Detroit Lions news: 2024 NFL Combine, Day 2 roundup

Tuesday was Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Combine, with Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaking to reporters in the morning and general manager Brad Holmes following in the afternoon.

Campbell offered a couple interesting things, about a now-former player who was eventually traded and the value of on-field drills in Indianapolis, during his session at the combine last year. This year's session was not quite a memorable, from a quote or read between the lines perspective, but Campbell did touch on quite a few topics in a session that went a little over the scheduled 15 minutes.

We covered what Campbell said about quarterback Hendon Hooker on Tuesday, essentially stating the obvious about the young quarterback being an unknown entity right now.

Let's dive into the other topics Campbell addressed on Tuesday, as we round up some Lions news from Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Combine.

Jameson Williams ready to emerge?

Thing seemed to come together as last season went on for Lions' wide receiver Jameson Williams, as he earned more snaps and occasionally made impactful plays. Looking toward his third season, with a torn ACL as a rookie and last year's gambling suspension behind him, those big plays will ideally be more than occasional.

Campbell sees more coming for Williams next season.

"He progressed and when he was able to come back off, when got him week four of the season after he had the suspension, all we asked of him was growth," Campbell said. "Just get better, just get a little bit better and just become one of the guys, somebody that we can rely on in this offense. Just do your job and that's exactly what he did. And you can see, by the end of the year, we really felt like he started to come into his own. He is gonna push to be a full-time starter now. And that's what we're looking for."

The value of coaching continuity

The Lions will have both of their coordinators back next season, as Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn both wound up not getting a head coaching job after it seemed possible both could be gone.

Campbell talked about that continuity, which will last at least one more season.

"The core of the staff, no different than the core of the players, has been together now since '21," Campbell said. "To me, that's very important. This is the second year in a row that I didn't think I was gonna be able to have them back, between (Johnson) and AG and some of the other coaches and it's worked out. We're fortunate, and I just think you're so much further along with what you do and you've evolved so much over a three-year period when you're all together."

Campbell went on to offer the example how Johnson "knows what I'm thinking" and "what I want" from the Lions' offense.

Jalen Reeves-Maybin called a core player by Dan Campbell

News broke that the Lions rewarded linebacker Jalen-Reeves-Maybin with a record-setting two-year contract for a core special teamer on Monday night. So Campbell was naturally asked about it, and what Reeves-Maybin means to the team, on Tuesday morning.

After calling the move to re-sign Reeves-Maybin "huge", Campbell spilled his full thoughts.

"He was one of those guys that he was a core player for us and, and he's the best special teams player in the league and to be able to get him back again, he was somebody who was here in ‘21," Campbell said. "And then he was a free agent, goes to Houston, and then to be able to get him back again. Last year and the production he had all that he can bring us as a core player, but also defensively. There's things he can do on defense, plays in dime, helps on third down, can rush, can cover. But to be able to get him re-signed was huge. He's a vital part of what we do. He is part of the foundation in my opinion.

It's definitely unique for a coach to call someone who is primarily a special teamer a "core player." But the Lions prefer to retain and reward their own when it's appropriate. Coming off earning a Pro Bowl nod as a special teamer, while also playing well in the defensive snaps he was asked to take on, Reeves-Maybin earned the rich contract extension he got.

The Lions officially announced Reeves-Maybin being re-signed through the 2025 season on Tuesday afternoon.

Full faith in Jared Goff

Campbell has professed faith in quarterback Jared Goff several times, and he did so again on Tuesday.

So I've said this before: To me, Jared Goff is a winning quarterback. You can win in this league with that guy, and you can't say that for a lot of guys. So I'm glad that he's here. I'm glad he's ours. And you could argue he's grown more than a lot of players we've had. People maybe don't always see that but he really has man for a guy who has been in this league a little but has continued to improve, it's credit to him."

The best defensive line coach in the NFL?

The Lions have brought in Tyrell Williams as their new defensive line coach. The new staff hires, Williams, defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend and defensive assistant Jim O'Neil, were a natural topic in Campbell's first offseason media availability. But the head coach pulled no punches to praise Williams.

“I think he is the best d-line coach in the league,” Campbell said. “If he’s not, he’s certainly right up there.”

Williams is in Indianapolis, and he shared his coaching philosophy some Lions' reporters.

Kyle Meinke of MLive has a must-read piece on Williams from that gathering with reporters.

One regret from the NFC Championship Game

Campbell drew ire from plenty of analysts for going for it on two pivotal fourth downs in the NFC Championship Game loss to the 49ers. The same regret he expressed right after the game stands now, a month later.

Via Lions Wire:

"If I could go back that I felt greedy on was at the very end of the game. And instead of just deciding what we’re going to do on fourth down, to hold the timeout and you can run it. But we did it on third down, and I should have waited until fourth (down),” Campbell said.

Campbell is referring to the third-and-goal run with one minute left in the game that was stopped short, which forced the Lions to burn a timeout before they got a touchdown on the next play. Burning that timeout meant the 49ers could essentially run out the clock and the Lions couldn't do anything about it.

As Campbell noted, hindsight is the only perfect evaluator.

“I thought we were just going to pop the run,” Campbell declared. “But, hindsight.”

A meeting with a draft prospect

Teams are meeting with draft prospects in Indianapolis, and the Lions already had at least one by around lunch time on Tuesday.

Kneeland had a nice season for Western Michigan in 2023 (six sacks in 10 games). He got off to a nice start in the pre-draft process down at the Senior Bowl, as Zebra Sports had him as the fastest defensive lineman down in Mobile. He is versatile, comfortable as a stand up edge rusher of with his hand on the ground, and he is a strong run defender with a high motor.

We had Kneeland going to the Lions in the third round (No. 73 overall) of our pre-Combine mock draft.

Did the Packers' general manager take a shot at the Lions?

After Lions' fans took over Lambeau Field for a Thursday night game in Week 4 last season, we got a glimpse at how thinned-skinned that organization (and parts of the fanbase) can be.

During his media availability at the combine on Tuesday, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst appeared to take a shot at the Lions for hanging a banner to acknowledge their division title.

Yes, Mr. Gutekunst, we know division titles are not what you shoot for in Green Bay. But you also had 30 years of continuous Hall of Fame-level quarterbacking, and won two Super Bowls. And the Lions current regime is 4-2 against you, so there's that.

Brad Holmes also spoke to reporters in Indianapolis

As mentioned, Lions general manager Brad Holmes also spoke to reporters at the combine on Tuesday afternoon. The fuller video is here, at the Lions' website.

The Lions are premiering a "mini movie" for the 2023 season on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can watch it on the team's You Tube page.