Detroit Lions: 5 Initial Observations from Training Camp

Jun 10, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during mini camp at Detroit Lions training facility. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Fast Paced Practice

One of the more encouraging signs during this training camp has been the pace at which the Lions have practiced.

According to Josh Katzenstein, the Lions have been changing personnel in between nearly every play to keep guys fresh and to get a good look at the deeper part of the roster. The Lions have also expanded team drills this year. Now the Lions have the first, second, third, and fourth teams practicing at once. This gives every player on the roster a chance to get as many reps as possible.

Jim Caldwell explained further after Tuesday’s practice about how he decides which players are on certain fields during practice:

"Here’s the big thing, often times we try to look at some things and read into a few things. We try to make certain we get everybody reps. It’s more of a rep chart than a depth chart. When you see us working on the other field, most teams you’ll see will have those guys standing around kind of watching one group. We try to spread it out a little bit, so we can try to build some depth as part of building our foundation. We try to get as many reps as we can with some of those guys that are going to be helping us, particularly in the preseason, and also in backup and support roles."

Rotating guys throughout practice not only gives the Lions a good chance to get as much information as possible on the guys in camp, but also allows players at the bottom of the roster to make an impression and hopefully catch on with another team after cut day.