Lions minicamp observations: Jack Campbell stands out, secondary gets competitive and more

It was Day 1 of minicamp for the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, and there’s much to discuss.

Most of the band was back together, with some vets getting back into the mix for a three-day period of work before they’re off for the summer. And while the pads still aren’t on, the Lions are using this time to sharpen their games while they’re together.

Here’s what we learned and saw during Tuesday’s session.

Jack Campbell shines, with a pair of turnovers 

Lions DC Aaron Glenn got the ball rolling last month when asked about the growth of second-year linebacker Jack Campbell. It was one of those answers that makes your ears perk up.

“Let me tell you, first off, he’s a man,” Glenn said. “He’s a grown man. He’s really taken control of this offseason the way he should take control of it. He’s a true Mike backer. He’s a guy that lives, breathes, green-dot mentality as a Mike backer. …Then just watching him on the field, his zone drop, his mentality as far as going after the football is outstanding. We only had two days of practice, and he’s doing a heck of a job. And the way he’s leading men as far as defense is impressive to see.”

For a player like Campbell — a player who entered the league with high expectations as a first-round pick at a position where first-rounders are increasingly rare — it’s exactly the sort of comment you wanted to see. His first year in the league was full of ups and downs, mistakes, perhaps some overthinking along the way. All natural for a young player in a role that demands a lot. But there is pressure to improve. The fact that we’re already seeing it is great news for the Lions.

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Tuesday was a standout practice for Campbell. He recorded two interceptions, a sack in one team period, had a nice hit on Sam LaPorta that likely would’ve been a PBU at full speed and generally looked like he was commanding the defense from the Mike spot. Alex Anzalone said Campbell picked up where he left off in the second half of last year, being less “panicky” and just playing football, and said that’s the key to good linebacker play. Campbell, too, believes it’s starting to come together.

“Year 2 has been good,” Campbell said a few weeks ago. “It just started. For me, it’s the same mentality I’ve had my whole career, even though I’m only in my second year, I just try to be a true professional by how I do things. Also, with just the schematics of the defense, AG’s back, we’re going to be pretty much playing similar stuff. We might throw some new stuff in there, but (I’m) just mastering that and focusing on that and also being able to help anybody I can along the way. This year, the standard is higher, especially for the defense. We carry that as a team.”

First we heard about Campbell’s development, now we’re starting to see it. If he can take a leap, this defense has a chance to be very good.

Jack Campbell had two interceptions and a sack at minicamp on Tuesday. (Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK)

How Detroit’s competitive secondary can improve the defense

The Lions’ new secondary has been the talk of the offseason — a clear weakness the team finally believes it’s addressed with new corners that fit their mentality. Glenn wants to be aggressive, not reactive. He wants to dial up pressure and trust that his corners can handle their responsibilities in man coverage, so other defenders don’t have to overcorrect for their deficiencies. But in a league where passing offense rules, corners are bound to get beat on occasion. It’s why the Lions targeted players with short memories and a competitive mindset.

One of those players? Amik Robertson.

“I’m a very competitive person, man,” said Robertson, who’s spent the bulk of his time at nickel this spring. “I know what kind of player I am and what kind of player I can be. I got this far by being a competitive person, so each and every day, I try to do whatever I can to kind of separate myself through the little things.”

“The first thing was his competitiveness,” Campbell said, talking about what stood out with Robertson. “You just said, ‘I don’t care if he’s inside or outside, the guy competes.’ He is a feisty, competitive, challenging corner who has versatility to play in and out. That’s always going to appeal to us. …But the first thing that pops off the tape is how much he challenges and competes. There was no denying that, so we knew he would fit right in here with us.”

It’s pretty remarkable how the Lions were able to completely overhaul their cornerback room — not only with good players but with corners who fit what they’re all about. Sometimes it just lines up perfectly, and this was one of those years where it did and then some. It’s like that across the board now. Campbell said on Tuesday he has no idea who’s going to start and where in this secondary. That’s how open this competition is right now, and having that sort of confidence in the group should allow the staff to field the best five.

Whoever those five are, the hope is that they can help the Lions return to Glenn’s preferred man-heavy defense, something he got away from at times last season. If that’s the case, this secondary should have an impact on the entire defense. We already know a good secondary can make an average defensive line better (and vice versa), but how about the linebacker room?

“I know already playbook-wise it’s changed a little bit,” Anzalone said. “Just because of the new faces and who the organization and the staff believe that we have in the backend, we’re able to do a few different things as far as relying on them to just cover their guy. That obviously affects linebackers and we can play a little bit more aggressive and not have to help out in zone drop. You can match a little bit more, which is when you make more plays in the pass game. So as a linebacker it helps, and then also it’s just good for the defense overall.

“It makes it kinda easy on us,” Jack Campbell said last month, smiling. “We ain’t gotta work about panic dropping or nothing like that. …The defensive back room has been fantastic.  …The new guys that have come in in free agency, their work ethic is what Dan’s looking for and what this organization is looking for, so I’m excited to see them compete.”

An underrated, but notable, trickle-down effect — if it all comes together.

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Situational football

The Lions tried a few different situational periods on Tuesday, something Campbell wanted to do during this minicamp window while his vets are in town. It was a point of emphasis, with the Lions practicing third-down situations, situations backed up deep in their own territory and late-game situations. Here’s how one of them started.

