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Detroit Lions Day 3 OTA observations: Position-by-position breakdown

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Observations from the Detroit Lions’ OTA practice on Friday—Day 3.

On Friday, the Detroit Lions welcomed media to Organized Team Activities (OTAs) for the first time this offseason. It was the team’s third practice in a row and last of the week. Practice was split between walkthroughs, positional drills, 11-on-11s, a brief special teams drill, and finished with some 7-on-7 work.

Here are my observations on each position:

Quarterback ​

Not much to say about Jared Goff’s day. He was without his safety blanket in Amon-Ra St. Brown, so a lot of his targets went to Sam LaPorta.

It wasn’t a particularly great day for the backups. Hendon Hooker was QB2 for the day and missed several deep shots. During individual drills, he overshot Tim Patrick. Then during 11-on-11s, he overthrew running back Kye Robichaux, and wide receiver Jackson Meeks. Kyle Allen tested the defense deep twice, and he, too, misfired both times—once to Kalif Raymond, the other to nobody in particular.

Running backs ​

With no David Montgomery, we saw a lot of Jahmyr Gibbs and Craig Reynolds with the ones. Without getting into specifics, it certainly seems like the Lions are playing around different ways they can use Gibbs. Robichaux got a significant amount of use, given the Lions’ reserves were thin without Sione Vaki. He flashed some explosiveness, but it’s hard to gauge running back play without anyone tackling.

Tight ends​

As mentioned earlier, the Goff-to-LaPorta connection was alive and well. Shane Zylstra also flashed a couple times in the receiving game, including a sliding catch on a pass from a scrambling Allen.

Wide receiver​

It was a relatively quiet day for Jameson Williams, but he was noticeably a bit bigger out there—although he said he’s only put on five pounds of strength.

Dominic Lovett and Tom Kennedy were probably the most frequent targets out there, and it’s easy to see how the rookie thrives right now in 7-on-7s and minimal contact. He’s shifty and fast. The challenge will be when the pads come on.

I thought the best receiver out there was Tim Patrick, sporting the brand-new #12. He was strong over the middle, finding soft spots in zones and flexing his good hands.

Offensive line ​

Here’s what the starting OL looked like from left to right with no Frank Ragnow:

• LT: Taylor Decker
• LG: Christian Mahogany
• C: Tate Ratledge
• RG: Graham Glasgow
• RT: Penei Sewell

I did not see Ratledge take a single snap at anything other than center during practice, so it’s clear Detroit is serious about cross-training him.

There was a lot of mixing and matching with the second and third strings, but Giovanni Manu (left) and Dan Skipper (right) were predominantly the backup tackles. If I had to label who were the second string guards, Netane Muti (left) and Kayode Awosika (right) got the most time there.

Perhaps the most shocking development was one series in which Colby Sorsdal was in at center. It didn’t last long, and there was a low snap in there, but it’s certainly notable that they’re trying to find a place for the third-year lineman. Kingley Eguakun and Michael Niese took over after that short experiment.

Defensive line ​

If Aidan Hutchinson was limited in this practice, it wasn’t by much. He got plenty of playing time, and, quite honestly, he looked just as explosive as ever.

Marcus Davenport also stood out... literally. It was a good reminder of just how big he is (6-foot-6, 285) compared to every other edge defender out there. He was able to knock down a pass with Penei Sewell opposite him, but he also later jumped offsides during a fourth-and-15 situational drill—handing the win to the offense.

Elsewhere, there was a neat moment on the final 11-on-11 of the day from rookie Ahmed Hassanein. He pulled off a nifty move inside on the right tackle, got to the quarterback, and hit the brakes before hitting him. He immediately turned and pointed to where the rest of the defensive linemen and DL coach Kacy Rodgers were and let out several roars.

Pat O’Connor may have had the best rep of any defensive lineman. During 11-on-11s, he got a great jump on the snap, slipped by the interior lineman, and got to the quarterback in about two seconds.

Chris Smith and Roy Lopez got first-team work with now DJ Reader, Levi Onwuzurike, Mekhi Wingo, and Alim McNeill practicing. One thing to keep in mind here is that Jack Campbell was asked which player on either side of the ball has stuck out to him so far. His answer: Chris Smith.

Linebackers​

With no Jack Campbell, Malcolm Rodriguez, Derrick Barnes, and Alex Anzalone, it was an opportunity for Detroit’s depth to get early reps. Newcomer Zach Cunningham, Trevor Nowaske, and Grant Stuard all had time with the first team.

During walkthroughs, Stuard got his helmet knocked off and nearly started a scrum—which is probably the best display of Stuard’s intensity.

Cornerbacks ​

Again, injuries forced some interesting names into the lineup here. D.J. Reed played sparingly, leaving Ennis Rakestraw and Rock Ya-Sin to spend a lot of time working with the starters on the outside. Rakestraw had a very up-and-down day. He nearly picked off Goff during seven-on-sevens but struggled in other opportunities.

