After a disappointing 2025 season that halted what had been a good trajectory under their guidance, Detroit Lions' general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell promised a top-to-bottom look at everything as part of the effort to recapture the team's identity.
Once a staunch advocate for their value during the grind of training camp, Campbell said the Lions would not be doing joint practices this year. It's fair to say the level of injuries that have plagued the last two seasons played some role in that decision, but Campbell also cited diminishing returns from those sessions over the last couple years.
As rookie minicamps are taking place around the league, offering recently drafted rookies, UDFAs and any players who are invited to try out an opportunity to show their stuff, the Lions are the only team that won't have one.
To some extent, the actual value of rookie minicamp can be debated. Incoming rookies have been preparing for the draft for months, and not practicing football. Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer put it well after what he saw at their rookie minicamp.
"None of these guys are in great shape right now. You might have saw a few guys getting sick yesterday. A little bit of vomiting going on.”
Clearly, and perhaps with a sentiment similar to Schottenheimer's initial words in mind, the Lions didn't see the value in having rookie minicamp this year. Instead, those rookies will lump in with the veterans when full-team OTAs start later this month.
Lions' radio voice confirms why the offseason calendar was changed
Cassie Carlson of FOX32 in Chicago recently rounded up voices from the FOX affiliates in the other three NFC North cities for a look at the offseason developments for each team.
Dan Miller of FOX2 Detroit, who is also the radio play-by-play voice for the Lions, was asked about the decision not to have rookie minicamp.
"Yeah, look, they came out of last season and said they were gonna look at everything, top to bottom, and leave no stone unturned", Miller said. "They were not happy with the fact they did not make the playoffs. They were not happy that kinda their upward trajectory was interrupted by a 9-8 season that left them short of being in the postseason."
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"One of the things they decided to do was not hold this rookie minicamp. They feel like they can integrate these guys in other ways, and get them with the vets, and get them ready for training camp."
Unprompted, Miller then dove into the decision not to have any joint practices for the first time since Campbell's first season as head coach.
"They're not doing any joint practices this year. That's another change for the Lions. They didn't feel like they got enough out of that. They feel like they can get the same amount of work, and that might mean that some of the starters that we've never seen play in the preseason might actually get some preseason action. And that might be important for an offensive line that's gonna have a much different look."
Campbell had seen joint practices as a way for Lions' starters to get their preseason reps in a more controlled, less-risky environment than a game. A change in his thought process there is notable.
In the search for things to tweak as part of the effort to foster a return to high-level success this season, a lot was probably on the table for Campbell and Holmes. A more focused offseason calendar is worth a shot, and it could be very beneficial.
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