First-and-10 from the 20, down 24-20 with 47 seconds. Touchdown needed to win the game. 

• First-and-10 from the Detroit 20: Goff pass complete to St. Brown for a gain of 15 yards. Caught near the left sideline. Out of bound to stop the clock.
• First-and-10 from the Detroit 35: Goff pass complete to LaPorta for a gain of 12 yards. Tackled in bounds. Clock continues to run.
• First-and-10 from the Detroit 47: Spiked ball. Clock stopped at 30 seconds.
• Second-and-10 from the Detroit 47: Goff pass complete to LaPorta for a gain of 21.
• First-and-10 from the Opponent 32: Goff pass tipped (potentially off the helmet of an offensive lineman?) and intercepted by Jack Campbell. Drive over.

The offense was looking good until an unfortunate bounce ended the drill. But credit the defense for getting the stop and getting off the field. They had a knack for the ball on Tuesday. At some point, the hope is that it becomes part of their DNA.

7-on-7

Goff and the first-team offense faced the first-team defense toward the end of practice. Here’s how the first session went:

• Goff pass intended for Jameson Williams incomplete. Ifeatu Melifonwu in coverage.
• Goff pass to Kalif Raymond complete for the touchdown. Brandon Joseph in coverage.
• Goff pass to Williams complete for a short gain. Stopped by Joseph, who would’ve blown up Williams if pads were on.
• Goff pass complete to Raymond for the touchdown. Joseph in coverage.

Have a day, Kalif. Next up, Hendon Hooker and the second-team offense.

• Hooker pass complete to Raymond for the touchdown. Beautiful ball down the right sideline. C.J. Moore in coverage.
• Hooker pass to Sione Vaki incomplete over the middle. Dropped interception by Malcolm Rodriguez. Rodriguez had to do push-ups after practice in front of the other linebackers.
• Hooker pass incomplete to Tom Kennedy. Broken up by Morice Norris over the middle. Good play by Norris.
• Hooker pass complete to Vaki for the touchdown. Full-extension catch about a yard short of the end zone, but his momentum carried him in for the score before he was touched.

Then, a second chance for the first-team offense.

• Goff pass incomplete to Antoine Green in the back of the end zone. Excellent coverage from Carlton Davis III.
• Goff pass intercepted by Jack Campbell over the middle. Intended for St. Brown, who was open but the throw was late.
• Goff pass incomplete to Daurice Fountain in the back of the end zone. High in a tight window.
• Goff pass to LaPorta (split out wide right) incomplete. Kindle Vildor with strong one-on-one coverage.

And then, another shot for the twos.

• Hooker pass incomplete to Fountain in the back of the end zone. Khalil Dorsey in coverage.
• Hooker pass incomplete to Shane Zylstra. Throw had zip and Zylstra had to dive for it, but he couldn’t come up with it after it hit his hands.
• Hooker pass complete to Maurice Alexander for the touchdown. Found him streaking in the end zone and hit him in stride. Really good ball placement. Norris in coverage.
• Hooker pass complete to Donovan Peoples-Jones for the touchdown. Moore in coverage.

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News, notes and other observations

• The following players were either limited or did not practice on Tuesday: LT Taylor Decker, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, CB Terrion Arnold, CB Emmanuel Moseley, nickel Brian Branch, DT DJ Reader, CB Craig James, DL Kyle Peko, OLB Nate Lynn. S Kerby Joseph participated in some light walkthrough stuff. DE Marcus Davenport was spotted working off to the side.

• I had Levi Onwuzurike credited with a sack in an early team period. Players aren’t tackling so they let up when they get in the QBs face, but it was obvious what would’ve happened. He’s been getting mixed in with the first-team defense this spring. Important offseason for him, entering the final year of his rookie deal without much production.

• Brandon Joseph had an impressive interception of Goff, and returned it for a nice gain. Depth at safety is somewhat thin with Kerby Joseph and Branch out, but Brandon Joseph is a player Campbell mentioned Tuesday as someone they’d feel good about giving defensive reps to if needed. They liked the way he developed on the practice squad last year, and he’s been getting nothing but meaningful reps this offseason next to Melifonwu.

• Carlton Davis III is a man amongst boys out there. He’s by far the most physical corner and looks the part of a seasoned vet. A bully who’s going to make these young receivers better. Great day for him.

• The Lions are trying former CFL defensive player of the year Mathieu Betts at Sam linebacker. Campbell said Betts is more versatile than he thought, so they’re having him drop into coverage a bit and seeing how he holds up.

• Generally speaking, the defense had a very strong day. They were frustrating the offense with sacks and turnovers. As previously mentioned, a late-game situational period ended with a Campbell interception. That was the second open practice in a row. There also was a situational period on Tuesday where the offense faced a third-and-10 from their own 1, needing to create space. The play ended in a sack and a safety. It’s all the more impressive considering most of this has happened in shorts and even some 7-on-7 periods, which typically favors the offense.

• Not a ton of bright spots for the offense on Tuesday. We mentioned Raymond’s three touchdowns during 7-on-7s, but one player who looked particularly explosive? Vaki. He took a short pass from Hooker and ran by the second-team defense for an easy touchdown. He also made a diving catch for a second touchdown later on. He’s got my attention.

(Top photo of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn: Junfu Han / USA Today)