Detroit Lions OTA’s Day 1 Update
By Nick Pursel
Sep 21, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch (55) during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
One of the bright spots of today at the Detroit Lions OTA’s was the return of Steven Tulloch. We all remember his embarrassing ACL tear last year against the Packers, but few people remember the excellent form he was in before his injury. He had 20 tackles and 2.0 sacks in three games before he got hurt and seemed to be very comfortable in Teryl Austins new scheme. Tulloch loves his aggressive role in the defense and is itching to get back on the field. He was a full participant at practice today and felt very comfortable with where his knee is.
From the teams official site:
"“It feels good,” Tulloch told detroitlions.com after Tuesday’s practice. “I’m able to run around without even thinking about it; cut, jump and do everything."
The Lions were able to get by without him last year because of Tahir Whitehead’s stellar play, but that definitely does not mean they weren’t missing him. Tulloch is the quarterback of the defense and the experience he has cannot be undervalued. He did all he could from the bench last year but nothing compares to being the man in middle of the huddle.
From the teams official site:
"“To be back out there to make calls and make checks and make alerts and go out there and let guys know how important this next down is or what to expect from different routes and different plays, it’s a different feeling, and that’s where your voice is really heard,” Tulloch said."
His return also allows Whitehead to return to his preferred role at strong side linebacker and solidifies our depth for next year. With Kyle Van Noy and Josh Bynes coming off the bench the Lions will field one of the deepest linebacker groups in the NFL.
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