Detroit Lions 2020 Training Camp Primer
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Football is finally back -- at least it appears to be at the moment.
The Detroit Lions' rookies are scheduled to report to training camp at the Allen Park practice facility on Tuesday.
Quarterbacks and injured players will report on Thursday, and all other players will do so on July 28.
Now, this camp will have a very different feel than in years past.
There won’t be any fans allowed, and there will be limited media availability and plenty of other protocols in place to help placate the COVID-19 concerns.
There is the potential for a myriad of obstacles in navigating through the pandemic, but the regular season schedule is still slated to start on time.
On top of the very atypical offseason, Detroit head coach Matt Patricia has his work cut out for him in 2020.
Going into his third training camp as Lions head man and after finishing with just a 3-12-1 record in 2019, Patricia is firmly on the hot seat.
Needless to say, there will need to be marked improvement from the team as a whole this upcoming season.
Key Losses
In an attempt to immediately transform the floundering franchise, Detroit general manager Bob Quinn turned over quite a few players on the roster.
Despite adding plenty of talent, many big-name veterans from a season ago are no longer on the team.
On defense, former All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay headlines the departures.
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Maybe less significant in the secondary, fellow starting cornerback Rashaan Melvin and strong safety Tavon Wilson won’t return, either.
Along the defensive line, nose tackle Damon Harrison, defensive tackles A’Shawn Robinson and Mike Daniels and JACK backer Devon Kennard all are off the roster.
It's fair to say the Lions' defense severely underperformed last season and that a massive overhaul was necessary.
The offense had its fair share of turnover as well, especially on the right side of the offensive line.
Guard Graham Glasgow and tackle Rick Wagner both found new teams.
Finally, punter Sam Martin was not re-signed, following an up-and-down tenure in Detroit.
Key Additions
While it may seem as if the Lions lost a lot of notable players, they added commensurate talent.
Linebacker Jamie Collins and corner Desmond Trufant have both been Pro Bowlers at one point in their careers.
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As is tradition, Quinn acquired a couple other former New England Patriots in the form of safety Duron Harmon and nose tackle Danny Shelton.
Shelton wasn’t the only defensive tackle to join the 2020 squad, either.
Nick Williams joined the Lions after playing for the division rival Chicago Bears, and backup quarterback Chase Daniel followed suit.
Right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai was the Lions' first big signing of the free-agency period. He will immediately take Wagner’s old spot.
Rookies:
- EDGE Julian Okwara
- G Jonah Jackson
- G Logan Stenberg
- WR Quintez Cephus
- RB Jason Huntley
- DT John Penisini
- DT Jashon Cornell
Position Battles
- Offensive guard - Glasgow walked in free agency, after emerging as a solid starter for Detroit. The vacancy at right guard will not be an easy one to fill. To help offset the loss, the Lions drafted Jackson and Stenberg back-to-back in the middle rounds. Rookies often need time to develop and learn the system. Veterans Joe Dahl and Kenny Wiggins -- two of the three members in the Lions' unorthodox guard rotation last season -- are both back, and have a leg up on the competition. It’s only a matter of time before one of the rookies get their chance, though.
- Running back – With the selection of Swift in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, third-year running back Kerryon Johnson has been put on notice. Important to note, Bo Scarbrough also took full advantage of his opportunity when Johnson went down with a knee injury last year. With those three rushers and speedsters Ty Johnson and Jason Huntley, the backfield is at full capacity. It never hurts to have a stable of backs, but the hierarchy of carries is still a mystery.
- Linebacker – The Lions' core of off-ball linebackers from 2019 returns. Unfortunately, none of the linebackers were particularly great last season. Quinn and Patricia brought in a familiar face in Collins to augment the linebackers room. Collins will undoubtedly see plenty of playing time in the hybrid defense. The real question is who else will line up next to him. Will it be Jarrad Davis, Jahlani Tavai or even Christian Jones? It could be a variety of all three. Lastly, Kennard is no longer manning the edge in the JACK backer role. In all likelihood, there will be a committee approach to filling the void.
Things to watch:
- TE T.J. Hockenson's health - Hockenson started off his career with the most prolific performance of any tight end in NFL history. He ended his tumultuous season on the injured reserve with a nasty ankle injury. All signs point to a full recovery, but offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell recently said Hockenson still wasn't fully recovered. If recent workout videos are any indication, though, Hockenson appears to be well on his way to being 100 percent. After being selected in the top 10 of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Lions really need Hockenson to take that proverbial next step.
- S Will Harris' role - Harris was a third-round draft pick in last year's draft. As a rookie, he predominantly played deep safety -- a bit out of position considering he did his best work near the line of scrimmage while at Boston College. Now that the Lions brought in free safety Duron Harmon, Harris should be able to slide down into the strong safety role vacated by Tavon Wilson.
- Offensive philosophy - Bevell has been known for his ground-and-pound rushing attack throughout his career as a play-caller -- oftentimes utilizing athletic and big, bruising backs. Oddly enough, both running backs the Lions drafted are more of space players that excel in the open field. Not only that, but the offense also appeared to rely more on lighter formations at the end of 2019. Fewer tight ends and fullbacks, with increased three-wideout sets, became a trend. Could a more permanent change of identity be in the works for 2020?
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