Welcome to Detroit Sports Forum!

By joining our community, you'll be able to connect with fellow fans that live and breathe Detroit sports just like you!

Get Started
  • If you are no longer able to access your account since our recent switch from vBulletin to XenForo, you may need to reset your password via email. If you no longer have access to the email attached to your account, please fill out our contact form and we will assist you ASAP. Thanks for your continued support of DSF.

5 takeaways from OTAs

kdp1980

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2011
Messages
6,213
2017-06-11 6:00 AM | Tim Twentyman
TWENTYMAN: 5 takeaways from OTAs

The Detroit Lions completed their 10 allotted OTA practices, and next up is their mandatory three-day minicamp this week before an extended break leading into the start of training camp.

There's no pads or hitting in OTAs, so what we saw during the three open practices has to be put in that context, but there were still some notable observations.

Here are my five biggest takeaways from OTAs:

1. ROOKIE FIRST IMPRESSIONS

We got our first look at this year's rookie class on the field with the veterans. Here's some quick first impressions:

Jarrad Davis: Slotted right into the MIKE and didn't look out of place at all. He's calling the defense, and his speed and coverage ability look to be an early upgrade at the position.

Teez Tabor: He looked to be full go in the final open practice after being eased back in (hamstring) the first couple weeks. The first thing that jumps out about Tabor is his size. He's very well put together. He made a nice interception on Matthew Stafford last week, and speed hasn't appeared to be an issue with him so far.

Tabor on adjusting to the NFL
Share:


Kenny Golladay: He's been one of the youngsters who's stood out to me early on. He's made a bunch of big plays and has a knack for getting open. We'll see if that continues once he gets bumped and jammed in training camp.

Michael Roberts: He's still coming along. He had a chance to make a big catch down the field last week, but let the ball slip through his hands. The tight end position in the NFL is tough on rookies.

Jalen Reeves-Maybin: Speed. That's the thing that jumps out about Reeves-Maybin. He's a bit undersized, but what he lacks in size he makes up for in speed and an ability to run in coverage.


Jamal Agnew: He's going to try and wear a lot of hats for this team. He'll try to push Quandre Diggs for time in the slot, but he's also throwing his hat in the punt return competition. He looked very natural doing it on a windy day last week.

Jeremiah Ledbetter: I can honestly say I didn't notice Ledbetter much during the three open practices. That's not a knock on him, it's just hard to evaluate interior defensive linemen without pads or hitting.

Brad Kaaya: He throws a pretty decent ball, but he's still picking up the offense. In team drills, the ball doesn't come out as quickly as it needs to, and he's often been taking off and using his feet once the protection breaks down.

Pat O'Connor: The youngster earned some kudos from his teammates in the individual portion of practice last week during sled drills. He's quick out of his stance, and won his rep. We'll see what he can do when the pads come on and the one-on-one matchups with the linemen begin.

2. DECKER INJURY

The first big injury blow of the 2017 season affects the offensive line as left tackle Taylor Decker is out indefinitely after undergoing shoulder surgery last Monday.

Caldwell on Taylor Decker
Share:


Lions head coach Jim Caldwell will update Decker's status at the start of training camp at the end of July, though he stated he didn't think Decker's injury would cost him all of the 2017 season.

The team has three in-house options in Corey Robinson, Joe Dahl and Cornelius Lucas.

General manager Bob Quinn also signed veteran free agent tackle Tony Hills to help fill that void until Decker can get back on the field.

Dahl took most of the first-team reps in last week's open practice. We'll see how the reps are split up in minicamp.


3. STIFF COMPETITION DEVELOPING

Caldwell has been very clear that he operates a "rep chart" in the spring and not a "depth chart." The true competition begins when training camp starts.

Watching the three open OTA sessions there are three spots in particular where the competition should be very fun to watch in the coming months.

Cornerback - Darius Slay is the only player guaranteed a starting spot. After that, it's an open competition among the other 10 corners on the roster.

Starters Nevin Lawson and Diggs will have to fight off the likes of Tabor, Agnew, DJ Hayden, Johnson Bademosi and others.

Receiver - Golden Tate, Marvin Jones Jr.and Golladay appear to be locks. The real competition will be for the remaining spots.

Two names to watch early on in that competition are TJ Jones and Jace Billingsley, who look to have a leg up on the others at this point. But there's obviously a long way to go.

Linebacker - Davis is expected to man the MIKE spot, but the WILL and SAM spots are up for grabs. Tahir Whitehead is being shifted over to the WILL, but he'll have to beat out veteran Paul Worrilow and Reeves-Maybin. Antwione Williams is a big, physical player, and he'll be fighting for playing time as well.

The Lions play two linebackers in their sub package around 60 to 70 percent of the time, so this competition really comes down to who develops as the second-best linebacker next to Davis.

4. STAFFORD ON POINT


It's year nine for Stafford, so we shouldn't be too surprised by this, but he's looked very sharp this spring.

'Top 100 Players of 2017': No. 31 Matthew Stafford
Share:


He's coming off one of the best seasons of his career, and he's 100 percent healed from the finger injury that hampered him at the end of last year.

Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said he and Stafford are really on the same page this spring in terms of what they're seeing in coverage and what check downs are the best for that look.

This is the second full season for Stafford in Cooter's system, and he looks very comfortable. The ball is coming out quick and on target, and the offense is humming. Sometimes during this time of year, it's noticeable that the defense is ahead of the offense. Not this spring.

5. ABDULLAH IN THE BACKFIELD


The Lions are a different offense with running back Ameer Abdullah in the backfield. That was evident in the final open practice last week.

Abdullah had a couple nice cutback runs, and showed great burst after breaking through the line on one run.

