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Final Lions OTAsThe final OTA session gave the Detroit Lions a clean snapshot of several live competitions and status updates on some Lions players.
One player we’re asked about a lot is Giovanni Manu. Dan Campbell confirmed the club is experimenting with Manu at both guard and tackle. The staff needs answers. It is year three, and last season’s injury cost Manu valuable reps when Taylor Decker’s limited work had opened a window. He is still taking tackle snaps, but guard work is on the table to find his best fit. Miles Frazier stands as direct competition. Frazier arrives more polished technically and with deeper football mileage.On the right edge of the offensive line, Larry Borom took first-team right tackle reps. The Lions drafted Blake Miller in the first round to be the long-term starter, but nothing is being handed out. That is by design. With no pads, trench play is hard to grade, yet stacking reps matters. Borom’s NFL experience forces Miller to earn the job and sharpen faster. That is good for the room and for the Detroit Lions.Defensive front: length, rookies, and zero-tech snapsKelvin Sheppard highlighted a visible shift on the edge. Length. Tall, long bodies across individual periods, blended with shorter power rushers. Undrafted rookie Anthony Lucas drew a mention after wrecking an LSU game in college. Expectations remain high for Derrick Moore, but a former first-round pick is also pushing for those snaps. Nothing is gifted.Tyleik Williams spoke with clarity about the NFL step up. Players are better. Schemes are better. He reshaped his weight and said he will take some zero-technique work. That is a major offseason question with nose tackle duties open after departures. He carried a confident tone and even finished practice wearing a full-length black hoodie in the heat. The Lions will see how it looks when the pads go on.Branch timeline, secondary depth, and DJ Reed’s resetBrian Branch was present but not working, and Campbell effectively stretched the public timeline into December. There is no indication he is ahead or behind. It was simply good to see him out there. Meanwhile, Detroit added insulation in the secondary. Ennis Rakestraw added bulk. Roger McCreery arrived as a new nickel option. Thomas Harper is another timely add with ongoing questions about Kirby Joseph. Chuck Clark is in the mix as a physical safety whose game will show more when contact returns.DJ Reed discussed going to Panama for stem cell treatment on a hamstring. Early last season he played well before the injury. On return he struggled, and in OTAs he reportedly got beat again. He is a press corner. Without press in OTAs, that look can be misleading. The flip side is encouraging for the receivers, who are separating downfield.One more snapshot from Allen Park: the offensive line’s chemistry. Penei Sewell, Tate Ratledge, Cade Mays, and Christian Mahogany walked out together, laughing. Turkey hunts, group strides, and a tight room. The NFL season is a grind. The Detroit Lions are building for it.
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