The Detroit Lions completed the offseason portion of their schedule this week with the conclusion of their OTA practices. The next time we'll see the players on the field again is for the start of training camp in July. It was a shortened offseason training program with only six OTA practices and no mandatory minicamp, but the team still got some good work in as they head into their summer break before camp starts.
Teams are limited in what they can do in OTAs with some of the rules on contact and intensity, but it was an important time of year for head coach Dan Campbell and his team. They welcomed in two new coordinators and a bunch of other changes among the coaching staff all while trying to acclimate the rookies into the NFL so they can hit the ground running when training camp begins.
Here are my five takeaways coming out of OTAs:
1. Defense ahead of the offense
It was a comment Campbell made ahead of Thursday's final open OTA practice that prompted me to really watch that aspect of the last practice. He's right. The defense had fewer mistakes and overall ran much smoother than the offense.
It's nothing fans should be worried about with the offense. It takes time with a new offensive coordinator and new pieces upfront along the offensive line. They have too many skill weapons led by an experienced quarterback to not be one of the better units in the league.
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has been in the building the last four years and has 10 returning starters on defense. It's more of a compliment to Sheppard and how smooth his transition has been into the DC role.
"It was really just to get an introduction on what we're doing," Campbell said of OTAs. "Probably more up to speed defensively. It's just about everybody getting on the same page with how defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard wants to do things. We're cooking pretty good right now. I like where we're at.
"Offensively, same thing there. It's about what offensive coordinator John Morton really wants. We've tweaked a few things here and there — how he sees it, how he wants things run, how he wants to isolate certain players. A lot of the focal points were Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, among others, and then getting the offense in. I thought we did that. I thought we really honed in on their versatility and all things they can do."
2. Interior o-line competition should be fun to watch
The three names logging the most snaps at center and the two guard spots with the first-team offense were Graham Glasgow, Christian Mahogany and rookie Tate Ratledge. Mahogany was mostly at left guard, Ratledge at center and Glasgow at right guard.
Ratledge and Glasgow seem to have the edge at center with Ratledge taking the most snaps there during the open OTA practices.
Others trying to earn roles inside will be rookie fifth-round pick Miles Frazier, recently signed veteran Trystan Colon, veteran Kayode Awosika, second-year center Kingsley Eguakun and others.
"We're going to have options," Campbell said. "That's why we're excited about training camp. We're going to find this out. We're going to let these guys go at it."
3. Secondary has a chance to be really good
I like how this Lions secondary is shaking out. It's a veteran group with a ton of playmaking potential if they can stay healthy.
Let's start at safety where Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are arguably the best duo in the league. They had 13 interceptions and defended 28 passes between them last year, and that was with a decimated front four that played most of the season without Aidan Hutchinson and finished 23rd in sacks. Imagine what a little more sustained pressure could mean for the secondary. Joseph and Branch are two of the best ballhawking and playmaking defenders in the league.
Veteran Amik Robertson locked down the nickel cornerback spot last year and played really good inside. He even showed the ability to move outside and play at an elite level there. Go back and watch what he did to Minnesota's Justin Jefferson Week 18 last year. He's savvy, versatile and isn't afraid to mix it up.
D.J. Reed is a proven man-cover corner and seems like a great fit in Detroit. He had a really nice spring. Second-year cornerback Terrion Arnold is the young buck in the group, but he came on strong the second half of last year. Opposing passers had a 55.6 completion percentage throwing his way with four touchdowns allowed. He's expected to take a big leap in Year 2.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Avonte Maddox and Rock-Ya Sin offer quality depth and competition. This is a group, in my opinion, that has a chance to be Detroit's most improved unit in 2025 and one of the league's better secondaries as long as they stay healthy.
4. Williams poised for huge season
We all know how good Williams is as a deep threat. He averaged 17.3 yards per reception last season — second most in the NFL — and had five receptions of 50-plus yards. We can count on one hand the players in this league as fast as Williams.
We saw some of those deep connections in OTA practices, but what impressed me more was Williams' playmaking in the short and intermediate parts of the field. His ability to put his foot in the ground and create space on a comebacker. His ability to navigate the middle of the field on short crossers to create space. Heading into his fourth season, Williams looks to be the whole package at wide receiver, and that could have huge implications for the Lions' offense.
5. Embracing the schedule
The Lions could be a better football team in 2025 than they were in 2024 and not win as many games. That's just the reality of having the second hardest schedule in football this season based on opponent win percentage.
It's a gauntlet with road games in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Kansas City, Washington, Cincinnati and Los Angeles (Rams) in addition to two games apiece with Minnesota, Green Bay and a Chicago team that could be much improved in 2025.
All the players I talked to over the last couple weeks love it. Especially the five primetime games and the 11 nationally televised games. The schedule is what it is, and players and coaches really seem to be embracing it and using it as a way to get themselves better prepared for playoff football, where they've made a playoff exit in the NFC Championship and the Divisional Round the last two seasons.
"I'm not worried about the schedule," Campbell said. "I think it's perfect. I think it lines up perfect. I think it's going to be what's best for us with where we're at going into 2025. My fifth year here, the core of this team's fifth year. I really think it's exactly what we're going to need. The timing is perfect.
"I mean, to me, by the end of the year, we ought to be just scarred up, you know. We should be scarred up, and ready to go, hardened for battle, and ready for the playoffs."
