Detroit Lions training camp has finally gotten underway, and with that, the start of the regular season is that much closer. There will be many position battles won and lost throughout training camp as well as new faces looking to make an impact. Roster cuts will come and go as the coaching staff will be faced with several tough decisions as the team transitions into the regular season. Here are five things to keep your eye on as training camp goes on.
Detroit Lions Training Camp Preview
The health of LaAdrian Waddle
Last season, the offensive line of the Lions was battered and bruised all year. Rob Sims (who struggled) was the only linemen to play in all 16 games. With the acquisition of guard Laken Tomlinson in the draft, the Lions have an extremely young and talented line, along with veteran Manny Ramirez (acquired in free agency). The key will be staying healthy.
Right tackle LaAdrian Waddle was unable to do so last year. His season was cut short in December after partially tearing his ACL in a win vs. the Vikings. He has been somewhat injury riddled in two years for the Lions after going undrafted and being signed later by the team his rookie year. However, when healthy he has shown flashes of a very consistent lineman. He won the job at right tackle in his rookie season, and has held the job since.
Although Waddle is still recovering from his knee surgery, one thing is for certain; the job is still his. The only question is whether or not he will be ready for week one. He will probably be on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list for the majority of camp. Until his return, the right tackle duties fall upon Cornelius Lucas. Lucas, also an undrafted free agent, has filled in multiple times in the past and has starter experience, but the Lions hope that their main guy at right tackle (Waddle) will be ready to go by week one.
Ameer Abdullah
All eyes will be on second-round draft pick Ameer Abdullah throughout training camp. The running back from Nebraska will look to add some dynamic speed and finesse to the Lions backfield, who parted ways with Reggie Bush in the offseason. Abdullah will be joined in the backfield with starter Joique Bell and Theo Riddick.
Abdullah and Riddick have similar running styles and it will be interesting to see how their speed is paired with Bell’s power-running style. Abdullah excels in the pass game, and can help spread a defense out. He didn’t drop a pass in his last two years at Nebraska. Last season, he had 19 touchdowns, and ran for over 1,600 yards.
Don’t expect the impact of Abdullah to be either immediate or hugely significant. However, he will get reps this season, and he will have an impact. How many reps and how big of an impact is up for debate. Once training camp begins and the pads are on, we will know more. Keep an eye on him.
Wide Receiver Position Battle
Who will win the roster spot for last receiver? Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Corey Fuller and newly acquired free agent Lance Moore are all locks to make the team. That leaves the fifth and most likely final roster spot open for one man. Of the five remaining receivers currently on roster, the battle for the last spot will most likely be between Jeremy Ross, Ryan Broyles and TJ Jones.
Ross has primarily played special teams (kick/punt returner) throughout his time in Detroit. The Lions reportedly plan to have Abdullah handle kick/punt return duties next season. If that experiment pans out, then Ross may be without a job. Being that he is a below-average receiver, the Lions may part ways with him if he is replaced be Abdullah for return duties.
Broyles, a once highly touted second-round pick out of Oklahoma three years ago, has barely played in three seasons with the Lions due to multiple knee injuries. He has shown promise when healthy but he needs to prove to the Lions he can stay so.
TJ Jones, a sixth round pick in 2014 out of Notre Dame, is the last man on the bubble for the fifth spot. He missed all of 2014 with a shoulder injury, however he is just about back to 100% and hopes to make the decision that much harder on the coaches. He has great speed and play ability, though size is an issue. It will be interesting to see how the receivers perform and compete with one another throughout camp.
New-Look Defensive Line
As we all know, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley are no longer with the Lions. Their replacements, Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker look to pick up right where the defense left off last year, at the top. Ngata was acquired from the Ravens and despite his age (31), he still has a lot of explosiveness left in him. Tyrunn Walker has been over-looked in his career by many teams, however the Saints (whom he was acquired from last offseason) claim the Lions got a steal out of Walker and claim he has what it takes to be a consistent starter. The Lions hope that will be the case.
Caraun Reid will also see time at defensive tackle next year. He played in very limited snaps last year as a rookie. Reid’s favorable size and play-making ability, in addition to having a year under his belt, should help him make more plays this year. Despite the new faces on the interior of the defensive line, the defensive ends remain the same. Ziggy Ansah and Jason Jones hope to continue their dominance, along with Devin Taylor. Ansah is only getting better as he prepares for his third NFL season. The Lions ranked third in the league in total defense last season, and their run defense was the best in the league. This new group plans to hit the ground running come training camp.
Kyle Van Noy
The young linebacker out of BYU missed the first half of his rookie campaign last year due to a core muscle injury suffered in pre-season. Van Noy never caught a groove once he started playing last season, after returning from injury. He played in only 54 defensive snaps. This year, the Lions have two tackling machines at linebacker with Stephen Tulloch returning from injury and Deandre Levy coming off the best year of his career. The third starter will likely be Tahir Whitehead, who filled in marvelously for Tulloch last season. Nevertheless, Van Noy controls his own destiny as he will have to prove to the coaches that he is the same play-making machine he was in college. Lions GM Martin Mayhew said “It’s totally up to him” when discussing how big of a role Van Noy will have in 2015. “He can have a huge role if he has a great offseason and plays great. If he doesn’t have a great offseason, and doesn’t play great, then his role won’t be as big.” All eyes on you, Kyle.
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