Jack Campbell Says New Lions Roster Has Something Previous Groups Didn’t
One day into OTAs and Jack Campbell is already talking about how “refreshing” it is to see hungry players on this Lions roster. That word choice feels deliberate. You don’t call something refreshing unless what came before left you thirsty.
Campbell spoke to reporters at the Meijer Performance Center and made it clear that the 34 new faces Detroit brought in this offseason have already caught his attention. Every single guy they brought in was for a reason, he said, and every single guy has impressed him so far.
Look, we all remember what happened last year. The Lions followed up a 15-2 season and the top seed in the NFC with a 9-8 collapse that kept them out of the playoffs entirely. Campbell admits that failure left a sour taste, even if he doesn’t love dwelling on the past.
The Hunger Is Different This Time
But here’s what separates this group, according to Campbell: the drive isn’t coming from last season’s disappointment. It’s coming from inside. These are guys who get knocked down and get back up every single time, he said. Bell cows who never give up.
“Today was our first day of Phase 3. It wasn’t perfect, but it was refreshing to see guys out there who are just hungry, and I feel like that’s going to carry you a long way in this league,” Campbell explained.
That word again. Refreshing. As if hunger hasn’t always been there with this team. Maybe two playoff runs bred some complacency. Maybe success made some guys comfortable. Campbell didn’t say it outright, but you can read between the lines.
Prove-It Players Bring Prove-It Energy
Look across Detroit’s offseason additions and you’ll find players who have been scrapping for playing time for years. Most signed some version of a one-year, prove-it deal. For many of them, their football careers are legitimately on the line this season.
That urgency shows up on the practice field. Campbell can already see it, and he’s been around long enough to know the difference between guys who want it and guys who need it.
While the coaching staff has made it clear this is “Campbell’s defense” now, the linebacker knows it can’t work without buy-in from all 11 players. You can’t be elite if you put it all on one guy, he said. Every player needs to take ownership and have pride in what they’re doing.
Campbell Put His Money Where His Team’s Mouth Is
Campbell helped set the tone for this roster construction by taking less money in his extension. Becoming the league’s highest-paid linebacker wasn’t his priority. He wanted to stay in Detroit and help the team keep the core together, even if it meant leaving cash on the table.
“I want to help the team in any way possible, just to continue to keep the core together,” Campbell said. “At the end of the day, I feel like it was fair for the team, and I’m more than happy with everything that they’ve blessed me with.”
Campbell took care of business both on paper and in Allen Park. Now he’s watching 34 new teammates do the same. After years of false dawns and early exits, maybe hunger really is the difference. Or maybe we’re just gluttons for punishment again. What’s your take on this “refreshing” new energy?
This is what I’ve been waiting to hear. Campbell taking less money says everything about where his head is at, and if the guys around him see that, they’re gonna run through a wall for him. The hunger thing isn’t just talk either, you can feel the difference when a team actually wants it.
I want to believe this so bad, but I’ve been burned before. One good OTA doesn’t mean anything when the season starts. That said, I trust what Campbell and Holmes are building here, so I’m willing to see where this goes. Just need to see it happen in September.
You know what’s different this time? The leadership actually believes in the guys they brought in and isn’t afraid to pay their own players fairly. Campbell taking a pay cut for the team is old school Lions pride, the kind we haven’t seen in so long. If the rest of the locker room sees that, they’ll follow.
Campbell calling out the old roster without actually calling them out is smart coaching. These prove it guys are gonna have a chip on their shoulder all year and that’s exactly what we need. Defense is about to be nasty this season.