The Detroit Lions Podcast

Training Camp Dates and Fan Access The Detroit Lions now have their NFL training camp clock set. Rookies report July 25. Veterans arrive July 28. The first practice typically follows the next day. Full pads are not expected until the third or fourth practice because of ramp-up rules. Allen Park will be busy. Tickets are required for the free training camp sessions. Expect big crowds, family activities, and post-practice autographs. With no joint practices on the calendar, access should be a bit easier than last summer. Preseason Plan Without Joint Practices The Detroit Lions Podcast spelled out a shift in August. No joint practices this time. The staff wants cleaner prep and more live game work. Starters are expected to see at least a little preseason action. That is a change for this regime. The coaches self-scouted the past year and cut events that were not returning value, including rookie minicamp and the local pro day. Last season’s Week 1 rust showed. Joint work with Miami did not translate. The Texans sessions were intense and useful, but the Lions are leaning into controlled preseason reps. Situational drills are helpful. Real game tempo is better. Expect the new-look offensive line to get snaps. Expect rookies and depth pieces to feel the speed early. Why Isaac TeSlaa Is Trending Up One surprise-player pick landed on wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa. The case is strong. He scored six touchdowns on 16 receptions last season and saw 27 targets. That usage can grow. If the Laporta injury lingers, targets open. David Montgomery is not here anymore. He caught passes out of the backfield. Some of those looks can slide to a big-bodied wideout. Tesla’s size is a tool in the red zone and on third down. The staff wants matchups. Some weeks he might post one catch. The next week he could swing a game. That volatility fits Drew Petzing’s offense. Dan Campbell’s read this week: “He feels like a veteran right now. He is consistent for a young guy. He doesn’t get frazzled… there’s nothing flashy about it, and that’s a good thing.” Tesla still has footwork and timing to sharpen off the line, but the arrow points up. St. Brown, Goff and the Offense’s Floor Amon-Ra St. Brown remains the constant. He wins against every coverage. He and Jared Goff are in sync. Their chemistry raises the floor for the Detroit Lions offense. Even with last year’s line issues, production held. The line looks better on paper now. August will test that. With camp dates set, no joint practices, and a plan to play starters, the Lions aim to hit September sharper. That is the clear objective coming out of this Detroit Lions Podcast. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #detroitlionstrainingcamp #lionspreseason #isaacteslaa #drewpetzing #tylerlacy #jacksonmeeks #trainingcampdates #jointpractices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talking new Lions additions from the UFL The Detroit Lions signed three wide receivers out of the UFL after practice this week. Jeff Risdon welcomed Emory Hunt to stack traits, roles, and the roster math. The names are familiar. Tarik Black. Lucky Jackson. Tay Martin. Black brings a big body outside. He wins above the rim. He can work the boundary and fight through contact. Martin thrives in traffic. He finds soft spots in zone and adds yards after the catch. Jackson is the veteran presence from the 2020 class. Productive in the spring and steady in timing routes. The path to sticking is special teams. None projects as a returner. Coverage work will decide who survives August. The UFL season is 10 games. Add an NFL slate plus preseason and you are flirting with 30 games on one body in a year. Recovery matters. Coaches will weigh that load as they set the bottom of the receiver room and practice squad. Four-point talk and a 64-yard exclamation Kickers came up because the UFL changed the math. Louisville’s kicker hit two four-point field goals from beyond 60 yards. The concept turns leg talent into an offensive weapon. Jake Bates put a cap on Detroit’s work by drilling a 64-yarder that had room from 68 or 69. There is no buzz yet about the NFL adopting four-point kicks, but the league has borrowed spring ideas before. If that door opens, big-leg specialists become roster levers. Pass rushers who popped and the numbers game Spring pass rush stood out more than pass protection. That can muddy evaluations, but a few names still flashed legit movement and plans. Cam Gill, Louisville’s defensive MVP, won with twitch and speed and kept producing. Derrick Roberson stacked impact weeks. Corner help