ALLEN PARK, Mich. — It really didn’t take long — one question into his news conference, to be exact — for Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell to get the question he had to have known was coming.
After coming so close last year, does he view 2024 as a Super Bowl or bust season?
“I don’t see bust,” Campbell said Thursday. “I see Super Bowl.”
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Don’t be surprised if you see that quote end up on T-shirts or a social media graphic. It’s the early frontrunner for one-liner of the year. But it’s also how Campbell operates.
Campbell doesn’t dwell on the negative. He doesn’t typically get ahead of himself. He lives in the present, and what he believes right now is that his team has what it takes to win it all. And if you do, in fact, believe that — why even think about the alternative in May of all months? Everyone’s 0-0. OTAs just started. The pads aren’t even on.
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What Campbell is instead focused on is how his team looks at each stage of the offseason. He did the same thing a year ago, when everyone was ready to anoint his team as a division winner before a single snap was played. It’s a good way to keep your guys grounded, especially entering a season with so much hype. So far, he likes what he sees.
“Every team oughta have that, right? Every team oughta be like, man, what are you playing for? You’re playing for Super Bowl,” Campbell said. “So we’re no different than that. … Ultimately, that’s what we want to do. Now to do that, you’ve got to win the division. You got to give yourself the best odds you can, right? You need to win the division, you need the best seeding you could possibly do. OK, well, how do you do that? Well, you gotta start with where we’re at now, you gotta go back to work, you gotta do all the little things, which, to this point, our guys have done.
“They’ve been here for offseason, they’re grinding, they’re working, we’re in good shape, we’re strong, we’re physical, we’re explosive and, man, we’re just in the beginning of this.”
Yes, yes we are. Thursday was the third day of OTAs, but the first practice open to the media. Here’s what we learned about where Campbell’s Lions are.
The next step for Jameson Williams
Pay attention when you hear effusive praise for certain players, particularly those who’ve rarely received it in the past.
That has been the case for Williams, the 2022 12th pick, entering what he hopes will be his first full season. The praise wasn’t there as a rookie, as he worked his way back from a torn ACL suffered in college. It certainly wasn’t there to start his sophomore season, away from the team for four games for violating the league’s gambling policy.
The Lions have not been shy about challenging their wide receiver to focus on the details, grow into an NFL player and be better for his teammates. That’s why the words from Campbell this morning carry weight.
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“If you said give me one player who’s been the most improved from start to finish in that time, Jamo would be that guy right now,” Campbell said. “He is a man on a mission, and I’m just gonna leave it at that.”
Of course, you knew a comment like that needed a follow-up. Campbell was asked where specifically Williams has improved the most.
“Everywhere,” he said. “Everywhere.”
All right, then. Here we go.
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Players to watch at Lions OTAs: Carlton Davis III, Jameson Williams and the rookies
This is an important offseason for Williams. With the departure of Josh Reynolds in free agency, Williams is now the clear-cut No. 2 receiver on this team. He’s in line for a starting job to start a season for the first time. He’ll have every opportunity to prove he can be the receiver the Lions drafted. At times, though, a lack of maturity prevented him from maximizing his potential. But when you watch him at practice, he does have the look of a player who’s taking this seriously.
“My mindset has been just to get better,” Williams said. “Do better than last year. Help the team out a little bit more in a lot of ways. But hearing that from my coach means a lot because I’ve been working. I’ve been putting in work ever since the season ended. So, feels good hearing that.”
With Williams on Thursday, there were no celebrations after he made a catch over the middle or a deep ball down the sideline — just a jog back to the huddle to do it all over again. There was no goofing off in between reps when he wasn’t on the field. He was glued to Amon-Ra St. Brown’s hip after each rotation. He’s talking about the details of Ben Johnson’s offense, getting in the right splits, building chemistry with Jared Goff. He has teammates talking about his potential, his toolbox and how they’re taking it upon themselves to ensure he reaches his ceiling.
It’s fair to be a bit skeptical until things get a little more real, but Williams seems to be right where he needs to be, entering an all-important third season.
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And he knows it.
“I think I’ve matured a lot more,” Williams said. “Coming in the league, I still had some childish ways. Wanted to do what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. Sometimes you got to listen, and just be on the right track. Follow the right path, and you’ll be down the right way in just a sec.”
Aaron Glenn eager to get back to his roots
One thing we know about Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn: He loves outside corners who can handle themselves in man coverage. The only problem? He didn’t have any on the roster last year.
He does now.
