The Detroit Lions held their final OTA workout session that is open to the media on Thursday. Due to inclement weather, the practice was indoors at the team’s training facility in Allen Park.
Being indoors constrains the practice. There is only one field, and the viewing angles for the media are different than what we normally get. With many veterans already gone or not participating in the unpadded walkthrough, there wasn’t a great deal of notable action.
The biggest takeaways from the practice:
Rookie Tate Ratledge took the first-team reps at center, followed by Colby Sorsdal. Veteran Graham Glasgow was not participating in the practice. Kingsley Eguakun played at left guard with the second-team offense and didn’t get any center reps that I saw.
Newcomer Trystan Colon is wearing No. 67. He took early walkthrough reps but did not align in the team walkthrough drills.
Christian Mahogany continues to work exclusively at left guard. With Glasgow not playing, Kayode Awosika took the first-team reps at RG. Giovanni Manu was the first-team left tackle and Dan Skipper on the right side with starters Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell not participating. There is nothing detailed beyond that to be gleaned from performance in an unpadded, half-speed practice for any linemen.
First-round rookie Tyleik Williams did mix in some defensive reps, an upgrade from last week’s session when he merely observed. Again, it’s half-speed so nothing too strenuous. Derrick Barnes also participated in that capacity, which was nice to see. On the offensive side of the ball, free agent signee Kenny Yeboah saw some action after missing last week’s session.
With the news that Malcolm Rodriguez is likely out until at least November, the Grant Stuard signing is looking more important all the time. Stuard continues to get considerable reps at LB and is also the first-team punt protector for Jack Fox.
Without revealing too much detail, Dan Skipper and Jamarco Jones are the best receiving options amongst the offensive linemen. Netane Muti and Michael Niese, not so much…
Following practice, wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown told us he had minor knee surgery earlier this offseason. He’s not participated in any OTAs but expects to be ready for training camp next month.
Skipper volunteered to be the first player to meet with the media after practice, to talk about Frank Ragnow. He noted that he once hosted Ragnow on his official visit to Arkansas back when the Razorbacks were recruiting the freshly retired center.
The Lions are now off until training camp, which fires up in July ahead of the Hall of Fame game against the Chargers on July 31st.