from DC also drew praise. Cam Dantzler and DeAndre Baker are in their late 20s and played well enough to merit NFL depth looks. The hard part is the opportunity. Mathieu Betts is a recent Lions example. He barely got a shot while nicked up, went back to Canada, and dominated. Production can live in non-prototype bodies. Coaches know it. They still need roster spots to prove it. Building a better pipeline The show dug into development fixes. Expand active rosters to 66 and grow practice squads. Give spring standouts real chances. A minor-league model came up, too. Pair NFL clubs on shared affiliates in cities like Toledo or Fort Wayne, or go one-to-one so schemes match and call-ups hit the ground ready. One more thread tied back to Allen Park. Veterans must offer more than young players over the long haul. By Thanksgiving and into 2027. That is the standard. The new receivers, and any spring pass rushers who arrive next, will be graded on it. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #ufl #louisvillekings #columbusaviators #tarikblack #luckyjackson #taymartin #specialteamscoverage #four-pointfieldgoal #jakebates64-yardfieldgoal #camgill #derrickroberson #camdantzler #deandrebaker #passrushers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Detroit Lions Podcast offers up a live recording from Jeff Risdon, reviewing two days of Detroit Lions minicamp this week. After two days of practices and meetings with players and coaches, there are a few key takeaways from the unpadded action in Allen Park. The pass defense and coverage took center stage. Newcomers Chuck Clark and Roger McCreary made immediate positive impacts, as did rookie CB Keith Abney. There are some schematic tweaks and less predictability from coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's unit. Several good questions and points emerged from the live chat. From competition at various positions to the mindset of the coaching staff and players, the extended edition of the Daily DLP offered a reactive, fun look at the minicamp. Now the Lions are off until training camp in late July. Relive the last live football from the spring with the Detroit Lions Podcast minicamp review. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #chuckclark #kelvinsheppard #coveragedisguises #11personnel #13personnelmyth #christianisian #thomasharper #avontemaddoxillness #djreedcb1 #tylerlacyheavyend #peytonturneredge #larryboromrighttackle #blakemillerrookie #jakebates64-yardfieldgoal #jackfoxpunting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Detroit Lions Podcast hits minicamp week with Jeff Risdon on site Tuesday and Wednesday. Expect post-practice recaps later each day and a possible live show Wednesday if time and bandwidth cooperate. The focus is clear: identify real roles before the summer break, then reset for training camp in late July. O-line puzzle and the return game Juice Scruggs headlines the interior line watch. Left guard sits as the only unsettled starting spot, and Christian Mahogany is the early favorite. Scruggs will still be in the mix. He has NFL snaps, power in short spaces, and the mobility to reach. Hand placement has been inconsistent. The question this week is how he looks under Hank Fraley and where he ranks in the rotation. Ben Bartch remains a name to track as he works back from a Lisfranc injury. Greg Dortch steps into the wide receiver and special teams conversation. He profiles as WR4 and the first man up to handle punt and kick returns. He creates yards after the catch. He turns a quick swing into a chain-mover. Jeff wants to see his vision and acceleration up close, plus how he plays through contact and extends to win throws outside his frame. Dortch might be bigger in person than the listing suggests, another note to verify this week. Bubble battles: Meeks, Hassanein, and Turner Number 13 is no longer Craig Reynolds. It is Jackson Meeks, an undrafted wideout possibly sliding toward tight end duties. The staff will test whether he is a supersized receiver or a true hybrid. There is a depth need for that body type behind Isaac TeSlaa, and Kendrick Law is out for the year. Meeks draws fan buzz, but he still must prove it after practice-squad time last season. Ahmed Hassanin shares that spotlight. Both Meeks and Hassanein have supporters, yet their NFL evidence is limited to flashes. Meeks might have the cleaner path today. Hassanin’s chances could hinge on Peyton Turner. If Turner is healthy and close to his first-round traits, he grabs a job. Marcus Davenport, despite his own injuries last season, mentored young players. Turner could fill that presence too, even if health becomes an issue. Mekhi Wingo’s best position Mekhi Wingo needs a defined role. He is compact for the interior. The staff will test him as a heavy end or as an undersized three-tech. The goal is to find a lane that maximizes leverage and burst. With a crowded room, any clarity on his spot and place in the pecking order matters. LSU ties run deep on this staff, and the desire to unlock Wingo is real. Programming notes and NFL headlines Daily recap shows land later in the day during minicamp. A live Detroit Lions Podcast on Wednesday remains possible. Jeff also addressed two NFL items. Aldon Smith’s passing at 36 is a sobering reminder that players carry real lives and real struggles. On the salary-cap front, void years are surging. Myles Garrett’s deal includes eight void years. The Lions use void years often. Patrick Mahomes added four. It front-loads flexibility and pushes charges forward. Helpful now, potentially costly later. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #detroitlionsminicamp #juicescruggs #christianmahogany #gregdortch #puntreturner #yardsaftercatch #jacksonmeeks #ahmedhassanein #peytonturner #marcusdavenport #mekhiwingo #voidyears Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Blake Miller Fits the Job The Detroit Lions Podcast zeroed in on the offensive line build after the draft. The focus was Blake Miller stepping into the right tackle spot while Sewell moves to the left side. Miller was described as one of the most experienced linemen in this class, with four years of work and a heavy snap load at Clemson. The book on him is clear: reliable, steady, and ready to play early. There are limits. He plays upright at times, and his athletic profile may cap the ceiling. He is not expected to be flashy or perfect. He is expected to be consistent. Strong enough. Athletic enough. A steady performer on the right side once he settles into the NFL. That level of baseline competence on a rookie deal is valuable. The expectation is capable starter play after some early leeway. Sewell’s Switch and the Young Right Side The conversation backed the move of Sewell to the left without much trepidation. Confidence ran high that the transition will hold. A point of debate centered on the right side growing together, with Tate Ratlidge on that side and Miller as a rookie. The group acknowledged bumps are likely early in the year when a second-year player and a rookie share that edge. Coaching and structure are the counter. The Lions can help with tight end alignment to Miller’s side and avoid leaving both young players on an island. Continuity across the rest of the line and a smart play caller can shield them as they settle in. Expect some turbulence, then progress. The description of Miller’s game even echoed the reliable profile long tied to Taylor Decker at left tackle, a comparison that drew a nod that it worked out well. Petzing’s Offense, From a Voice Who Worked With Him The show also touched on new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. One guest worked in Cleveland when Petzing was there as the tight ends coach and offered a positive read. The takeaway was practical: he helped with understanding the offense and details from the ground up. That perspective matters as the Lions tailor protections and calls to bring the young right side along. Put it together and the roadmap is straightforward. Miller brings dependable snaps. Sewell handles the left. The staff leans on continuity and targeted help to guide the right side. It is a plan built for the NFL grind, and the Detroit Lions Podcast laid out how it can work. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #nfl #drewpetzing #jackcampbell #keithabney #blakemiller #jimmyrolder #derrickmoore #tyrewest #lionsdraft Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A leader paid like a cornerstone Jack Campbell’s new deal landed, and the Detroit Lions linebacker matched the moment. In his press conference, he opened with thanks. Family. His wife and her family. Coaches. Jared Goff. It fit the player Detroit sees every Sunday. Grounded. Direct. Team first. He also remembered draft night noise. Campbell said someone sent him a clipping that called him the worst draft pick ever. His response set his tone. It was not about proving doubters wrong. It was about proving the believers right. That is the voice of a middle-of-the-defense anchor. The Lions treated him like one with this extension, and he earned it. Production that forces respect Campbell stacked an elite 2025. He recorded 176 tackles. That ranked fourth in the NFL and marked the 21st most in a season since 1983. He added five sacks, four pass breakups, and three forced fumbles. He was the only linebacker in football to top three in all those categories. That is volume and impact. Availability matched the output. He played all but four defensive snaps for Detroit last year. When injuries hit around him as a rookie, staying on the field taught him to lead. The growth carried into an All-Pro season. Coverage was once the knock. It is better now. The four pass breakups underscore that he is no longer flat-footed at the catch point like he was early. Campbell credited linebackers coaches Kelvin Sheppard and Shaun Dion Hamilton for sharpening his game. What’s next in the middle There is still ceiling. Campbell can keep tightening his coverage. He can time blitzes a little better. He can be cleaner strafing laterally when blockers climb. The context will test him. Without DJ Reader and Roy Lopez as true nose tackles, second-level linemen might get cleaner paths to him. He will have to beat those angles. The expectation is he will. First-team All-Pro status says plenty, but the standard rises again. Contract structure at a glance The extension runs four years for $81,000,000. Total guarantees are $51.15 million. Of that, $22.9 million is fully guaranteed at signing. New money guaranteed is $48.4 million. Campbell received an $8.6 million signing bonus. His 2026 and 2027 salaries are fully guaranteed. That is how a franchise invests in its defensive core. This Detroit Lions Podcast episode centered on a simple truth. Campbell’s game, voice, and durability align with what the Lions want in the middle. The numbers back it up. The contract does, too. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #jackcampbell #nfl #contractextension #lionsdefense #contractdetails #samlaporta Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A draft class searching for traction The Detroit Lions Podcast put the 2024 draft class under a harsh light. Two years in, the group has flashed but not finished. The Detroit Lions need more in the NFL’s tight margins. This feels like a prove-it season for the entire class, headlined by first-round pick Terryon Arnold at No. 24 overall after a trade up with Dallas from 28. Terryon Arnold needs consistent CB1 tape Arnold has shown it in stretches. Early last year he looked the part outside. Midseason he matured. He played less handsy. He read the receiver better. Then came the injury. Then penalties. Then a general lack of effectiveness. He has not played like a first-rounder yet. The expectation remains that he opens 2026 as a starting outside cornerback. The benefit of the doubt is fading. He has one more season before the fifth-year option decision becomes straightforward or complicated. The Dallas trade context matters Detroit paid a first and a third to move up for Arnold. Those Dallas picks turned into Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe. Guyton has started at tackle and shown an inconsistent but impressive profile. Beebe has started at center and been decent, short of high expectations. No one knows if the Lions would have made the same choices. They did spend time with Beebe at the Senior Bowl. Viewed through that prism, the move has not produced the intended return yet in Detroit. Ennis Rakestraw’s availability and a crowded slot Rakestraw has played eight games in two years. Multiple injuries hit both seasons, echoing a college pattern where timing hurt his offseasons more than his Saturdays. This is a big year for him. The room around him has tightened. Detroit drafted Keith Abney in that spot and signed Roger McCreery there. Christian Risdon and Avante Maddox can play slot nickel. Outside, they brought Brockus back. Nick Whiteside is back, and to this point he has shown more in coverage than Rakestraw. The challenge is clear. Day 3 pieces still seeking a spark Giovanni Manu arrived as an offensive lineman from British Columbia in the fourth. Also in the fourth, Vaki was listed as a safety at Utah but Detroit drafted him to play running back, a role he handled at Utah and at the Senior Bowl. In the sixth, Mangin Wingo came in at defensive tackle from LSU. The Lions also added guard Chris Mahogany from Boston College. Collectively, the group has been underwhelming and frustrating. There is time, but not much, for this class to match the standard set elsewhere on the roster. The 2026 tape has to change the story. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #terrionarnold #ennisrakestraw #giovannimanu #2024nfldraft #mekhiwingo #christianmahogany #sionevaki Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices