Update from Allen Park and transcript of Rod Marinelli after Sunday's practice.

TODAY'S NEWS The Lions completed their fourth day of two-a-day practice sessions today at the team's practice facility with morning and afternoon workouts.

TODAY'S NEWS

• The Lions completed their fourth day of two-a-day practice sessions today at the team's practice facility with morning and afternoon workouts. Both practices took place on the outdoor fields. The team worked out in full pads in the morning and helmets and shorts in the afternoon.
• Rookie QB Drew Stanton did not practice today. Following the morning session, he left the practice facility to get an MRI on his knee and will be evaluated day-to-day.
• WR Devale Ellis, RB Kevin Jones and DT Shaun Rogers remain on the PUP list and did not practice today. 
• The Detroit Lions will hold an open practice at Ford Field on Saturday, August 4, 2007. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. The Lions practice is free to the public - no ticket is necessary for entry. Fans can enter Ford Field at Gate A or Gate G. Practice will begin at 5 p.m. and will last until approximately 6:30 p.m. Immediately following practice, Ford Field will broadcast former Lions TE Charlie Sanders' 2007 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on the video boards. Parking will be available in the Ford Field Parking Deck on St. Antoine St. for $6.00 until 6 p.m. or until the deck is full. Autographs will not be available at the public practice.

LIONS HEAD COACH ROD MARINELLI
Opening Statement: "There were a few things I was really hoping to stress with them today and I thought they responded to it well. They're tired and beat up a bit but it gives you no excuses not to practice well, to be on top of details, eliminate penalties, secure the ball, get the ball away, those things. We've challenged them and I just like how they've responded with that. There is energy to the practice; we just got to keep doing it. We'll take the pads off this afternoon; it's the reward they've earned. We'll go hats and shorts in the P.M., so I feel good about that. I'll do that when they work like that. The only injury we have is Drew (Stanton), we just need to check the knee day-to-day. He had some swelling on it, so we wanted to be smart and we wanted to give the other two quarterbacks a lot of work today, so we sat Jon (Kitna) down a little bit and let those other two guys get as many reps as we can and just keep evaluating them. "

On how QB Drew Stanton injured his knee: "I couldn't really tell you to be honest. Just getting reps or something; he just got sore and it blew up on him. It was on his surgical knee, so they're going to do an MRI and make sure we're ok."

On signing QB J.T. O'Sullivan and him competing for the backup quarterback position: "Yeah, it's made it interesting. The one thing he's done that's been impressive is learning the knowledge and terminology of this offense; he's really jumped on it. He's allowing himself to go out and compete by understanding the terminology, the verbiage and where to go with the ball. A lot of times you have a hard time getting guys onto the field because they can't spit out the verbiage in the huddle correctly. He's done a heck of a job with that. He's got some talent and he's been around so we just keep evaluating him."

On the competition at quarterback and pushing QB Dan Orlovsky: "Every guy is pushing at every position, but (Dan) is learning. By learning and digesting all that information, it gives him an opportunity. If you can't do it you couldn't run offensive plays, so that's good and that's what we want. We need to find a really good number two quarterback and a number three. We got to have that. We're lucky, very lucky that this is working out like this. We'll let him compete and see how things work out."

On TE Darnell Sanders and position flexibility: "We're very pleased with his work. He's a big man. Now, what happens is you get a little adversity and it creates opportunities. Some guys say, oh I see that door crack (open) and it always hits somebody. It's great competition right now and part of this game is being able to put your pads on everyday and go to work and that's how you compete in this league. I appreciate those guys. We're looking at position flexibility. Guys have to do more than one or two things to help this team. They know their spots. Again, that's the way to attack injuries, creating good depth and position flexibility."

On QB Jon Kitna resting today: "We're preparing the heck out of this guy. He can sit down on a day like this and give these other two guys (reps). You try to put them with the first group a little bit, a little more pressure situations and see how people react. Plus, Jon's had a great camp so far - just what he's doing and where he's going with the ball. He's fine."

On signing WR Calvin Johnson: "We just keep working day-by-day. It's going to get done eventually obviously, but there is nothing we can do about it. We just keep working with this team right here. (We) can't wait to get him here; we're excited. I can't wait to see him again, but it'll work."

On LB Ernie Sims: "Like I said from the day we drafted him, he's a guy that fits perfect into this system. He's a lot like Derek Brooks in that way - he's a downhill player; he's explosive. We're blitzing him some in A-Gap blitz's. When you're really comfortable with what you're doing, then you really feel fast. He's fast anyway, but now you'll start seeing him really slice things. See him in the back field spilling things really well. When you get players like that and you can make it simple for them, you will see explosion.

On Sims' hit on RB Tatum Bell in practice: "He crunched him, and that's a part of the etiquette I'm talking about. You can have a very physical practice and still have good etiquette and not get people beat up. Everyday you see me bring them together and go over what I want them to do, but I go over etiquette everyday before all of that. You know we don't dive for loose balls; you don't help a teammate up. You just have got to be smart, no piles. So if you work like that, and they're doing it, that's important. Last year we had fights all over the place. It's a learning curve and a learning process. It's not about fighting, it's about skill development. When you can take the fighting out of it and work on skill, then you'll become good."

On Sims' performance: "Oh this guy, he's a hitter. I think Joe Barry and Phil Snow really helped him, detailed him up. God, he's relentless. His speed, he's always been fast; he's no faster than he was last year, but he's seeing things faster and reacting faster. I've been on his bandwagon for a year and a half, I believe in Ernie."

On Sims being singled out by teammates: "It's his ability to hit and (his) explosion. He's friendly fire now. You're in the pile and looking around (wondering) is he coming or not? He is coming to piles now and he'll blow up a teammate, not intentionally, but he's coming. That's what you love about him. (Last year) he knocked Fernando Bryant out cold. This guy is a beast out there, he loves it; he just loves to play football."