Senior NFL Reporter Albert Breer shares his five biggest takeaways from Lions training camp in Detroit, MI.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:01 It's hot, it's humid, it's training camp.
00:04 We're in Detroit, Michigan to kick off my training camp tour.
00:07 Never would have thought this would have happened
00:08 a couple of years ago.
00:10 'Cause I always like to be in a relevant place day one,
00:13 that relevant place in 2023, Detroit, Michigan.
00:16 And I'll start my takeaways there
00:18 with an overarching thing that was noticeable
00:20 when I was out there in the practice field
00:21 is how efficient the lines operation looks.
00:24 Had the chance to sit down with Brad Holmes,
00:26 Dan Campbell and Jared Goff after practice.
00:28 They all mentioned how there's barely been
00:30 any repeated plays through three days of training camp.
00:33 They haven't had to correct a lot.
00:35 It certainly wouldn't have been the case
00:36 the last couple of years.
00:38 This team has the look of a contender.
00:39 Not saying they're gonna get there,
00:41 but the end of last year is a good sign.
00:42 And you're seeing good signs of where they are
00:44 as a program through the first three days of training camp.
00:47 Takeaway number two, there's a difference roster wise
00:49 in the flexibility on the backend on defense.
00:52 They've got a handful of guys
00:53 who've got corner safety flexibility
00:55 in CJ Gardner-Johnson, Cam Sutton, Brian Branch
00:58 and Kirby Joseph that should allow coordinator
01:01 Aaron Glenn to be more flexible
01:02 and make the lines more difficult for offenses to deal with.
01:05 Takeaway number three, if there's a breakout star coming,
01:07 keep an eye on third year man, Derrick Barnes,
01:10 the linebacker out of Purdue.
01:11 When they drafted him two years ago,
01:13 they knew he was raw,
01:14 but they also felt like he had a really high
01:15 athletic ceiling and you're starting to see that now.
01:18 They think he could be a difference maker
01:20 for the defense in 2023.
01:22 Takeaway number four, the Alabama rookies
01:24 look like they are absolutely ready to roll,
01:26 which is to their reputation.
01:28 In fact, when Jameer Gibbs came in here
01:30 on his pre-draft visit, the Lions asked him,
01:32 "What's your greatest asset?"
01:33 He said, "My mind."
01:35 And Brian Branch, the second round pick out of Bama,
01:38 one of Nick Saban's favorite players
01:39 because of his flexibility to play different positions,
01:42 because of how smart he is.
01:44 And those sorts of qualities should allow Gibbs,
01:47 who's like an Alva Camara type of back,
01:48 and again, Branch, who's a flexible defensive back,
01:51 to get on the field right away.
01:53 Finally, takeaway number five,
01:55 if there is a dark horse here in camp,
01:57 keep an eye on undrafted rookie, Starling Thomas,
02:00 out of UAB.
02:01 That's it from here.
02:03 Next stop, Kansas City.
02:04 (upbeat music)