The offseason training program has reached Stage 3, which is to say, organized team activities (OTAs) have arrived.
It's the final four weeks of the program, and teams are allowed to conduct a total of 10 days of OTA practices. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.
One of every three of those practices will be open to the media in its entirety.
Here are 5 things to lookout for during OTAs:
1. Where are the rookie offensive linemen playing?
The Lions selected Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow and Joe Dahl in the first five rounds of the draft, in part, because they offered Jim Caldwell and Co. improved toughness and lot of versatility.
Decker is a tackle, we know that much, but which side will he line up on initially?
Glasgow can play both center and guard. He's expected to eventually compete with Travis Swanson for the starting center spot in training camp, but where will the coaches line him up, and with what unit this first week?
Dahl started at guard his sophomore season at Washington State and played left tackle the last two seasons. Some viewed him as a guard at this level. Is that where the Lions will have him?
2. Who plays next to Glover Quin?
The competition for starting positions doesn't really begin until training camp, but we'll get an idea of who the leader in the clubhouse is this week at the strong safety spot.
It's expected that veteran free-agent acquisition Rafael Bush has a leg up, but Miles Killebrew, Tavon Wilson, Don Carey and Isaiah Johnson will have something to say about that before it's all said and done in August.
3. How will the Lions use receiver Marvin Jones?
Jones was GM Bob Quinn's big free-agent addition this offseason. He'll help replace some of the production the Lions lost when Calvin Johnson retired.
Jones brings a lot of diversity to Jim Bob Cooter's offense in that he can line up wide and in the slot, and has command of the entire route tree. Jones, along with Golden Tate and running back Theo Riddick, has some run after the catch ability as well.
Where will he line up this week? Will Cooter move him around a lot? Will the entire route tree be in use?
4. Who steps up on the depth chart?
With Joique Bell gone, Ameer Abdullah enters OTAs as the clear-cut No. 1 rusher in the Lions' backfield.
Devin Taylor is expected to assume a starting role opposite Ziggy Ansah at defensive end. Nevin Lawson should be the No. 2 guy from Day 1 on the outside opposite Darius Slay. Tahir Whitehead is expected to be the new MIKE.
Who will be the starting SAM linebacker alongside DeAndre Levy (WILL) and Whitehead (MIKE)? Did Josh Bynes get the promotion?
There could be some depth chart surprises this first week.
5. Where does Alex Carter fit into the mix?
The Lions drafted the cornerback out of Stanford in the third round last year, but he didn't play a single down after injuring an ankle and then losing too much time on short-term IR for coaches to put him on the active roster midseason.
Carter has good size and speed, and was certainly motivated this offseason by what transpired last season.
"Oh, he's going to be better than the last time you guys saw him," Carter's former teammate at Stanford, Kevin Hogan, said at the Combine after working out with Carter this offseason. "He's been working all offseason. He's stronger. He's been taking care of his body. He has a fire lit under him from sitting out that time."
Darius Slay and Nevin Lawson are the likely starters on the outside with Quandre Diggs in the slot. Can Carter eventually push Lawson?
Will he begin training camp on the second unit and have to work his way up? Where does he fit in?
