Lions training camp notebook, Day 8: Turning up the heat

Midway through practice, after a couple of sloppy reps that included a false start, a blown blocking assignment that ruined a rep for the offense, and three defenders chasing one receiver on the same play, head coach Dan Campbell flashed the angry intensity. Using many words not fit for print, a very animated Campbell lashed out at his team for the poor performance.

It’s the first time this camp that Campbell completely stopped practice to address the team. After practice, right guard Kevin Zeitler relayed what Campbell said,

“Gotta be smart. Doesn’t matter how hot it is, how late it is, how tired we are, how humid. Average might have been good enough a couple years ago but that’s not what we care about now,” Zeitler said during his press conference after practice.

Jake Bates remains the only kicker in Lions camp since Michael Badgley was lost for the season a week ago. After Thursday’s practice, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team expedited the search for competition.

Bates struggled in making field goals against no defense this morning. At one point in his drill, the UFL standout missed three of four attempts from between 50 and 54 yards. I didn’t catch the entire body of work in practice, but I had Bates going 7-for-12, all in that general distance range. Every snap from Scott Daly and hold from Jack Fox was textbook perfect.

The team then had a prolonged period of special teams work on the new kickoff. Bates had some great directional and designed shorter kickoffs, but also boomed one into Khalil Dorsey’s back, a dead-ball penalty. Another “mortar” type of kickoff fell short of the landing zone by about 15 yards, resulting in another penalty. One kickoff attempt sailed out of bounds like a shanked tee shot from a too-hyped amateur duffer.

Worth noting: Some of the struggles were about Bates working on different approaches to the new kickoff style and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp wanting to see different looks from his kicker.

It was tough to choose which 1-on-1s to watch with so many interesting and intense plays going on. My focus was primarily on the tight ends and running backs going against the linebackers and safeties in pass rush/protection and coverage drills.

Biggest standouts:

Ifeatu Melifonwu – the safety lost his first rep in coverage to TE Shane Zylstra and then pitched a shutout for the rest of the drill. “Iffy” had a great day overall, including a pass breakup against Brock Wright on the sidelines in a situational drill near the end of practice.

Morice Norris – an undrafted rookie safety from Fresno State, Norris had one of the very few actual pass breakups in swatting a ball away, and he scored a victory in the pass rush drill too with a bull rush win vs. Sam LaPorta. No. 39 is having a very solid camp.

Derrick Barnes – Barnes beat David Montgomery for a pass rush win, the only loss No. 5 had in the drill (Montgomery did drop a pass vs. Jack Campbell later in the drill). Barnes also forced an overthrow by hustling in coverage after initially losing on the break. He did get smoked by Jahmyr Gibbs on a coverage rep where No. 26 just simply ran away from him.

Kerby Joseph – No. 31 had two clear wins in the coverage portion of the drill, but his emphatic and easy pass rush win over Brock Wright was a stunner. Joseph isn’t known for his work close to the line of scrimmage but he laid waste to Wright (very rough all-around day for No. 89, including special teams) and also won a split decision rep against James Mitchell.

Sean McKeon – handily the best pass protector of any of the TEs or RBs, the veteran tight end pitched a clean slate in that part of the drill. McKeon initially got open nicely on one route versus Brandon Joseph but a throw that was behind him cost him the win on the rep.

Rough ones

Jake Funk – this was not a drill set that the reserve running back will want to remember. In my notes, I write a “>” for the winner, with the loser on the right. Funk was on the wrong end of the symbol five times. No other player had more than three. His pass protection was very rough.

Shane Zylstra – competing for the No. 3 TE job, Zylstra has struggled all camp with blocking duties. He didn’t have a single win in pass protection. Zylstra also stumbled out of a break in another route that nearly led to a Kerby Joseph INT.

Running back Zonovan Knight did not participate in drills. He did do a lot of running and agility work to the side with trainers throughout practice. No. 27 was also the first player on the Juggs machine after the session ended.

Rookie RB Sione Vaki left practice with a shoulder injury that required further evaluation. He did not return to the field.

Two players, LB Malcolm Rodriguez and CB Carlton Davis, briefly sat out portions of drills and worked with trainers. Both returned and showed no signs of any injury.

Lynn still doesn’t have a photo in a Lions uniform, but the undrafted rookie EDGE from William & Mary continues to have an impressive summer. Wearing No. 57, he stood out several times in various drills on Thursday.

The best time to shine is in team drills, and that’s where Lynn thrived. Often working against rookie OT Giovanni Manu, Lynn effectively lived in the backfield on passing plays. He had two reps vs. Manu that were certain sacks, one on an instant pressure off an inside rip, and another (this one against Connor Galvin) where he flushed Nate Sudfeld into a sack by Mitchell Agude coming from the other side of the defense.

I didn’t catch every rep of Lynn’s in the pit drill, but I had him credited with one win against Ike Boettger and a draw with Colby Sorsdal, his college teammate. He showed out very well with some family in attendance.

–The Lions held a dog adoption event on the practice grounds and it was very difficult not to take one home.

–Before practice, the Lions placed OL Netane Muti on injured reserve and signed Jake Burton to replace him on the line. Burton was in action, wearing No. 67.

–The defense looked outstanding in end-of-game situational drills toward the end of practice. The third-team defense, in particular, dominated the third-team offense, capping it off with an interception by recently signed linebacker Malik Jefferson, who sniffed out a quick-out pass by Hendon Hooker and would have scored for the defense.

–The first-team offense did secure the win in the same drill on a sweet TD strike from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown that beat CB Carlton Davis in the back of the end zone, with the safety help nowhere in sight. Even on that rep, the pass rush from Aidan Hutchinson quickly beating Penei Sewell might have forced a different outcome if QB hits were allowed.

–Carlton Davis had a great rep on the first play of those drills, staying with Jameson Williams down the right sideline and breaking up a Goff pass that hung up in the air a bit.

–Before practice, OC Ben Johnson talked about the backup offensive tackle position. While focused on Colby Sorsdal as the No. 3, Johnson also praised Connor Galvin for playing well. Johnson noted Dan Skipper’s presence in the mix for a backup spot but didn’t mention fourth-round rookie Giovanni Manu. As conscientious as Johnson is with his players and his words, the omission stood out.

–Rookie CB Ennis Rakestraw continues to grow up quickly. Taking first-team reps while Davis was briefly sidelined, Rakestraw played with confidence and physicality in the run game. No. 15 also picked off Nate Sudfeld with a great break onto a seam route where Sudfeld held the ball a count too long before throwing.

–Friday is the last practice in Allen Park before the team heads to New York for joint practices with the Giants.