Dominant day: The team took part in a live scrimmage Tuesday at the Meijer Performance Center giving the majority of the reps to the starters and key reserves who aren't expected to play in Thursday's preseason opener. The undisputed star of the scrimmage was edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. He recorded three third-down sacks to end drives and had what would have been another quarterback hit and multiple pressures throughout the scrimmage. Hutchinson has looked like an even better player to start camp than the one who was on his way to being a DPOY candidate before the injury last year.
Important piece: Offensive coordinator John Morton is going to do everything he can to get the ball in Jahmyr Gibbs' hands in 2025. Deservedly so as he's a terrific young talent at running back, but don't forget about veteran back David Montgomery. With the offense struggling early in Tuesday's scrimmage, it was Montgomery who gave them life with some tough and explosive runs to move the football. Montgomery said he's entering the season with a chip on his shoulder. Morton might look to get both backs on the field together some too. Montgomery is still a very important player in this offense.
Defensive day: The defense was awarded two points for every stop during the scrimmage and they began the morning with a 10-0 lead before the offense started to get it going and finished the day with a couple touchdowns. Hutchinson had three sacks, linebacker Jack Campbell had a sack, and safety Brian Branch was all over the place with a sack, a quarterback pressure and a pass defended. Anthony Pittman, Trevor Nowaske, and Pat O'Connor had sacks for the second team. The offense may have finished ahead on the scoreboard at the end of the day (16-12), but the defense was the story of the scrimmage.
Practice report: Second-year cornerback Terrion Arnold left the scrimmage early and is being evaluated for a hamstring injury.
First TD drive: After a punt, missed field goal, punt and punt to start the scrimmage, the first-team offense put a nice drive together on their fifth possession. The drive featured two first-down catches by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, a first down catch by tight end Sam LaPorta, a nice 10-yard run for a first down by Montgomery which set up Montgomery punching it into the end zone from a couple yards out to give the offense their first points.
Quick turnaround: Veteran wide receiver Tim Patrick talked to the media Monday and said he was disappointed with how he was playing early in camp. He said he felt great physically and had a good spring, but hasn't been having the kind of impact he expected early in camp. Well, a day later he put the offense ahead of the defense in the scrimmage with a nice touchdown catch in the back of the end zone after Jared Goff rolled left out of the pocket. That's the kind of impact Patrick is looking for.
View photos from Day 7 of Detroit Lions training camp on Monday July 28, 2025.
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) and Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) and Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions run game coordinator/defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki (33) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running backs coach Tashard Choice during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) and Detroit Lions cornerback Avonte Maddox (29) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) and Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive assistant Marques Tuiasosopo during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Jon Gruden with Detroit Lions defensive assistant/safeties coach Jim O'Neil during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (12) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein (61) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Roy Lopez (51) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Isaac Ukwu (45) and Detroit Lions defensive lineman Pat O'Connor (95) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions assistant strength & conditioning coach Thadeus Jackson with Jon Gruden during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Avonte Maddox (29) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) and Detroit Lions safety Erick Hallett (36) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Grant Stuard (15) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions run game coordinator/offensive line coach Hank Fraley during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Jon Gruden with Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jackson Meeks (83) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Jon Gruden with Detroit Lions linebackers coach Shaun Dion Hamilton during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 28, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Bates' morning: Kicker Jake Bates was missing a few field goals left in warmups before the scrimmage and that translated over to the scrimmage as Bates missed his first two attempts from 54 yards and 51 yards wide left. Bates' last field goal attempt from 60 yards was right down the middle with room to spare.
Third tight end: One of the position battles to watch coming into to camp was the third tight end role behind LaPorta and Brock Wright. Through the first eight practices veteran Shane Zylstra has shown to be a consistent volume pass catcher for the second-team offense. There's still a long way to go in that competition but Zylstra's had a nice start to camp.
