Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Lions want to tamp down expectations around Malcolm Rodriguez. He started out training camp as an afterthought, buried on the depth chart; and it seemed likely he would only play on special teams. But he’s become one of the featured stars of “Hard Knocks” because he’s so dang good and the camera loves

Some blessings can be hard to spot when they first happen. Take for instance, when Jerry Jacobs tore his ACL in 2019. A junior at Arkansas State at the time, Jacobs hurt his right knee when he landed wrong while breaking up a pass to George Pickens against Georgia. Jacobs said his knee felt weird

The Detroit Lions are still holding out hope that second-year defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike will be ready for their season-opener Sept. 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles, but Lions coach Dan Campbell acknowledge that seems more unlikely by the day. Campbell said Thursday that Onwuzurike has not had any setbacks from the back injury that has

The simple word “talent” is used too sparingly in sports. Instead, coaches and scouts and scientists of movement toss around phrases such as “wiggle” and “quick twitch” to describe our nimblest and most explosive athletes. “Hand-eye coordination” is another one. And oh, what a dream it would be simply to be able to hit the

It’s amazing, how a few minutes can change your life. About five minutes after the 2022 NFL draft ended, the Detroit Lions called Demetrius Taylor and offered him an undrafted free agent contract. “What was your signing bonus?” I asked him. “I assume something like $75,000?” He laughed. “It was $15,000,” he said. But Taylor

The Detroit Lions coaching staff sang the praises of rookie Aidan Hutchinson as they introduced him less than 24 hours after drafting him. A kid who’d never lived more than 30 miles from the team’s headquarters in Allen Park and grew up wanting to wear the Honolulu blue — the story line wrote itself. The hype for the

Rushing yards are one way to measure it. Sacks allowed work, too. But when Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley checks to see how his group compares to some of the best lines in the NFL, he will be evaluating from an entirely different point of view. “I got to go, ‘Man, that was

Dan Campbell advertised it as “our last really good Detroit versus Detroit practice we’re going to have for camp,” and the Lions‘ Tuesday evening practice did not disappoint. Coming off a light player-run practice Monday, the Lions ran more than 80 plays of mostly situational football, pitting ones-on-ones and twos-on-twos in a spirited two-hour session that

The closer the NFL season gets, the more important the details become. That’s why Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell walked into the team room in front of his players after the preseason loss to the Falcons to begin Episode 3 of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” and held up a folded pair of pants that appeared to have debris on it.

Show Caption Hide Caption Detroit Lions’ 2022 opponents: Which games are most intriguing? A look at the Detroit Lions’ 2022 opponents, featuring 9 home games and 8 road games, and the benefit of a last-place schedule. Marlowe Alter, Wochit Jeff Okudah and Will Harris will both see playing time for the Detroit Lions defense this

Jameson Williams will not make his NFL debut until October at the earliest. The Detroit Lions transferred their rookie wide receiver to the reserve/nonfootball injury list Tuesday, meaning he must miss at least the first four games of the regular season. The No. 12 pick of April’s NFL draft, Williams has not practiced with the

As Dan Campbell stood in front of reporters Monday, he took off his hat, scratched his head and let out a deep sigh. “Oh man, that’s a tough one,” he began. “I don’t know if I gave you an answer if I’d even be correct.” The Detroit Lions head coach was trying to answer a question about how many

Step 1 in having a successful regular season? Staying healthy in the preseason, and as they approach their exhibition finale Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Detroit Lions appear to be in relatively good health. The Lions have not suffered any major injuries in training camp, and the only players who have missed significant practice time

Well, that was one of the more unique practices I’ve ever seen. Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell turned practice Monday over to his players — to the point there were no assistant coaches on the field. Campbell was there, observing from afar, and one Lions assistant (I think it was safeties coach Brian Duker) popped

Jared Goff will not be able to talk his way into playing in Sunday’s preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but most of the rest of the Detroit Lions starters should see the field. Lions coach Dan Campbell said Monday he told his starters “to be prepared (to play) a half” against the Steelers after sitting

INDIANAPOLIS — When Derrick Barnes showed up for his first day of work with the Detroit Lions last spring, he found a note from special assistant Chris Spielman in his locker. “It said, ‘What did I do today not to get cut?'” Barnes told me Saturday after the Lions’ preseason win over the Indianapolis Colts. “I

INDIANAPOLIS — It may be “just a preseason game” to some, but not Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell. The Lions snapped the NFL’s longest preseason losing streak Saturday, beating the Indianapolis Colts, 27-26, in a win Campbell called “a step in the right direction” for his team. “It’s important. It’s very important,” Campbell said. “And especially with a

The Detroit Tigers broke me. I thought they were going to have a solid season. I’m not talking about getting to the World Series or even the playoffs. But I was convinced they would play meaningful games late in the season. All of the additions seemed to plug the major holes. I was in favor of signing Javier Baez

INDIANAPOLIS — Three Detroit Lions players who helped or hurt their stock in Saturday’s preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts: Three up RB Craig Reynolds: Dan Campbell said he wanted to get a good evaluation of his running backs Saturday, and the group did not disappoint, with 148 yards rushing on 28 carries. Justin Jackson deserves mention

INDIANAPOLIS — As good as the Detroit Lions’ starting offensive line is, they may have something even more valuable up front — depth. The Lions got stellar play from their starting offensive line in last week’s preseason-opening loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and they got an equally impressive performance from their No. 2 group in