Blake Miller didn’t wait long to make his case in Detroit.
On the first day of training camp Wednesday, the Lions’ first-round rookie was already working as the starting right tackle, taking what looked like every first-team rep while veteran Larry Borom slid into reserve and jumbo package duties. That’s a notable turn from the spring, when Miller and Borom were splitting the work every day.
Detroit spent heavily on its offensive line this offseason, bringing in Cade Mays to take over at center and using a first-round pick on Miller as the long-term answer at right tackle. Mays is basically locked in as the starter in the middle, and Miller’s early camp role suggests he may be pulling ahead in the battle on the edge, too.
Miller said the game is already slowing down for him.
“Definitely feel more comfortable. Things are coming a bit quicker,” Miller told media after the first day of practice.
“That’s not to say that there’s still not more things to learn. I want to be able to just go out there, I want to be able to make the point in my head.
Things just should be automatic. We’re still working to that point, but the guys that you have in that room, the veterans, and then coaches as well making themselves available, I have no doubt that I’ll be in a good spot.”
The Lions’ push to rebuild up front comes after a sharp drop-off last season. Jared Goff took a career-high 38 sacks, eighth-most in the NFL, and Detroit’s rushing success rate fell from 44.9% in 2024, when it ranked seventh, to 40.7% and 21st.
There’s plenty on Miller’s plate. He’s a rookie being asked to help stabilize a unit that didn’t hold up the way Detroit expected, and the transition to the NFL is still underway. But he arrives with real mileage for a first-year player, having started 54 games across four seasons at Clemson.
He also sounds like someone who understands exactly what the Lions are asking of him.
“As any player, it’s a duty to your team, it’s a duty to God, a duty to your family-whoever it might be-you have a duty to be the best player that you can be for your teammates, for your family, for everybody, for the city of Detroit,” Miller said. “I have a duty to be the best player I can be.”
It’s still early, and the pads haven’t come on yet. Miller is also still learning the playbook. But the next stretch of camp will give him a real test, with daily matchups looming against Aidan Hutchinson, DJ Wonnum, and fellow rookie Derrick Moore.
In Other News...
NFL Coaches Are Already Sending A Message About Lions OC Drew Petzing
The early read on Drew Petzing is already taking shape in league circles, and it comes with a little more respect than name recognition. The Athletics latest offensive play caller rankings for 2026, built from feedback from defensive play callers and assistant coaches, did not put the new Lions coordinator in the top 10, but it did slot him among the honorable mentions alongside established names such as Sean Payton and Kevin OConnell.
For Detroit, that matters because Petzings track record in Arizona is what got him this kind of attention in the first place. His Cardinals offenses were uneven over three seasons, but the arrow pointed up in 2024, when the unit finished 12th in scoring and showed enough efficiency to put Petzing back on the radar in a serious way. It also puts him in familiar company within the division, with former Lions OC Ben Johnson landing near the top of the list and Packers coach Matt LaFleur right behind him. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Risk Letting Top Edge Help Slip Away Again
Jadeveon Clowney is once again the kind of pass-rush name that can make sense for a team trying to build around Aidan Hutchinson without overcommitting to one solution. The former No. 1 overall pick is fresh off one of the better seasons of his career with the Cowboys, and his appeal is pretty straightforward: he brings run support, pressure and enough versatility to help an edge group that still needs dependable help.
Detroit has been weighing its options carefully, and that is where the tension comes in. The Lions may be comfortable rolling with DJ Wonnum and rookie Derrick Moore on the outside if the right veteran never materializes, but the longer a player like Clowney remains available, the more it invites another familiar question about whether the team will add the kind of edge help that can change a defense or let another opportunity pass by. [Read more 🡒]