Safeties ​

Avonte Maddox filled in for Brian Branch at safety alongside Kerby Joseph. Joseph had an active day, with the highlight being a diving pass breakup intended for Kalif Raymond.

Special teams ​

The Lions ran some punt drills on Friday. Of note, Loren Strickland and Grant Stuard served as personal protectors, while Ya-Sin and Rakestraw served as the first gunners up. Other players serving as gunner during drills: Lovett, Patrick, Jakobie Keeney-James, and Ronnie Bell. Keeney-James actually rotated between gunner and punt returner, perhaps expanding his value on teams.

Miscellaneous ​

• This may have been the loudest OTAs I’ve ever witnessed. Lions coaches were barking at each other at levels that challenged the good old Duce Staley vs. Aaron Glenn days.
• A funny/briefly scary moment during individual drills: LaPorta was running a route over the middle when he accidentally collided with offensive coordinator John Morton, who was not looking in his direction. LaPorta went tumbling to the ground while Morton was unscathed. The Lions’ tight end immediately got up and threw his towel in the air, pretending to call a penalty on Morton. Thankfully, no one was injured.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2025...a-observations-position-by-position-breakdown

 

[Detroit Lions]

VIDEO: Breaking down Lions rookie DB Dan Jackson’s tape

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Meko and Morgan are back on the Pride of Detroit YouTube channel breaking down Lions’ draft pick Dan Jackson’s film from his final season at the University of Georgia.

Meko and I (Morgan) are back over on the Pride of Detroit YouTube Channel breaking down more tape from the Detroit Lions’ 2025 draft class. Next up, we are breaking down the tape of Lions’ seventh-round draft pick out of the University of Georgia, safety Dan Jackson.

Originally a walk-on, Jackson earned a starting job at safety in 2024 on what was once again a top-tier unit for the Bulldogs. For this study, we watched two games of Jackson’s final season in Athens—against the University of Texas and University of Alabama.

In both games, Jackson showed why he has the potential to be an impact performer on special teams. He is quick to diagnose plays in front of him, and is not shy about getting downhill and making a play on a ball carrier in the alley. And while the Lions are set with the league’s best safety tandem in All-Pro Kerby Joseph and Pro Bowler Brian Branch, Jackson has a chance to carve out a roster spot if he can impress Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp.

If you are looking for other episodes from our prior film studies of the Lions’ 2025 draft class, you can check them out here:

• DT Tyleik Williams
• OL Tate Ratledge
• WR Isaac TeSlaa
• OL Miles Frazier
• DL Ahmed Hassanein.

And as always, please be sure to like and subscribe to the Pride of Detroit YouTube Channel. It helps us a ton and we sincerely appreciate all of the support.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2025...e-film-breakdown-all-22-defense-special-teams

 

[Detroit Lions]

It’s time to embrace, not fret, Jameson Williams’ future with Lions

Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images

After a breakout 2024 season, Lions fans should be celebrating the rise and redemption arc of Jameson Williams, not debating his long-term fit.

Hey, here’s an idea: how about we let Jameson Williams play this upcoming season before we start making plans for his future, yeah?

I know. I get it. You’re still not over how he missed the majority of his rookie season with an ACL injury he suffered in the National Championship game that same year. You might still be stuck on how a 23-year-old could make some questionable decisions, like lighting off fireworks or getting suspended for gambling while on the job site. And he still didn’t learn from those mistakes. After all, he was suspended again for “PEDs” last year, and that incident with a gun, surely all that would prevent him from reaching his potential, right?

Wait, he finished 2024 as one of the most dynamic big-play threats in the NFL? Of the 94 wide receivers with at least 45 targets, Williams finished fourth in yards per reception (17.3) and third in yards after catch per reception (8.4). But what about his hands? I remember how his hands were a huge problem at training camp, and he was catching the ball with his body too much… He posted the 18th-best drop rate (3.3%, two drops) and finished ahead of similarly targeted receivers like DeVonta Smith and Nico Collins (both at 5.6% and four drops a piece) and Jaylen Waddle (9.4%, six drops).

Alright, so he had one good season; that doesn’t mean you empty out your wallet for the guy. The Detroit Lions are stock-full of skill position players, some that may need extensions after this season, like Sam LaPorta. Even Brad Holmes admitted that wide receivers are expensive, “very expensive,” in fact. But what seems to get glossed over from Holmes’ media availability at the owners meetings was what he had to say earlier about Jamo.

“Look, he was a tremendous player for us last year,” Holmes said. “He’s still scratching the surface. I do think he’s got more in him as well. So I just think it just makes sense for us to do what we can to keep him around.”

Sounds like a player that the general manager thinks pretty highly of, but I wonder what the coaches think of him…

“Unbelievable. Just unbelievable,” new offensive coordinator John Morton had to say about his first impression of Williams. “When I first got here, he came in to see me, we had a chat, and I’m painting the picture, ‘This is what you need to do, this is how I see it,’ and he has been unbelievable. Unbelievable in the meetings, the attention to detail; I mean, I’m so excited to see him this year.”

