The Lions officially kicked off the offseason program this week as the players reported Monday for workouts.
"It's a great day," head coach Matt Patricia said. "This is the start of the season. Today is kind of the earmark of what we're going to push towards the next 10 months and get ready to go.
"It's great to see everyone back in the building. We're kind of in what we call Phase I of the offseason program so we're a little bit limited on some of the things we can do, but the biggest thing is we're just trying to get conveyed to our team right now, the building, all of our players, is just kind of what we're about and what we're going to be about next year.
"What I expect as a team and what I expect as an organization – tier 1 championship level performance."
Check out all the action from the players' first week back:
PRESEASON OPPONENTS ANNOUNCED
In addition to starting the offseason program this week, the Lions also announced their 2018 preseason opponents. They are as follows:
Week 1: at Oakland Raiders
Week 2: vs. New York Giants
Week 3: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns
The preseason Week 3 matchup in Tampa Bay will be nationally televised Friday, August 24 on CBS. The rest of the dates/times will be announced with the regular-season schedule later this month.
DRAFT PREVIEW
After making some roster adjustments during free agency, general manager Bob Quinn says the Lions are in a good place heading into the NFL Draft.
"I'd say best player available is kind of what we're looking at," Quinn said earlier this week of his current draft strategy. "I don't think we have to reach for anybody or are dying to have one position or another.
"We have wants and we have needs, absolutely. I don't think it's a desperation that we're going to have to move up in the draft to get a certain guy or certain player, so that really opens up the draft board for you. I think we're in a really good place."
With the draft fast approaching, Mike O'Hara started his position by position preview series. Catch up on the current installments below:
MEET THE PROSPECT
Each week on Detroitlions.com, Tim Twentyman will be taking a closer look at three draft prospects that could interest the Lions. Check out this week's below:
OTHER NOTEWORTHY ITEMS:
- The Lions signed free agent QB Matt Cassel and re-signed restricted free agent WR TJ Jones Monday before the start of workouts.
- NFL Network analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks touched on a number of Lions topics during a Wednesday afternoon conference call.
