Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Lions are closing in on the end of their formal offseason program. The Lions host three days of mandatory minicamp Tuesday-Thursday, and if tradition holds, this will be the last time most of the team’s veterans will be in Allen Park until summer. The Lions have their final four organized team activities next

There’s a temptation in sports to tinker, often out of fear, because the status quo is an enemy of improvement. This is especially true in football, where 95% of the work done during the season comes via practice, meetings and the film room every week. For coaches then, the offseason is damn near nirvana: A

This is Part 1 of the Free Press’ “Five most important players” series, in which we’ll take a look at the x-factors for the six major beats. Freep Lions beat writer Dave Birkett consulted on this list. Starting this series with a look at the Detroit Lions is an interesting challenge. That’s because there are

He’s not this year’s first-round pick or last year’s star of “Hard Knocks,” and that’s why it was a surprise to see Derrick Barnes taking first-team reps at linebacker when the Detroit Lions opened organized team activities last week. Barnes, a fourth-round pick out of Purdue in 2021, has been the most overlooked member of

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said he has taken a more proactive approach to educating players on the NFL’s gambling policy after at least four Lions were found to have violated league rules on betting. “I think, for us, it’s much more an emphasis from us, as opposed to just leaving it to the league,”

I listened to Jameson Williams last week. Then I listened to Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell on Thursday. And now, with a week of careful consideration between the two, I have something to say. Williams must do two things: He has to grow up — fast — and he should apologize to Jared Goff.

It has been 10 months since Levi Onwuzurike last played football, but the Detroit Lions are cautiously optimistic he’ll be back on the field this summer. Coach Dan Campbell said Onwuzurike recently began running in his rehab from back surgery and could be cleared for football activities at some point in training camp. “I would

The backflips are out, but Kerby Joseph will never stop having fun. On Thursday, at the Detroit Lions‘ sixth organized team activity practice of the spring, Joseph returned an interception for a would-be touchdown in seven-on-seven drills; danced in celebration as his offensive teammates did planks after losing a kicking competition (more on that later);

They will be without their top deep threat for the first six games of the season, but Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said he likes the makeup of his team’s receivers room — even as five-time Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins sits in free agency. “I like our receiver room,” Campbell said before the Lions’ sixth

Aidan Hutchinson lived up to expectations as the No. 2 pick of last year’s draft, and James Houston far exceeded forecasts for his production as a sixth-round choice. Hutchinson and Houston gave the Detroit Lions one of the NFL’s best young pass-rushing duos down the stretch last season, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said he’s

Apple Podcasts | Spotify • Hosts: Shawn Windsor (@shawnwindsor) and Carlos Monarrez (@cmonarrez) • Editor: Robin Chan • Executive producers: Anjanette Delgado, Kirkland Crawford • Email: swindsor@freepress.com On this episode: This week, the guys discuss Detroit Lions WR Jameson Williams’ recent news conference. Carlos and Shawn spar over professional standards vs. youthful indiscretion. Later, we talk about the Detroit Tigers, overachieving, and if it’s OK to

As a former NFL tight end, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell knows how taxing the position can be on young players. “You have to be able to run block, pass block, you got to get open in the pass game,” Campbell said last week. “That’s one element, but also there’s the mental side of

You’ve seen the photos — or photos of the photos — and in the meta-multiverse of the Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes bromance, the vibe is what matters most. An NFL general manager wearing a sweatshirt featuring a portrait of his head coach to a post-draft news conference? An NFL head coach returning the favor

Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs is “definitely” an option to return kicks for the Detroit Lions this fall. Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said Thursday that Gibbs could see time as a return man in 2023, depending on his role on offense. Gibbs averaged 23.9 yards on kick returns during his three college seasons