4 Lions Players Who Need Strong Training Camp
The Detroit Lions will enter training camp next week with a myriad of players who need to put together a strong showing.
With that said, here are the four Lions players who most need to perform well during camp and preseason play.
RB Craig Reynolds
D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams are locks for the top two spots on the Lions' running backs depth chart. So, Reynolds will be competing for touches and opportunities throughout training camp with second-year pro Jermar Jefferson and former safety-turned-running back Godwin Igwebuike.
Reynolds, who was first inked to a contract by the Lions during training camp last summer, came out of nowhere a season ago to rush for 230 yards on 55 carries, good for an average of 4.2 yards per rush attempt.
It looks like it will be harder for the Kutztown University product to make his mark this year and to subsequently make Detroit's season-opening roster as the No. 3 running back. It's why it'll be ultra important for the former Lions practice-squad back to have a strong showing during training camp.
Jason Getz, USA TODAY Sports
CB Jeff Okudah
The third-year pro played in just one game a season ago, after suffering an Achilles' tear in Detroit's Week 1 contest with the San Francisco 49ers. Through his first two years in the league, the 2020 No. 3 overall pick has yet to make his mark, and subsequently, the verdict is still out on whether Okudah has what it takes to make it as an NFL cornerback.
The Ohio State product has played in just 10 games (seven starts) in two seasons due to the injury bug, and has recorded just one interception and three passes defensed in those contests. If he wants to secure a spot with the Lions beyond 2022, he'll need to put together a much more productive campaign in his junior season as a pro. And, for his sake, hopefully he'll build up some positive momentum in training camp that he'll be able to carry over into the regular season.
DL Levi Onwuzurike
There's no denying the fact that Onwuzurike had an underwhelming rookie campaign. He did manage to suit up for 16 games a season ago, but he produced just one QB hit (a sack), two tackles for loss and 35 total tackles.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell expressed earlier this offseason that he believes Onwuzurike, the No. 41 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, will take "a leap forward" in his second year in the league.
"I know he’s of the right mindset. Even just talking to him when he left," Campbell told reporters about the University of Washington product. "First of all, he wasn’t going to leave. He was going to stick around here for a while, which he did. He’s been working. Went back home for a little bit, and he’s come back up. He’s put his money where his mouth is. I know that from a training standpoint. He’s got enough pride, and he knows what he needs to do. Everybody learns at a different rate in this league, man. It takes a while. Some guys get it right now, and some guys, it just, to go and develop and figure things out a little bit. So, I expect him to have a better year."
Remember, heading into the 2022 season, Detroit is switching to a base four-man defensive front. And, Onwuzurike should benefit from the schematic change, as he'll subsequently be lining up more on the interior of the line. It's something that he commonly did while playing collegiately at Washington.
So, during training camp, it'll be interesting to see how he adapts to the role. And, a strong showing during camp could be a sign of things to come from Onwuzurike during his second season as a pro.
WR Kalif Raymond
Raymond enters his second season with the Lions in 2022. And, he'll face much stiffer competition in the team's receivers room than he did a year ago.
Detroit beefed up its receiving unit over the offseason, adding veteran deep threat DJ Chark and Alabama speedster Jameson Williams. So, Raymond, who contributed to the Lions' offense as both a pass-catcher and punt returner last year, will have to prove himself all over again this upcoming season, which will start in training camp.
So, how well Raymond performs in camp will go a long way toward determining how big of a role he has in Detroit's receivers room entering the 2022 season.
