With rookie minicamp on the horizon and team-wide offseason work coming after that, these three second-year Detroit Lions are on notice.
The Detroit Lions added eight draft picks late last month, then they signed 12 undrafted free agent within 24 hours or so after. Rookie minicamp is this coming weekend, May 13-15, with those 20 players and some other tryout-based invites getting an opportunity to get noticed (or to start getting noticed).
The regular offseason program will then start for the Lions a little later this month, with mandatory minicamp coming in June and then of course training camp (with “Hard Knocks” in tow) coming in July. September and the start of the season seems somewhat far away, but it will get here quickly.
The battles for some roster spots are lined up to be interesting, as the Lions try to take a step forward in the second year under head coach Dan Campbell. Starting jobs could even be lost and gained this offseason, if the competition is opened up like that in some situations. The number of Lions players who are absolute “lead pipe locks” for their starting job or roster spot right now is probably less than half of the what will be the final 53-man roster.
With the rookies coming in behind them in particular, via the draft and as undrafted free agents, these three second-year Detroit Lions are on notice.