Even the guy heading up this whole operation, Dan Campbell, is excited for what’s to come for Williams, even looking to him as one of the focal points for the offense moving forward.

“The sky’s the limit for him,” Campbell said ahead of Friday’s session of OTAs. “He’s exactly where we want him to be right now at this point. He’s been here, he’s grinding, he’s getting better. Scottie [Montgomery] is freakin’ grinding him. It’s awesome. But we expect him to have a huge season. We really do, man. He’s going to be one of these guys that we’re going to lean on this year and is really going to be big for us. All he’s got to do is just keep working like he’s working, and we’ll be good.”

And the chemistry between Williams and quarterback Jared Goff, the trust and communication between the two, it continues to develop. Goff recognized how far Jamo has come in those respects and marveled at the growth he’s seen in Williams consistency and leadership.

“He’s already made it, man. It’s been awesome to see. He’s done a hell of a job,” Goff said last week. “Just continue to do what he’s done, and just get more consistent—and he’s done that. He really has. He’s working hard, he’s being a leader now, which is fun to see him grow into that and show guys how he wants to do things. He’s talking to me a ton. It’s fun, man.”

Here’s the bottom line: Williams is a vital piece of the Lions’ offensive success—and that was already true in 2024. It wasn’t just the emergence of Jahmyr Gibbs last season, Williams played a key role in taking Detroit’s offense to another level. The coaches are gushing about him and predicting a “breakout” season for a player who already had that type of season a year ago—the general manager echoed that with his “still scratching the surface” comment, too.

So, instead of spending the offseason drumming up potential exit strategies for Detroit’s 24-year-old receiver still realizing his potential, how about we embrace the integral role he’ll play for the Lions? After all, tough times don’t last, but tough people do, and that feels especially true for the redemption of Jameson Williams.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2025...e-not-fret-jameson-williams-future-with-lions

 

[Detroit Lions]

Discussion: What is the best Detroit Lions game in the Dan Campbell era?

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Of all 72 Detroit Lions games coached by Dan Campbell, what has been the best one?

It’s still weird to think that we’re living in a golden age of Detroit Lions fandom. Honestly, maybe the true golden age is ahead of us. But for most of us who have spent decades lamenting one of the worst franchises in football, we’re still a little in disbelief about how lucky we are to be witnessing a Detroit Lions era in which records are being broken on a near-weekly basis.

The duo of head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes has proved to be a fruitful one. Campbell has led the charge as one of the best leaders of men in the business and an underappreciated football mind, while Holmes may have the best resume of any general manager ever based solely on his first three draft classes.

As a result, we’ve experienced some pretty amazing Sundays, Mondays, and occasional Thursdays along the way. So today’s Question of the Day is:

What is the best Lions game of the Campbell/Holmes era? ​

My answer: If we’re going off of just vibes, it’s hard to top the Lions’ Wild Card victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Not only was it the ending of one of the longest playoff victory droughts in professional sports, but it was one hell of a game. The Lions ultimately secured the defensive stop they needed late, then Jared Goff put away his former team with a game-clinching conversion to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Adding even more to the drama was the Goff/Matthew Stafford facing their former teams storyline. Without a doubt, that will be a game that most fans will remember forever.

But there was also one very memorable game the year before that.

January 8, 2023, will go down as one of the most up-and-down days in Detroit Lions history. The Lions we’re riding an incredible streak—winning seven of their previous nine games. Somehow, after starting the season 1-6, they were in the playoff hunt, and it appeared Campbell had finally rallied the troops enough to lift the burden of this Lions franchise out from the slums. With a little help from the late afternoon games, Detroit’s regular-season finale—Sunday night against the Packers—would be a win-and-you’re-in situation for both teams. A poetic finish to bury a division rival while entering the postseason as one of the hottest teams in football.

Unfortunately, that early help never came. Baker Mayfield—then the Los Angeles Rams quarterback—threw a critical interception in overtime that led to a Seahawks win, mathematically ending Detroit’s bid for a playoff spot.

In years past, that would be the end of the Lions’ story. Close but no cigar, and they’d probably fall back to reality in 2023. The Packers had everything to play for; the Lions had nothing to play for. Time to start talking draft.

But as long as there’s football to be played, Dan Campbell will have them ready. And what followed was a gritty, message-sending upset of the Packers that sent Aaron Rodgers into oblivion and Green Bay fans home early. You could call that win meaningless for the Lions, but it was clearly a sign to the rest of the division that they’re coming.

The rest is history. Two straight NFC North titles, a couple of playoff wins, and a historic 15-2 season. It all started that night in Lambeau.

What has been your favorite game of the Campbell/Holmes era? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2025/6/1/24440755/best-detroit-lions-game-dan-campbell-era-discussion