strong points of the roster. If that is to be the case, it won’t happen without a solid Sewell. Fans are going to scrutinize Sewell’s every move given his draft position, but in listening to the staff and front office, they will have to keep things in proper perspective as Sewell grows. There’s still major faith in Sewell not just as an athlete, but as a person who can continue to improve and get stronger to play a big role.
Jason Cabinda Might Have a Bigger Role for Lions
While many see the Lions as having a hole at tight end given a lack of depth behind their top players, the brass doesn’t see things exactly that way. Campbell lauded both Darren Fells and T.J. Hockenson for what he thinks they can do at the spot, and then name-dropped an intriguing potential secret-weapon for depth at the spot in the form of fullback Jason Cabinda.
“Cabinda, you know, he’s a fullback yet there’s some things we think he can do outside of that,” he explained.
It’s possible that Campbell also sees the potential in Cabinda as an h-back or a player who could moonlight at tight end and move around to catch passes for the offense if needed, making him the polar opposite of what is seen as the archetype for a traditional fullback in the league. The emergence of Cabinda has been a huge storyline in Lions camp, and listening to everyone speak about him, it’s clear that he could be a player to watch on offense as a result.
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