Training Camp Is Here and Jahmyr Gibbs Is Not
The first day of training camp in Allen Park brought the usual mix of excitement and anxiety. Jahmyr Gibbs was not at practice. That is the headline. The rest is just noise until we know why.
Gibbs is looking for a new contract. We know this. What we do not know is whether his absence is a precaution, a negotiation tactic, or something else entirely. Until then, Sione Vaki got first-team reps at running back alongside Isiah Pacheco.
Vaki is a developmental piece. Pacheco is a proven veteran. But neither of them is Jahmyr Gibbs, and that matters.
Juice Scruggs at Left Guard Is a Surprise
Juice Scruggs was repping with the first team at left guard. That was not expected. Most assumed he would be competing for the center spot, but here he is working on the interior. Maybe this is where he ends up. Ben Bartch got some early reps with the ones during drills but disappeared when it came to 11-on-11 work.
At right tackle, Blake Miller and Larry Borom were rotating. Miller will likely be the permanent starter once things settle in, but it is smart to give him different looks early.
Kerby Joseph Skipping Up a Hill Is My Kind of Medical Update
Kerby Joseph did not practice, but he also did not look like a guy dealing with anything serious. He was sprinting up and down the conditioning hill. He was doing workouts. He even posted it all on Instagram like a maniac. The Lions are being cautious, but he looks fine.
Brian Branch was on the field but not participating in drills. Just being a good teammate. That left Chuck Clark and Avonte Maddox as the first-team safeties. Thomas Harper and Dan Jackson were the second-team guys.
This is not a concern yet, but it will become one if it drags on.
Edge Rotation Is All Over the Place
Derek Moore, the second-round pick, was rotating everywhere. He got some first-team reps early but also worked with the twos and threes. The Lions are bringing him along slowly, which is fine.
Wonnum got looks. Tyler Lacy got first-team reps in a big end role. Ahmed Hassanien was working with the second team. This is still a position group figuring itself out.
Ennis Rakestraw Is Getting Real Reps
Ennis Rakestraw was repping at cornerback 2 with the starters. That is significant given his injury history. He had some good reps, including one where he blanketed Amon-Ra St. Brown downfield but still could not stop him from making a ridiculous catch. St. Brown is going to do that.
Rakestraw split reps with Rock Ya-Sin, but the fact that he is even in this conversation tells you the Lions see him as a viable starter. If he stays healthy, this could be a huge development for the secondary.
Jameson Williams Made the Catch of the Day
The play of the day belonged to Jameson Williams. Jared Goff threw a 40-yard bomb downfield, and Williams had two guys on him. Ennis Rakestraw and Chuck Clark were covering him tight. Somehow, Williams came up with a contested catch that looked like something Calvin Johnson used to do in his sleep.
Then he got up like it was nothing.
If Williams can develop this part of his game, if he can win 50-50 balls consistently, this offense becomes exponentially harder to defend. He already has the speed. If he adds the hands and body control to match, he becomes a legitimate WR1 threat opposite Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Quick Hits From Allen Park
Miles Kitselman got some first-team reps at tight end during drills. Tyler Conklin was out, so that opened the door. Still a big deal for a guy trying to carve out a role.
Greg Dortch, Domnic Lovett, Tom Kennedy, Isiah Pacheco, Lawrence Keys, and Amon-Ra St. Brown were all taking reps at kick returner. Dortch looked the most comfortable in the spot. That makes sense given his size and skillset.
Jimmy Rolder is punchy. He is hunting for turnovers. He will fit right in with the linebacker room.
Christian Mahogany and Christian Izien were both working off to the side with trainers. That is usually a good sign for a quicker return. We will see.
Is Gibbs sitting out a real holdout or just playing chess while the rest of us panic? Drop your take below.
