Early Reviews Look Positive From Lions OTA Sessions, Dan Campbell

The Detroit Lions have finally been able to bring both their rookies and veterans together, and with the full team getting things going, OTA session can finally get underway.

That’s happened this week in Allen Park, and the team has wasted little time showing off some of the good work that’s been taking place on the practice fields this week. Already, there have been some impressive plays turned in by the team.

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Offensively, there’s going to be a tight microscope on a pair of names this season in Jared Goff and T.J. Hockenson. Goff has been given a vote of confidence at quarterback and needs to take a step forward to cement the job, while Hockenson needs to prove he can stay healthy. So far, the connection looks solid, as the duo hooked up for a nice catch:

More than just Hockenson, though, the development of Amon-Ra St. Brown is seen as critical in Detroit. The rookie wideout burst on the scene late in 2021, and managed to carry that momentum into 2022. The offseason hasn’t seemed to slow him down a bit, as already, he was working well with Goff:

It’s easy to see how the Lions’ offense was off to a strong start during the initial OTA sessions, but the defenders were also getting after it as well.

Lions Defensive Backs Also Putting in Work

One of the most important positions on the Lions for 2022 figures to be the defensive backfield. The team has beefed-up at some spots there, and has plenty of young players that are looking to take the next step. The team’s backs got some good work in during camp, and were happy to showcase the improvements they were making on the field this past week.

Here’s a look at some of the drills the defensive backs were doing in practice thus far:

While it might not seem like much, it’s great to see the Lions players putting in the hard work and making sure they have attention to detail on drills. For a key spot like the backfield, this will be important ahead of a new season on the field.

Dan Campbell Shares Early Review of Practices

As a whole, while it might be tough for some people to glean much from the period, Lions coach Dan Campbell seems encouraged by what he has seen on the field. As Campbell explained, the way things are set up is geared to see if the team can get incrementally better every single day. So far, the reviews are good for the Lions, who have shown up.

“We started phase three really on Tuesday, which is now the OTA’s and we’ve got good attendance. Guys have been here for most of the off-season, so the turnout’s good,” Campbell told the media. “(Thursday was) day three of the OTA’s and the first two days have been good. Obviously, you know, we’re in the beginning stages of it. There’s a lot to clean up but there again, it’s to work on what we do schematically, offense, defense, special teams and then it’s really just development. Working on skill and athletic development as it pertains to more of the finesse side of the game I guess you’d say. So, just see where we can get better. We’re not out there long, but just enough to get some work and see if we can get a little bit better. That’s what this is about, so the guys have been good.”

Thus far, good work combined with a good review seems to have the Lions in a good place early on during the OTA session. At this point in time, there isn’t much more the Lions could ask for during some light practice time.

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