The Lions have completely revamped their cornerback group this offseason, adding Carlton Davis III from the Bucs, Amik Robertson from the Raiders, and Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. via the draft. Glenn believes each addition is capable of challenging in coverage, playing the smothering brand of football he’s longed to play in Detroit, but hasn’t had the horses to run properly.
“It’s no surprise that the new guys that we got, they excel in playing man coverage,” Glenn said Thursday. “Something that we wanna do here on defense, something that we’ve always wanted to do and something that we’ll continue to look at. Obviously, we’ll have our zone defense that we’ll be able to play, but we’re gonna try to do everything we can to put these guys in position to do what they do well.”
Glenn said Arnold, Rakestraw, Davis and Robertson “and even the guys we’ve had here, man, they’ve done a hell of a job this offseason working on man coverage. So, we’ll have a good variety for what we want to do as far as coverage.”
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It was a light day for the rookies, with the Lions being cautious with them, but Robertson and Davis got plenty of work with the first-team defense. Davis, in particular, is impressive. Every time I saw him, he was essentially lockstep with his receiver. He also brings an alpha mentality to the field that has been missing in the cornerback room. Think C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s confidence, without the added antics.
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“I’m about to just lock s— up,” Davis said after practice. “Excuse my French. I’m about to lock No. 1 receivers up, get my hands on some balls, get the ball back to our offense and play physical and bring the energy. You’ll see. You’ll see.”
That’s the new mentality in the room. Ideally, what a Glenn defense looks like is a defense that can match up on the outside with fearless corners handling individual responsibilities, with well-timed blitzes mixed in. Last year, he began the season with more of a zone-heavy look, having his corners play off-ball to keep everything in front of them. But that’s not his style. Never has been.
If the new-look cornerback group can get this defense where it needs to be, this will be the most complete Lions team we’ve seen in some time.
They’re counting on it.
Heating up
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) May 22, 2024
News, notes and observations
• A number of players either did not practice, were limited or were out for personal reasons. The list from Campbell: C Frank Ragnow, LT Taylor Decker, TE Sam LaPorta, G Kayode Awosika, QB Nate Sudfeld, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Zonovan Knight, S Kerby Joseph, DB Brian Branch, DE Marcus Davenport, DT DJ Reader, DL John Cominsky, LB Derrick Barnes, LB Alex Anzalone, CB Emmanuel Moseley, Arnold and Rakestraw.
• It sounds like Branch will be out until training camp, at the very least. Campbell said he had a clean-up for an injury they thought would heal on its own, but decided they’d rather just get it done and let him heal before the season. He was spotted riding a scooter around the facility.
• Glenn said second-year linebacker Jack Campbell has taken control of the offseason the way he should. He called him a “grown man” the way he’s approaching things, and a true Mike linebacker. After tinkering with his positional versatility last year, the Lions seem to want him to settle in as their middle linebacker. Right where he should be.
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• Second-year wide receiver Antoine Green spent quite a bit of time working with St. Brown and Williams with the first-team offense. The Lions perhaps just want to see how he’s coming along, but it is worth noting. Donovan Peoples-Jones was working with the second team from what I saw, though that could’ve just been the plan for the day.
• It was fun watching Hendon Hooker sling it in a team setting for the very first time. Really nice touch on his deep ball. Good velocity. One of his best plays of the day was a deep ball down the right sideline to Daurice Fountain, which drew “oooohs” and “aaahhs” from the team. Reminder: This is just OTAs and the team isn’t even in full pads, but Hooker put forth some good reps today.
• TE Shane Zylstra, out with a knee injury last year, is back with the team and looked terrific in practice. He picked up right where he left off, catching everything thrown his way. Good chemistry with Hooker and the second-team offense.
• Levi Onwuzurike, with Reader still recovering, spent a good portion of practice with the starting defense. He’s one of the most fascinating pieces on the team, in what certainly feels like a make-or-break season. We’ll see if he can take advantage of the reps.
• Glenn said second-year defensive tackle Brodric Martin has “adjusted his body to be an NFL defensive lineman.”
• Barnes spent some time lining up on the edge during practice, with Campbell at middle linebacker and Malcolm Rodriguez at weakside. Seems they like Barnes in that Sam role.
• Michael Badgley connected on a pair of impressive kicks, one from 52 and one from 60. Really strong day showing off the range.
• For those wondering, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp is aware of Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates. He didn’t get into specifics.
(Top photo of Amik Robertson, left, and Terrion Arnold: Paul Sancya / Associated Press)
