The Detroit Lions hold their first of nine organized team activity practices on Wednesday, May 27.
As usual, players won’t be in pads and no live contact is permitted, but teams are allowed to hold seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills for the first time in the build up to mandatory minicamp June 16-17.
The Lions have their first of three open OTAs for the media on Friday. Here are seven things I’ll be looking for when we finally get a chance to see them on the field for the first time since last year’s disappointing season ended with a last-place finish in the NFC North.
Healing powers
Several prominent Lions are coming off season-ending injuries, and while most won’t be on the field, the team should have a better handle on the projected timeline to a return for players such as Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph and Sam LaPorta.
Branch is coming off a torn Achilles, and his status for the start of the season is uncertain. LaPorta had surgery to fix a herniated disc in his back and said after the season he hoped to be “up running around” during OTAs. Joseph’s knee condition is one the Lions will have to monitor going forward.
Both Branch and LaPorta are in line for new contracts this offseason, and the injuries to Branch and Joseph have cast a shadow over the safety position. How public or private any of those three are with their rehabs will be worth noting.
Line of duty
The Lions spent a good deal of resources this offseason on fixing their offensive line, and while it will be impossible to gauge that unit’s improvement until pads come on, we should at least get a first glimpse of a new-look group that includes Penei Sewell moving to left tackle, free agent addition Cade Mays at center and rookie Blake Miller at right tackle.
Sewell hasn’t played left tackle full-time since his final college season at Oregon in 2019, and I’m anxious to hear what challenges − if any − he thinks come with changing positions at this stage in his career. Miller, of course, will be in the spotlight as the Lions’ first-round pick.
And one of the few position battles the Lions have to sort out this summer is at left guard. Christian Mahogany returns as starter, but the Lions added Ben Bartch in free agency and Juice Scruggs via trade.
Class of ‘26
The intrigue around Miller is obvious. He was a four-year starter at Clemson who’s essentially taking Taylor Decker’s spot at offensive tackle. If the learning curve is steep for him as a rookie, it could be bad news for a group the Lions desperately need to be better in 2026.
But he’s not the only rookie worth monitoring this week. Second-round pick Derrick Moore is expected to play a rotational role at defensive end this fall, and it will be interesting to see where other members of the Lions’ draft class like Jimmy Rolder, Keith Abney and Kendrick Law start positionally and on the depth chart.
Rodrigo’s return
The Lions won’t play a meaningful game for 15 weeks, but my chief concerns on defense are the health of their secondary, whether they have enough pass rush (even with the addition of Moore, and including at defensive tackle) and how they replace Alex Anzalone at linebacker.
Malcolm Rodriguez is the favorite to be the Lions’ No. 3 linebacker after signing a one-year deal to stay with the team in free agency. Rodriguez started 15 games as a rookie in 2022 and was a part-time player when healthy the past three years.
He’s not as polished a pass defender as Anzalone was, so he may not be a three-down player. But if he looks healthy and ready for a starting job, it will alleviate one of the big unknowns on the Lions defense.
Petzing 101
The Lions’ new offense won’t look dramatically different from their old offense. They still have largely the same skill talent, and they’re still using most of the same terminology, but new OC Drew Petzing will bring his own twist to play calling.
Still, it’s worth watching for the subtle ways the Lions go about business the next few weeks. How much motion did they use? What kind of tempo do they use? Even the personnel is a question, though that will change based on the install.Campbell is on his fourth OC in six seasons as coach. It’s time that one sticks.
TeSlaa’s development
Isaac TeSlaa had the highest percentage of wow plays to actual snaps of anyone on the Lions roster last year, and he’s the leading candidate to be the team’s breakout star this summer given his expanding role and the nature of the position he plays.
TeSlaa had six touchdowns among his 16 receptions last season while playing primarily as the Lions’ No. 4 receiver. He’ll be the No. 3 receiver this fall, and his contested-catch ability should make him one of Jared Goff’s favorite red-zone targets.
TeSlaa still is developing as an overall receiver, though, and it will be important for him this spring to make meaningful strides as a route runner and eliminate mental errors in the playbook.
Back to the basics
Campbell often jokes that OTAs are workouts in “pajamas.” With no pads and no contact, there’s only so much that can be accomplished on the field.
But he’s also talked extensively this offseason about wanting to ratchet up the competition level of his team and re-establish the foundation he laid when building the Lions into one of the most feared teams in the NFC.
There’s a fine line to walk when it comes to fostering competition in OTAs, but this spring could give everyone a sense of whether the Lions can get their mojo back.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions open OTAs: Sam LaPorta, Blake Miller among 7 to watch
Reporting by Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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