Safety spot: Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell talked before Thursday's practice about how much he likes the current depth and competition at safety. With question marks still surrounding the full availability and return dates of Pro Bowlers Kerby Joseph (knee) and Brian Branch (Achilles), Detroit brought in veterans Chuck Clark and Christian Izien, both with extensive starting experience. Detroit also re-signed Avonte Maddox and return Thomas Harper and Loren Stickland. Second-year safety Dan Jackson, who was injured in training camp last year and missed all his rookie season, is also in the mix.
It's a much deeper group than it was this time last year. Clark and Izien continue to get first-team reps with Joseph and Branch sitting out OTA practices as they rehab.
Back to himself: Cornerback D.J. Reed looked like two different players last season. He suffered a major hamstring injury Week 4 vs. Cleveland and missed the next six weeks because of it. There was the Reed pre-hamstring injury and Reed post-hamstring injury. Early on this spring Reed is moving well and looks like the player we saw in camp and early in the season last year before the injury. Getting the best of Reed will be big for this defense.
Cornerback competition: Staying with the cornerback position for a minute, third-year player Ennis Rakestraw Jr. got a lot of run opposite Reed Thursday with the team still being cautious with Terrion Arnold, who ended last season with a shoulder injury. Arnold did take part in some team walkthrough periods Thursday. That should be a terrific competition between Arnold, Rakestraw and veteran Rock Ya-Sin to see who gets most of the reps opposite Reed. I'll have a close eye on that competition all through training camp.
Skill weapons present: It was good to see tight end Sam LaPorta taking part in Thursday's OTA practice after sitting out the first open practice last week. LaPorta is coming off back surgery that forced him to miss the final eight games of last season. He looked good and was moving around well. Thursday was the first time we've seen all of Detroit's main offensive skill weapons on the field in new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's scheme – LaPorta, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa.
Early setback: Rookie fifth-round wide receiver Kendrick Law tore his ACL in a non-contact incident during Tuesday's OTA practice, Campbell announced Thursday. Law was going to have a chance to make an early impact on special teams as both a gunner and potential returner. Veteran Greg Dortch was brought in this offseason to compete for a similar role on both special teams and offense. With Law now done for the year, Dortch's addition this offseason seems even more significant as the Lions try to replace Kalif Raymond as their main returner.
Kickoff returns: Speaking of Dortch, he was one of Detroit's kickoff returners during a special teams period Thursday. He was joined back there by running back Isiah Pacheco, wide receiver Tom Kennedy and wide receiver Dominic Lovett.
View photos from Day 4 of Detroit Lions OTA practice on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Cade Mays (64) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher DJ Wonnum (98) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Keith Abney II (28) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Dan Jackson (17) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Cedrick Wilson (86) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4), Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) and Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin (83) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Long ball: Campbell ran the first- and second-team offense through a walkthrough end-of-game situation to end Thursday's practice. Lions were trailing 28-27 on the scoreboard at the opponent's 48-yard line with no timeouts and just 14 seconds on the clock. Quarterback Jared Goff and the first-team offense ran the ball to Gibbs for a 5-yard gain to the 43-yard line where they quickly ran up and spiked the ball setting up a 61-yard field goal try that kicker Jake Bates had enough leg for but missed right.
The second-team offense led by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had a couple incomplete passes and never got in field goal range. Campbell moved them up into range anyway just to finish the drill and this time Bates nailed it from deep (couldn't exactly see how far) right down the center.
