The Detroit Lions closed out Week 1 of training camp with their second padded practice and a relatively long one.
While Erik Schlitt has full observations from Tuesday’s practice coming soon, I’m here to share my six biggest standouts from the session.
McNeill has an incredible start to practice on Tuesday, knifing his way into the backfield on back-to-back runs. The first, he swam around Cade Mays in a hurry to meet with Rock Ya-Sin for a tackle for loss. On the very next play, he beat Blake Miller’s down block attempt to get his hands on the back again.
One person who has been up close and personal opposite McNeill is starting right guard Tate Ratledge. After practice, Ratledge was asked for his standouts on the defense, and McNeill was the first and only name out of his mouth.
“Man, Alim,” Ratledge said. “I told somebody the other day how excited I am to get a full camp against him when he’s 100 percent, because he’s really good. Obviously what I saw from him last year at practice, he’s a completely different player now. He’s explosive, strong. So he’s getting me better every day.”
While that wasn’t quite as big of a day for Whiteside as he’s had all camp, he still makes Tuesday’s list because of a promotion he got.
During 1-on-1s, Whiteside was paired up with some of Detroit’s best receivers. He battled, but eventually, lost his rep against Amon-Ra St. Brown, who created some late separation and high pointed a ball over Whiteside’s back. But he came back and decisively won his rep against Isaac TeSlaa to close out the drill.
And while he mostly repped with the second team for the rest of practice, he did get some time with the first-team defense during the final situational drill. He helped end the offense’s attempt at a late-drive score, covering Jameson Williams on fourth-and-10 play. Williams did get both hands on it and should’ve come down with the pass, but Whiteside was in decent coverage.
Prior to practice, Campbell was asked about the opportunities for guys like Jacob Saylors with Jahmyr Gibbs still sitting in and Sione Vaki out with a broken nose. While Campbell mused on about Saylors for a bit, he was just as eager to talk about Small.
“Small is doing some things and he’s doing some things on special teams too, man,” Campbell said. “Low to the ground, center of gravity, he’s stout, he’s strong. He’s got lateral quicks.”
Those compliments carried over into practice, where Small got some work with the first team offense alongside Isiah Pacheco and Saylors. During the 11-on-11 rushing drills, Small was the first to bust out a big run with a decisive cut and acceleration to hit hole. I also came away impressed with his shiftiness on a few jump cuts during practice.
He, too, ended practice in a significant role, pairing alongside Tom Kennedy as the kick returner during the final situational drill.
Small has got a long road to make the 53-man roster, but while the room is shorthanded, he’s doing everything within his control to make the most out of his opportunities.
Clark has pretty regularly been with the second-team defense all camp and that didn’t change on Tuesday. However, I came away from Day 6 of practice very impressed with his ability to play downhill and run-fit. His athleticism flashed while tracking down Jacob Saylors on one run. Then he followed it up with the recognition to fill a gap forcing a lineman to drag him out of the hole with an obvious hold.
Then during a situational drill, he closed in on a curl route from Greg Dortch quick enough to tackle the veteran receiver a yard short to force a fourth-and-1.
On top of that, Clark continues to rep high in most special teams snaps. On Tuesday, he was part of the first-team punt coverage unit.
Clark is in an interesting position, because now that linebacker room is filled with a few other veteran depth players (Devin White, Troy Reeder) who he’ll have to fend off to keep his roster spot.
It’s been an admittedly quiet start to camp for the Pro Bowl tight end. Some of that is likely due to him being on a perceived pitch count, but he’s also not quite looked like his explosive self in 1-on-1 drills.
However, Tuesday was a big step in the right direction for LaPorta. In individuals, he easily beat Chuck Clarks to the flats for a short pickup. Then he had his first explosive day of camp, finding the soft spot in the zone on a corner route for 30-yard gain during 11-on-11s. He got open against shortly after on a crossing route against Clark, but Jared Goff just overthrew him.
Finally, he capped off a 55-yard drive from the first-team offense with a mesh concept that found him open in the flats for a 5-yard touchdown that gave D.J. Reed no chance to make a play on the ball.
I don’t think there’s any real reason to be worried about LaPorta, but it’s still good to see him start to pick things up toward the end of Week 1 of training camp.
