Allen Park — Here are some notes and observations from the Detroit Lions’ training camp practice Thursday.
►As always, let’s start with an injury report. Quarterback David Blough, cornerback Corn Elder and defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand did not participate in practice. Meanwhile, offensive tackle Tyrell Crosby, defensive tackle John Penisini and tight end T.J. Hockenson all remained limited, although Hockenson did participate in a two-minute drill to end the day.
►It was a practice to forget for Jared Goff. The starting quarterback repeatedly put the ball in dangerous spots, resulting in two interceptions and two pass breakups that were also nearly picked off.
First, the interceptions. On a play-action rollout, Goff tried to dump a lazy throw on a short crossing pattern to rookie receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, but veteran linebacker Jamie Collins read it the entire way.
Collins started the play on the line of scrimmage, giving a pressure look, but as Goff rolled out, Collins dropped back into shallow coverage, following the quarterback’s eyes all the way to make the easy interception.
The second turnover was the result of a tipped pass. Linebacker Austin Bryant left his feet early during his pass rush, but was able to hang in the air long enough to get a hand on the throw and Charles Harris managed to corral the deflection.
Earlier in the practice, Amani Oruwariye read-and-reacted to a short throw near the sideline, nearly jumping the route. Those types of anticipatory pass breakups have plagued Goff throughout camp. He also had one in the first play of the preseason opener.
Goff also forced a ball into tight coverage in the end zone during a red-zone segment. That one was tipped away by cornerback Jeff Okudah. Safety Tracy Walker attempted to haul in the deflection while falling out of bounds, but couldn’t get both feet down.
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►In addition to the deflection leading to Harris’ interception, Bryant also contributed on a run stop near the goal line. The third-year linebacker’s arrow is definitely pointing up.
►If you’re looking for a sleeper pick to crack the 53-man roster, cornerback A.J. Parker would be a strong bet. The undrafted rookie out of Kansas State had a rough day that made this space during an earlier camp practice, but he’s rebounded nicely and has been seeing plenty of playing time as the slot corner with the first-team defense.
►In addition to Goff’s struggles, several other Lions offensive players made unforced errors. Tight end Alize Mack and wide receiver Victor Bolden both dropped passes, while center Evan Brown and quarterback Tim Boyle had a miscommunication on a shotgun snap that ended up on the ground.
It’s a particularly rough look for Bolden, who had two drops and a muffed punt in a preseason opener. He entered camp with some momentum he hasn’t been able to maintain.
►Back to Brown for a moment, he took some reps with the first-team offensive line, suggesting Frank Ragnow might not play Saturday, or at the very least, could see a reduced workload.
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►If Goff doesn’t play in the second preseason game, which is the way it’s trending, that opens the door for Jordan Ta’amu to get some playing time. Signed this week, the former Ole Miss standout has been a pleasant surprise his first couple practices, particularly with his ability to throw accurately while on the move.
►The kicking competition remains wide open. The presumptive front-runner, Randy Bullock, had misses from 47 and 42, sailing wide left. Zane Gonzalez, who was added to the roster last week, was a perfect 4-4.
►St. Brown came up limping at one point during practice, and spent a couple minutes on the sideline testing out his leg without the assistance of trainers. Fear subsided quickly when he checked back in and ripped off a long gain on a bubble screen.
►The Lions worked extensively on kickoff coverage and blocking with both two-on-two and one-on-one drills
The one thing you frequently notice in these drills is how consistently the top special teams performers handle themselves. Safety C.J. Moore rarely loses a rep. The same with cornerback Mike Ford and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin.
One takeaway from Thursday’s setup was Reeves-Maybin was consistently paired up with rookie Derrick Barnes, who held his own on a couple. That’s a smart coaching decision, knowing how much Barnes is factored into the team’s future plans. Nothing will sharpen his special teams skills quicker than battling head-to-head with one of the league’s best in that department.
►The Lions closed the day with a two-minute drive between the top offensive and defensive groups. The offense managed to work the ball down the field with a series of short passes, but once they got into the red zone, the drive stalled. Wide receiver Tyrell Williams couldn’t hang on to a Goff pass near the sideline and a second attempted connection between the two was broken up by Oruwariye in the end zone.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers