Punt returner: For the first time in five seasons the Lions will have a different punt returner after Kalif Raymond left in free agency. One name to watch is veteran Greg Dortch.
“I mean he came in as a guy who I think had an eight-yard average and zero punt returns for touchdowns and he left here as really probably the best punt returner in the game,” Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said of Raymond.
“Dortch, obviously excited to have him. He’s a similar type of player. I think he’s coming in with zero touchdowns on his career. I think his average a little bit less than what Kalif was when he came here. And so, an opportunity for him to grow and compete.”
Dortch was the first player back there returning punts in a late-practice punt period.
Catch of the day: Running back Jacob Saylors made a terrific diving, one-handed catch in the flat from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in a 7-on-7 period. Saylors will be competing with Sione Vaki, Jabari Small and Kye Robichaux for the No. 3 running back role behind Jahmyr Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco.
Sidelined: There are a few players continuing to rehab injuries that didn’t take part in Friday’s practice including tight end Sam LaPorta (back) and safeties Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee).
LaPorta has taken some walkthrough reps over the first couple days of OTAs, per Campbell, but didn’t take part in Friday’s open practice. LaPorta said after the season he expects to be full go by training camp. Campbell said all three players are improving.
Safety focus: With Joseph and Branch sidelined, I kept an eye on the safety rotation Friday. Veterans Christian Izien and Chuck Clark got the first run with the starters. Clark has played in 123 games with 80 starts and Izien 45 games and 15 starts. That’s a ton of experience for two backup roles that could be pressed into duty this season.
