The Detroit Lions began their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday with the first of three consecutive sessions at their facility in Allen Park.
Head coach Dan Campbell stated that these minicamp workouts would mark the end of the offseason work for the veteran players. The final OTA sessions will primarily focus on the younger roster members.
Campbell emphasized the importance of utilizing time with the veterans to practice special situations. This week’s drills are dedicated to situational plays and red-zone scenarios to help the team prepare for unique game situations on both offense and defense.
Early in practice, Amon-Ra St. Brown’s one-handed touchdown catch hinted at a potential rebound for the offense after some underwhelming OTA performances. However, the defense dominated by intercepting the ball four times and generating numerous potential sacks.
Here are several observations from the Lions’ first mandatory minicamp practice:
Joseph’s Impressive Spring
During Tuesday’s red-zone drills, the defense made several critical plays. Notre Dame product Brandon Joseph, stepping in with the first team due to Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph’s absences, intercepted Jared Goff in the initial team drills. Campbell noted Joseph’s significant growth since last season when he was on the practice squad. Joseph’s collegiate record of 10 interceptions over three seasons showcases his instincts.
“I think it’s both intelligence and instincts,” Campbell said. “He has a knack for reading the quarterback, understanding his support, and manipulating the QB. Now, it’s about his growth within our system.”
Offensive Struggles
Hendon Hooker displayed inconsistency during the open practice sessions. In a later drill, Hooker threw a pick-six to Khalil Dorsey and showed a tendency to hold the ball too long, which would have resulted in a sack by Levi Onwuzurike if the play were live. His best performance came during seven-on-seven drills, where he connected with Sione Vaki for a diving end-zone catch, zipped a pass to Maurice Alexander for a touchdown, and tossed another score to Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Jared Goff struggled during situational drills. He was intercepted by Brandon Joseph earlier in practice, and then by Jack Campbell during a drill where the offense started at their own 20-yard line, trailing 24-20. Goff completed three passes—one to Amon-Ra St. Brown and two to Sam LaPorta, with the completions to LaPorta separated by spikes in a hurry-up drill.
On second-and-10 from the 32-yard line after a spike, Goff’s pass was deflected off a helmet and caught by Campbell.
This was the first of two interceptions for Campbell, who picked off another pass during seven-on-seven drills.
Rookie Report
Offensive lineman Giovanni Manu showed potential during practice, particularly in run-blocking drills where he drove his opponent back several yards with an initial burst and drive. However, his footwork was less stable in pass-protection sets.
“I anticipate that when we come into camp, his performance might initially dip,” Campbell said. “Then we’ll start seeing signs of improvement. When exactly? I don’t know. But it will happen. You have to break them down and build them back up, and that’s what Hank is working on right now.”
Defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo has impressed with his versatility in early offseason workouts. Despite being undersized, he has a talent for pressuring the quarterback and was even double-teamed during Tuesday’s practice.
Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw was active throughout the day, often matched up against third-team wide receivers during seven-on-seven drills. He didn’t shy away from physical play, notably pushing Isaiah Williams to the ground late in practice.
Williams managed to catch a touchdown from Nate Sudfeld during red-zone drills. Sione Vaki also caught two touchdowns from Hendon Hooker, including a diving catch out of the backfield.
