Detroit’s minicamp is in the books, and now the team will break until the start of training camp later this summer.
It’s been a good offseason for the Lions as they enjoyed high participation numbers in the voluntary offseason training program and OTA practices ahead of this week’s mandatory minicamp.
“I’m excited, I am,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said this week. “I feel really good about where we’re at right now, knowing what we’re getting into six weeks from now. I feel really good, I feel great about the staff, and I feel like we have the right type of players that we’re going to need to rely on.
“And the surrounding spots, positions, we’ve got some really good competition. I mean some of the best we’ve had since I’ve been here, in different areas. That’s exciting because there is no greater motivator than the guy who’s pushing you. He’s trying to get what you think is yours. There’s nothing better.”
It’s hard to truly evaluate players in minicamp, especially in the trenches, because practices are conducted without pads, but here are five players who stood out to me in minicamp:
The Lions signed Clark to improve their depth at safety and to have a good plan in place if Kerby Joseph (knee) or Brian Branch (Achilles) miss time this year.
Clark has played in 123 NFL games with 80 starts and that experience has jumped out in practices this offseason. He’s become a leader in the back end of Detroit’s defense and proved to be a playmaker too, highlighted by his pick of quarterback Jared Goff during Tuesday’s minicamp practice.
Clark has had a nice offseason playing both the free and strong safety spots. Coaches must feel good about having a player like him ready to go if Joseph or Branch aren’t ready for the start of the season.