Later, he was swinging out of the backfield on a pass play with Miles Killebrew rushing to cover, and Abdullah put his foot in the dirt and cut up field. Stafford found him streaking down the sideline for a big play.

He's the best two-way back on this roster, and this offense is noticeably different with him on the field.
 
I'll wait until they go against players who want to kill them.. OTA stuff never impresses me. They always seem to get glowing results.. Weather it's 2017 or 2008..
 
OTAs I never no how to take. It's like great, offense looked good, oh wait it was against our defense.
 
God forbid anyone that says anything positive about this team lol.
 
Last edited:
God forbid anyone that says anything positive about this team lol.

Cmon man lol.... it's ridiculous. Were a different offense cause Abdullah broke thru a line on a cut back vs a defense with no pads on? Srsly?
 
Cmon man lol.... it's ridiculous. Were a different offense cause Abdullah broke thru a line on a cut back vs a defense with no pads on? Srsly?

Nobody is saying this is the next "Greatest Show on Turf" but it's nice to hear that some of these guys are looking like players. Leave it up to you guys to shit on it though. It's like fucking clockwork with you guys. Once something negative comes into play it'll be headlines on this board though lol.
 
God forbid anyone that says anything positive about this team lol.

You're kidding right? If you say a thing Negative about them you jump all over us saying how wrong we all.. Lol.

They always get glowing reviews at this time of the year, every year. It means little.. In-fact it mean less than that. Every since they invented the word OTA's they've gotten glowing reviews. Andre Ware was getting glowing reviews..
 
Last edited:
You're kidding right? If you say a thing Negative about them you jump all over us saying how wrong we all.. Lol.

They always get glowing reviews at this time of the year, every year. It means little.. In-fact it mean less than that. Every since they invented the word OTA's they've gotten glowing reviews. Andre Ware was getting glowing reviews..

You're wrong again lol. It's not always glowing reviews. I just went through all 32 teams yesterday on a quick rundown from OTA'S. They weren't all sunshine and rainbows. Of course you wouldn't know this because you randomly make shit up lol. Do a little research for once.....:tup:
 
And i'm not saying OTA'S are gospel but it's nice to hear a couple of good things. It's not meaningless fir fook sakes....lol.
 
And i'm not saying OTA'S are gospel but it's nice to hear a couple of good things. It's not meaningless fir fook sakes....lol.

It means nothing.. It's not hard competition. Maybe I stretched the point on "always" glowing reviews.. But they're generally positive. It is okay to not be positive on everything? Or is that the LKP/Tony way.. In-fact I wasn't even negative. I didn't say one thing negative about any player and yet "I'm being too negative." Get over yourself..
 
It means nothing.. It's not hard competition. Maybe I stretched the point on "always" glowing reviews.. But they're generally positive. It is okay to not be positive on everything? Or is that the LKP/Tony way.. In-fact I wasn't even negative. I didn't say one thing negative about any player and yet "I'm being too negative." Get over yourself..

Of course it isn't hard competition, bro! It's only the big show! The NFL!!!! Lol...nobody can take you serious. How could they? You don't have a clue.
But you went from "always positive" to "generally positive" just like that *click*...lol. Fucking love it!! Besides, I never called you negative in this thread lol. Anything else, man?
This has NOTHING to do with me. You're looking like a total buffoon all by yourself....
 
Last edited:
Tim Twentyman is a paid correspondent of the Lions. So we're not exactly going to get the raw assessments here.
 
I would expect mostly positive comments from the beat writers when it comes to OTA's. NBD
 
As long as there are no more injuries I don't really care what the news coming out of OTAs or any off-season event are. In the end they don't mean jack. Show what you can do in real games. Many guys are great in practice.
 
Last edited:
As long as there are no more injuries I don't really care what the news coming out of OTAs or any off-season event are. In the end they don't mean jack. Show what you can do in real games. Many guys are great in practice.

Agreed. No more injuries. One big one is enough. Most teams have none. Ravens had Pitta and Young. Cards had Buchannon. Every body else in the league is unscathed so far it seems.

Decker injury is the biggest right now in the entire league.
 
Agreed. No more injuries. One big one is enough. Most teams have none. Ravens had Pitta and Young. Cards had Buchannon. Every body else in the league is unscathed so far it seems.

Decker injury is the biggest right now in the entire league.

well, there shouldn't be many injuries yet since OTA's are mostly non contact. There will be plenty of injuries before the season starts...don't worry.
 
well, there shouldn't be many injuries yet since OTA's are mostly non contact. There will be plenty of injuries before the season starts...don't worry.

Recoveries still. Decker, Riddick, whitehead, Bryant, Robinson,Lang. Let em rest
 
It means nothing.. It's not hard competition. Maybe I stretched the point on "always" glowing reviews.. But they're generally positive. It is okay to not be positive on everything? Or is that the LKP/Tony way.. In-fact I wasn't even negative. I didn't say one thing negative about any player and yet "I'm being too negative." Get over yourself..

What's wrong with hearing a guy like Golloday is looking good and making plays in some of his first action against NFL caliber competition? Yeah OTA's are pretty meaningless but damn you make it seem like it means nothing and worthless and like they shouldn't even practice. Let em rest until the beginning of the season so no one gets hurt since practicing means nothing... right? Obviously off season and preseason mean little, but I can see where Tony is coming from..... Y'all always seem to put a negative spin on anything you can. Not everything out of OTA's was rainbows and butterflies, they reported Michael Roberts getting off to a slow start dropping a pass and things like that but EVERYTHING is always positively spun right? Because a beat writer is writing it....
 
Back
Top