OTAs Are Finally Here and We Have Questions
The Detroit Lions begin their Organized Team Activities on Wednesday, which means we finally get our first real look at what this team might actually be. After weeks of conditioning and individual drills, we’re moving into the good stuff. Team drills. 7-on-7s. 11-on-11s. You know, the kind of football that might actually tell us something useful.
Sure, we’re still months away from full pads and real contact. But this is progress, and after the way last season ended, we’ll take any glimpse we can get of what Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell have cooking in Allen Park.
Injury Updates We Actually Need
Let’s start with the obvious. We need to know where Kerby Joseph, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch stand health-wise. These aren’t depth pieces we’re talking about. These are core guys, and if any of them are dealing with lingering issues, we need to know now rather than in August when panic mode sets in.
LaPorta in particular carries extra weight here. The guy has been a legitimate weapon since he walked through the door, and this offense runs differently when he’s not available. No sugarcoating that reality.
Meet the Rookie Class
With no rookie minicamp this year, OTAs become our first real introduction to the draft class. Blake Miller and Derrick Moore are the headliners, but we’re curious about the entire group and how quickly they can adjust to NFL speed.
Miller especially carries weight as a pick expected to step into a significant role. We’ve seen Holmes nail these picks before, but rookies are rookies until they prove otherwise. The next few weeks should give us our first hints about whether this class can contribute immediately or if we’re looking at a longer development timeline.
Position Battles Worth Watching
The secondary has legitimate depth questions that need sorting out. There are bodies back there, but figuring out the pecking order and who fits where is going to be fascinating to watch unfold.
Then there’s the left guard spot, which remains wide open. Someone has to win that job, and OTAs should start giving us clues about who’s making the strongest case.
Don’t sleep on the linebacker situation either. With the moves Holmes made this offseason, there’s some interesting maneuvering happening behind Jack Campbell that could impact how this defense shapes up.
Campbell’s Voice Matters
We’ll also get Dan Campbell talking to the media multiple times over the coming weeks, which means direct answers from the source that matters most. Campbell doesn’t usually dance around questions when it comes to personnel and expectations, so we should get some clarity on the areas where we’re all guessing right now.
Look, it’s still May. These are glorified practice sessions without pads. But for a fan base that’s been starved for meaningful football since January, we’ll take what we can get. OTAs won’t solve every question about this roster, but they’ll start giving us the answers we need.
What are you most eager to see from these OTAs? Are you worried about those injury updates or confident Holmes’ draft class will hit the ground running? Let us know below.
