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Okudah or Swift: Who Takes Biggest Leap Forward?

John Maakaron and Logan Lamorandier discuss the progression of D'Andre Swift and Jeff Okudah on the latest LionsMaven podcast.
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New Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is hoping to instill confidence in members of the current roster.

One player he is specifically excited to work with is cornerback Jeff Okudah, who did not exactly start his career off the way that he had hoped. 

“Man, if you lack confidence as a cornerback or a quarterback? Either one of those two? Then, that’s tough, man. You got to be thick-skinned," Campbell recently told MLive. "Like, talking about Okudah, you got to be willing to get your ass beat a couple of times. But, then you have to snap back, because the game is on the line (and) you’re going to have to make that play. But, I don’t care how talented you are -- and you know this -- if you lack confidence that the people around you who are making decisions and setting up the defensive calls and (saying) this is what you’re going to do, I don’t care how thick-skinned you are. If you feel like people don’t believe in you, you’re going to lose confidence.”

Running back D'Andre Swift is also planning to use the mistakes he made during his rookie season as motivation to get better as a football player.

"I normally don't drop passes like that, so I knew that wasn't me," Swift explained to Good Morning Football in an interview this week. "Just getting that confidence back. And once I started to play more, I got a little more comfortable, and I did things to prevent that situation again."

Also discussed on this week's podcast:

  • Is Jared Goff just a "bridge" quarterback?
  • Salary-cap ramifications of Stafford trade.
  • Why Brad Holmes is already a better GM than Bob Quinn. 
  • Did the Lions take the best trade offer for Stafford? 
  • Best new assistants on Dan Campbell's staff.

Don't miss any future episodes of the podcast. Make sure to subscribe to the LionsMaven Podcast, which is available everywhere your favorite podcasts are housed.

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Jared Goff 'Excited', Ready for New Opportunity in Detroit

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