The Detroit Lions will have their full team at Allen Park for training camp before the day is over on Tuesday, with the first camp practice coming on Wednesday. We know about a few players who will not be on the field for that first practice due to injuries (or injury recoveries, more specifically), but there's not a ton of concern about those guys at this stage.
There are some interesting position battles coming at Lions training camp. Interlaced with that is the sheer importance of camp for some players, as they assert themselves for a roster spot, try to win a job or prove worthy of a role.
It's easy to buy into training camp developments without a lot of scrutiny or discernment for what's actually important, good or bad. Reporters on the ground at Lions' camp will definitely be helpful in determining what is truly important with their analysis, but there will be some naturally spotlight on players fans want to know about.
With that in mind, these five Lions players will have the most spotlight on them at training camp.
5 Lions players who'll have the most spotlight on them during training camp
5. DT Levi Onwuzurike
By all accounts Onwuzurike is healthy and had a strong run during OTAs. But he is certainly on the roster bubble, and he needs to carry that positive momentum into camp. He suffered what turned out to be a significant back injury early in the first camp practice two years ago, so just making it through the first few days of camp unscathed would be a positive development.
On the surface, Onwuzurike simply didn't do much when apparently healthy throughout last season. His game tape showed some good signs though (h/t to Al Karsten of Pride of Detroit), and during OTAs he also got some work as an edge rusher.
It feels like it's now or never for Onwuzurike. He has to carry OTA momentum into when the pads come on, or all that positivity will be for naught.
4. PK Jake Bates
It's easy to be skeptical about how much the Lions genuinely want to replace Michael Badgley, or how much they even care who their kicker is with Dan Campbell's fourth-down aggressiveness in mind. But all the buzz about Bates, who of course kicked for the Michigan Panthers in the UFL this year (including a 64-yard game winner in the Panthers' season opener to launch all the buzz about him), was paid off by them actually signing him amid interest from multiple other teams.
If Bates can pair his strong leg with all-around consistency during camp practices, it will be impossible for everyone (coaches, reporters, etc.) not to notice. It shouldn't be hard to clearly outshine Badgley, and if he does he should win the kicking job as long as it's a genuinely open competition.
Bates could end the Lions' kicker carousel with a strong training camp. If nothing else, he'll be worth watching when he lines up for a long field goal attempt and his work will be chronicled.
3. RB Sione Vaki
Right after drafting him back in April, Lions general manager Brad Holmes made it clear Vaki is seen as a running back after he mostly played safety at Utah. He's also in line to work heavily on special teams coverage units right off the bat, but he definitely has some untapped upside as a versatile offensive weapon.
Vaki could also become a factor in the competition to be the Lions' kickoff returner. The NFL's change in kickoff rules will put importance back on a play that had been slowly phased out in the name of player safety, and it's safe to say the Lions haven't gotten much out of their kickoff returners in recent years.
Overall, during camp, preseason games and joint practices against the Giants before the preseason opener, it will be interesting to see how Vaki is deployed as something of a Swiss Army knife.
2. QB Hendon Hooker
Hooker will be the Lions' No. 2 quarterback going into the season, barring something unforeseen. Nate Sudfeld is not a real threat to unseat him, and an outside addition of any note to alter the equation is not coming.
Hooker had the expected ups and downs during OTAs, in his first substantive NFL practice work after a rookie season that went down as a redshirt year. But he surely worked hard during the time between then and now, likely spending time with Teddy Bridgewater as part of that work, and the internal expectation is that he'll be more comfortable during camp.
Hooker's performance during training camp will not necessarily be heavily scrutinized by reporters on the ground, in terms of professing major concern or highlighting negative. But any time he takes a snap, during camp practices and right through to preseason games, there will be ample eyes on him.
1. WR Jameson Williams
Dan Campbell wasted no time to praise the work Williams did during OTAs, and overall he took big steps of growth. It's no secret he has to carry that into training camp, and right into the season. Last year, after a gambling suspension had already derailed the start of his second season, a hamstring injury during joint practices with the Jaguars sidelined him for the rest of the preseason to cost him development time.
The Lions have done nothing to block Williams' path to a breakout season this year. He needs to avoid injury during camp, and continue this development as work naturally ramps up after the relative casualness of non-padded OTA practices.
Williams' mere presence on the practice field will have everyone's attention each and every day during camp (expect the Lions' social media team to post clips of any and all great plays he makes). A more focused idea of pressure being on him can be saved for when the start of the season is closer, but all eyes will be on Williams during training camp and he surely knows it.