During a team period Wednesday at Detroit Lions practice, there was a third-down play where second-round pick Derrick Moore beat fellow rookie Blake Miller off the right side while veteran Aidan Hutchinson beat left tackle Penei Sewell off the left and the two met at quarterback Jared Goff for a sack.
It's something Lions fans have wanted to see ever since the team drafted Hutchinson No. 2 overall in 2022. Can Detroit find a consistent pass-rush threat opposite the All-Pro Hutchinson? It could be the case with Moore, who had his best practice of training camp Wednesday afternoon at the Meijer Performance Center.
"At that point you just have to get off the ball," Moore said after practice of that third-down play with Hutchinson. "You got Hutch on the opposite side, so you have to get there before he gets there. Sometimes that be my mindset when I'm out there with Hutch."
Moore had another sack during a different team period Wednesday when he and defensive lineman Alim McNeill teamed up on a nice stunt. Moore has stacked a few good practices together since returning from a groin injury that kept him out for nearly two weeks at the beginning of camp.
With Hutchinson, Moore, veteran DJ Wonnum and others, Detroit looks more talented and much deeper along the edge than they have been in recent years. Moore is a big piece of the puzzle and has seen his reps with the first-team defense increase as his playmaking has stepped up over the last week.
Moore lamented missing the two weeks of practice shortly after the start of camp because those reps are so important for first-year players like him. He stayed engaged mentally and now that he's back, he's playing a little bit of catchup but has been impressive doing so.
Moore led the Michigan Wolverines with 10.5 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks in 2025. He averaged less than 40 reps per game due to Michigan's deep defensive line rotation, but he was still one of the most productive pass rushers in the country with a pressure percentage of 17.5, which topped the Big Ten Conference.
Detroit hopes that production transitions to the NFL level as Lions fans could get their first look at Moore Saturday against Washington at Ford Field.
"Getting back into the rhythm and being able to go against different competition and seeing different looks and different things like that (will be good)," Moore said of potentially playing Saturday. "Just showing everyone what I'm capable of doing."
STEADY OPERATION
There is competition all over the field at a lot of different positions during Lions camp with the exception of one unit.
Kicker Jake Bates, punter Jack Fox and long snapper Hogan Hatten are the only players in camp at their respective positions as special teams coordinator Dave Fipp has a ton of confidence in those three in their third season together in Detroit.
"Yeah, it's obviously great having all three of those guys back," Fipp said Wednesday. "You know how I feel about all three of them. I think all three are great players. They're very passionate about what they do and they really work hard and become better every year and really every day, which I love.
"It's a benefit to them because now they can get in a good rhythm and routine, work together. They know each other's idiosyncrasies and nuances. You're not adjusting your rhythm for a different snapper and things like that. So I think it's helpful for them too, but it's also comforting for us."
PRACTICE REPORT
Wide receiver Jameson Williams (shoulder), defensive lineman Myles Adams (undisclosed) and cornerback Nick Whiteside (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday after sitting out a couple days. Whiteside was limited.
Tight end Sam LaPorta and guard Ben Bartch were new names absent from Wednesday's practice.
