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Lions Training Camp Notes: Undrafted Free Agents Playing Well

By Sean Yuille Updated
ALLEN PARK MI - AUGUST 05: Head coach Jim Schwartz looks on during training camp at the Detroit Lions Headquarters and Training Facility on August 5 2010 in Allen Park Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ALLEN PARK MI - AUGUST 05: Head coach Jim Schwartz looks on during training camp at the Detroit Lions Headquarters and Training Facility on August 5 2010 in Allen Park Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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  • Jim Schwartz on the Lions' recent spell of injuries:

    "It's an NFL training camp; guys are starting to feel their groins. They're starting to feel their hamstrings and their quads and their calves and the soft-tissue stuff," Schwartz said. "Practice is hard and they've been out here quite a bit. But part of being a professional and being part of this business is the ability to be available and the ability to stay healthy.

    "We will take care of them with down-tempoing and cutting down some of their reps, but they have to take care of their bodies. They need to stretch and rest and do all of those things."

    Injuries are just part of the game, but it is concerning that so many players, especially in the secondary, are already or are still banged up.
  • Randy Phillips continues to impress Schwartz.
  • Turk McBride took Kyle Vanden Bosch's spot with the first-team defense on Friday while the veteran got a day off to rest.
  • Before hurting his hamstring on Friday, undrafted free agent Aaron Berry had done well enough in practice to be moved up to the second-team defense. (Dre' Bly is also playing with the second-team defense at cornerback.)
  • According to Tom Kowalski, Chima Ihekwoaba is "showing some flash" and Richard Dickson is "having an impressive camp."
  • Now that Ndamukong Suh has been in practice for a few days, he is starting to get into a groove.
  • Sammie Hill has been doing well at defensive tackle. He got a chance to take reps as a starter during Suh's holdout, but now he is back to being part of the second-team defense.
  • Zack Follett's cousin was roommates with Lions punter Nick Harris at Cal.
  • Follett is one of the players that makes the fewest amount of mental mistakes during practice.
  • Lions players are not on board with the idea of expanding the regular season to 18 games with the way the current system is. Some changes that would need to be made to change their opinions include shortening the preseason to only two games, expanding the 53-man roster and altering the way injured reserve works. I definitely agree with them on all points. An 18-game season is inevitable, but some things need to be changed before it becomes a reality.
  • Bleeding Green Nation, SB Nation's Eagles blog, broke down the different players that could be released by their current team during the upcoming rounds of roster cuts.

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