The Detroit Lions wrapped up their offseason training program, and the next time we see them on the field will be training camp later this summer.
After a strong finish to the 2022 season that fell just short of the playoffs, every returning member of the Lions roster is looking to make the changes necessary to get over the hump in 2023. There are also plenty of new faces looking to contribute to that goal, as GM Brad Holmes spent considerable resources this offseason adding to the roster via free agency & the draft.
So who stood out during offseason practices? I asked the Detroitlions.com crew, and here's what they had to say:
Tim Twentyman: Tight end Sam LaPorta
The transition to the NFL is tough for tight ends just for the sheer amount of information they need to know. We don't see rookie tight ends tear up the league very often, and there's a good reason for that.
LaPorta is picking things up rather quickly by all accounts and he's certainly been an impact player in the passing game through OTAs and minicamp. He's got a knack for getting open, is very good after the catch, and has soft hands. He'll make an early impact for Detroit, especially in the red zone.
Mike O'Hara: Safety Kerby Joseph
Joseph stood out playing safety for the Lions in his rookie season, and it was more of the same this year in the offseason.
In a secondary that has been reworked, Joseph fit in like a big piece of a puzzle. He was aggressive, animated and vocal, and he brought energy to every drill.
As a rookie, Joseph played all 17 games with 14 starts. He produced four interceptions and eight passes defended.
From what he showed in the offseason, he's ready to carry his share of the load.
PJ's Pick: Cornerback Cam Sutton
The Lions signed Sutton to a three-year deal in March, expecting him to bring a steady veteran presence to the secondary. With the offseason program completed, I think the front office may be even happier about that decision now than they were when Sutton's pen hit paper during free agency.
Not only did Sutton's play stand out - he routinely made high-effort plays on the ball to cause breakups during team periods - but his leadership on the field was impossible to miss. No. 1 was constantly communicating with the rest of the defense, making sure the unit was lined up and ready for whatever offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had coming.
Sutton has already proven to be a mentor to a young group of defensive backs, with his pre-snap and off-the-field contributions impressing just as much as his on-field talent.
View some of the best photos from Detroit Lions offseason workouts, OTAs and minicamp.
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26), Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 8, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 3, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Lions Legend Calvin Johnson (81) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 8, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26), Detroit Lions running back Mohamed Ibrahim (33) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Matt Nelson (67), Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 2, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end James Mitchell (82) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. (0) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 19, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (41) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87), Detroit Lions cornerback Jarren Williams (24) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 23, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Steven Gilmore (36) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 12, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 12, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 12, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Chase Cota (88) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 12, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 7, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. (0) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 7, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 31, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 2, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16), Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 1, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 23, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 23, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 1, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions General Manager and Executive Vice President Brad Holmes during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Romeo Okwara (95) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 23, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Mohamed Ibrahim (33) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 15, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Antoine Green (80) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 13, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal (75) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 13, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 13, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26), Detroit Lions quarterback Adrian Martinez (18) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Brodric Martin (98) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 3, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Charles Harris (53) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 3, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Romeo Okwara (95) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 20, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow (77) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 18, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Assistant Defensive Line Coach Cameron Davis, Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54), Detroit Lions defensive lineman Josh Paschal (93) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 1, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Romeo Okwara (95) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley (17) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 18, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Charles Harris (53) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 19, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley (17) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 1, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Editor's Pick: Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson
With Gardner-Johnson, it's less about on-field performance (although he's made plenty of plays at practice) and more about the energy he brings to the secondary along with fellow newcomer Sutton. Both of those veteran players are tasked with helping turn the secondary around, and if what we've seen so far this spring is any indication, they're on the right track.
It's hard to judge performance in non-padded spring practices, but the coverage in the secondary has been stickier and the energy on the field is palpable. Gardner-Johnson is a big reason for that. If the good spring vibes lead to playmaking in the fall, watch out.
