The Detroit Lions are moving into the next phase of training camp at the Allen Park Performance Center, and Monday brings the first real test of the summer.
After four practices, the pads are finally coming on. That means the acclimation period is over, the physicality is about to jump, and the first true camp battles can start to take shape in a more revealing setting. Fans will be back in attendance again, giving the team a live audience as the competition begins to sharpen.
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard made clear what he wants to see once the hitting starts. When asked about the basics he’s watching from players trying to lock down roster spots, he pointed straight to the foundation of the game.
"It's plastered on the board. It's a quote I got from the late great Kevin Greene by way of Dom Capers.
We're going to establish the violent physical nature of the game. That's non-negotiable.
That's literally non-negotiable," said Sheppard. "So, guys are going to go in and they've already been told.
We will get back to playing elite run defense here. And, it starts with the front seven.
It starts when the pads come on and it starts there.
"So, if you can't do that, it's called earning the right to rush the passer," Sheppard commented further. "The flash and all that, yes, the time and place. But, the brunt of a game, the bulk of a game is played within the trenches on first and second down, early downs and earning the right.”
That puts a lot of the attention on the line play as camp gets more serious. One of the matchups plenty of fans will be watching is Penei Sewell going up against Aidan Hutchinson.
There’s also a fresh opportunity for rookie Blake Miller, who did not take part in team periods on Sunday. Monday should give him a chance to work against a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and the other defensive ends on the roster.
Lions On SI will be tracking what unfolds throughout Monday morning at practice.
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