Derrick Barnes has one of the most important interceptions in Detroit Lions history. His diving catch of Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield's pass intended for tight end Cade Otton at the end of a divisional playoff game in 2023 sent Detroit to the NFC Championship Game.

Through the first couple days of training camp, we've seen Barnes play an increased role in passing downs when the Lions are in nickel (five defensive backs and two linebackers). He had the biggest play for Detroit's defense during Thursday's practice when he stepped in front of and intercepted a Jared Goff pass intended for tight end Sam LaPorta in a team period.

"The way our defense is designed on that play, the position I'm playing, the job I'm doing on that specific play, it's kind of hard to see where I am in the coverage we're in and what my role is for the quarterback," Barnes said of Thursday's interception.

"I was kind of reading JG (Goff) a little bit, his eye progression, seeing a few routes coming across the field and I was like, 'Maybe I can just get in the window.' Really just did my job."

With linebacker Alex Anzalone signing with the Buccaneers in free agency this offseason, Barnes knows there's an opportunity to play in space on more passing downs. He's gone from a mostly on-ball SAM role to playing more of the WILL. He's studied a ton of film on Anzalone and his technique in the passing game this offseason.

"I'm super excited for the role and the challenge," Barnes said. "Got to come out here every day and earn it."

Barnes said the film study this offseason gave him a great foundation to build on and he's getting increasingly comfortable in the role every day. He's shown he can be a playmaker in that role and reminded us again on Thursday with the biggest play of the day for the defense.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

With three-time Pro-Bowl running back Jahmyr Gibbs not taking part in the first two days of training camp practice, his absence has given backups Isiah Pacheco and Sione Vaki an opportunity to get a lot more reps with the first-team offense than they typically would get.

"It's a great opportunity, and look, it's one of the reasons we got Pacheco, man," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. "This is extra reps for (Pacheco) with us just in our system, man, so that's awesome.

"Vaki gets these reps, (Jacob) Saylors, (Jabari) Small, (Kye) Robichaux. It's a great opportunity for him, it gives him more reps. So yeah, it's good, there's always a silver lining."

Pacheco was Kansas City's lead back in 2022 and 2023 when he averaged 4.9 and 4.6 yards per carry, helping the Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls. He hasn't seen the same kind of production since suffering a fractured fibula in Week 2 of the 2024 season, but the Lions think his skill set is a great fit in their offense as a complement to Gibbs in both the run and pass games.

Vaki has only been playing running back three years after mostly playing safety in college. He's already one of Detroit's top special teams players, but said after Thursday's practice he's feeling a lot more comfortable in Detroit's backfield.

"I feel more comfortable as far as the run game," Vaki said. "Still trying to get my tracks down and things like that but (running backs) coach (Tashard) Choice is doing a good job coaching us in the running back room and just give us the ball and let us do what we do."

Vaki has grown a lot as a rusher the last couple years and is glad for this early opportunity in Year 3 to get more chances to show coaches what he can do and just how much he's grown in that role.

"Reps are everything," Vaki said. "I'm just trying to gain the trust (of the decision makers) so whenever they need me and whenever my name is called I'm prepared for the moment."

THREE PRIORITIES

Campbell was asked Thursday what he has to see from his football team over the course of training camp to feel comfortable heading into Week 1.

1. Run the football with consistency.
2. Stop the run defensively.
3. Be ready for situational football.

"Probably those three things, if you want me to feel comfortable," Campbell said. "The other stuff will come, 'Ah man, we're a little off on red zone, third down.' Those are always a work in progress, game plan specific.

"But man, you better be able to run the football, stop the run, and situational football, end of half, end of game, that you feel comfortable and that you can function at a high level, so those, which is why we'll do a bunch of that, especially when we get in pads."

EXTRA POINTS

• Campbell on Gibbs' absence from practice the first two days: "Listen, I'll just leave it at this. You guys know how I feel, how we feel about Gibbs, and what the team feels about him, and I'll leave it at that. Listen, all the other stuff, my job is to coach who's out there right now and I love the kid, but man, I've got a team to coach right now. And listen, whenever all this at some point here, it'll get done, it's going to get done. I'm not even sweating it."
• Veteran edge rusher Payton Turner missed practice Thursday due to a stiff back, per Campbell.
• The team placed OL Giovanni Manu on the Active/Non-Football Injury list Wednesday. Campbell said he may be out 12-14 weeks.