Isaac TeSlaa is fighting back in training camp amid wide open WR3 competition

The Detroit Lions have what many people believe is a budding star in wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa, but that doesn't mean there won't be peaks and valleys in his development.

While TeSlaa certainly looks and feels more comfortable in Detroit this season, he is still working through some fierece competition during training camp. Detroit has a very hungry defensive backfield, and TeSlaa has been having to fight every single day for space never mind big plays.

Thus far, it's been a bit of a bumpy road. TeSlaa hasn't been able to dominate consistently in practice and in drills, and has taken his time to get acclimated in practice. MLive.com's Benjamin Raven noted TeSlaa's resilience after bouncing back off a couple tough days.

"TeSlaa got blanked on one-on-one drills earlier this week, and hasn't produced much in full-team drills. He left his mark with more fans in attendance this time, beating cornerback Nick Whiteside in both showdowns."

"'That's more like it,' is what I wrote in my notes after he made a leaping, back shoulder catch along the sideline to get both feet in. He then won with a short, physical route on his next chance, battling it out."

"The production in full-team situations and consistent separation haven't come just yet. TeSlaa is someone who makes plays in the tightest of windows, and that's important to remember with some of this. There is an element of boom or bust in his game. Still, it's OK to keep expectations elevated with more volume."

Indeed, TeSlaa started to turn the big plays on as the week progressed. By the time Friday rolled around, he was back to making highlight-reel plays such as this fantastic over-the-shoulder grab with his body turned completely around.

Obviously, the sky is the limit for TeSlaa. When it comes to practice battles, iron sharpens iron for the regular season. It could simply be a credit to Detroit's defensive backs that they have been able to hold down a weapon like TeSlaa periodically. With these plays in mind, he figures to have more upside over others in the WR3 battle like Greg Dortch, who is not as physical on deep balls.

TeSlaa seems to fit the mold for Drew Petzing's ideal offensive plan

Even though he is fighting through ups and downs, TeSlaa still has huge upside within Detroit's offense. He made plenty of big plays last season as a rookie with limited playbook knowledge. This year, he will be entering a new offense under Petzing which should give him a chance to break out almost immediately.

When asked what he wants his offense to look like, Petzing didn't hesitate to name physicality and multiplicity as his key hallmarks in Detroit. Fortunately, TeSlaa can help him with both of those key hallmarks.

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"It needs to be physical. It needs to be tough. It needs to be difficult to defend and it needs to be multiple at times. It's not going to all run through one person. It's not going to run through one personnel. It's going to change week to week. I think that's important in this league. Defensive coordinators, I think, do things at a really high level. They watch tape. They understand scheme. So, I think that's a big part of what we need to be on offense."

TeSlaa is almost all of the things that Petzing describes he wants in an offense. He is very physical, and difficult to defend from multiple different positions. The challenge for the Lions will be figuring out how best to deploy him in order to maximize his chances for success.

Clearly, his practice work is getting him ready to do even more damage this season against the top defensive competition he will face in the NFL.

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