Getty Quintez Cephus makes a 2021 catch for the Lions.
Training camp will serve as a vital proving ground for many Detroit Lions, and the battles will be fierce on the field as players try to make themselves better ahead of the preseason and regular season.
As always, there are going to be several battles that are set to play out that should determine what players manage to play what role on the team for this coming season.
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Which battles will be the fiercest and the most important to watch? Here’s a look at the best battles during 2022.
Wide Receiver: Quintez Cephus vs. Trinity Benson
The seeds for this battle were planted during a fierce competition during the offseason workout period, which saw both Quintez Cephus and Trinity Benson impress with big play after big play on offense. Cephus turned in an impressive one-handed catch, while Benson was able to have a consistent run of solid days on the field. Last season, Cephus had a quick connection with Jared Goff before injury, while Benson took longer to adjust to the league.
Suddenly, the Lions are deep at wideout and it’s possible that between Cephus and Benson, someone is going to have to go in order to keep the roster solvent at other positions. It’s more than possible that each will fight their way on by proving in camp why the Lions could ill-afford to lose either.
Kicker: Riley Patterson vs. Austin Seibert
Coming off of the finish of the 2021-22 season, nobody would have imagined that Riley Patterson would not have a vice grip on the kicker role given some of the records he broke down the stretch after he was inserted into the lineup. Still, Austin Seibert has experience with the Lions last season too, and while he might feel like the forgotten man now, still has a nice leg to offer:
Already, some think Seibert has a shot to upend Patterson and prove he is more NFL ready. Patterson was not tested much in pressure situations and from distance, so watching in camp to see who is excelling at what will be critical. Many might not love a special teams battle, but this could be a good one.
Cornerback: Jeff Okudah vs. Mike Hughes
After a couple of injury-riddled seasons, the Lions can only hope they have a pair of players at cornerback that have intense competition to play a big role. Jeff Okudah is facing a big season where he has plenty to prove off injury, and Mike Hughes comes to Detroit a bit maligned after a sloppy finish to the playoffs in Kansas City. Many think Hughes could be a steal signing, but he will have to earn a role opposite Amani Oruwariye much like Okudah will. The competition in camp will be tight to see who gets the first shot at this.
Ideally, both can play a big role for the Lions this year and make the team’s cornerback group a deep one. Who asserts themselves the most will be very interesting to follow given the talent of both these players in addition to the questions that follow each of them.
Offensive Line: Logan Stenberg vs. Tommy Kraemer
Detroit’s offensive front is more than set in terms of who will start, but the intrigue is strong in terms of what players will be able to stick in a reserve role. The Lions might be in a position where they have too much talent up front, and that could show itself at guard with Logan Stenberg and Tommy Kraemer. Stenberg was the higher draft pick in 2020, but the undrafted Kraemer earned his stripes by playing in 9 games with 3 starts in 2021.
Given the team’s other roster needs, it’s more than likely a tough call will have to be made, so who will grab the upper hand? Guard will be the most interesting spot to watch up front this year thanks to this battle and this variable.
Safety: DeShon Elliott vs. Kerby Joseph
In terms of experience, it would be easy to proclaim that DeShon Elliott has the upper hand over rookie Kerby Joseph. After all, Joseph hasn’t played safety long at all, while Elliott has been a starter before with the Baltimore Ravens. Joseph has the kind of ball skills that cannot be taught with 5 career interceptions in college. Elliott has big plays to his credit, too, including a knockout of Derrick Henry.
Elliott has experience and major motivation going in his favor, but if the Lions have shown one thing the last few years, it’s that they will not be shy to give a rookie or youngster a starting role if they believe they earned it. Elliott vs. Joseph will be a great battle to see who gets the majority of snaps next to incumbent Tracy Walker.
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