Freep roundup: Arnold,Sorsby, Joseph, offense OTA observations

The Den
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# Lions observations: Bigger, better Jackson Meeks finds new home at TE
full article at link

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“In my head I’m saying, ‘I’m Y, I’m Y, I’m Y,’” Meeks said Wednesday, June 17. “Because you’ll hear the play call, you’ll hear a play and you’ll forget for a minute. I forget for a minute.”

Eventually, he won’t need a reminder anymore, but for now Meeks still is getting used to his new position of tight end.

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He said Lions coach Dan Campbell came to him around the final practice of last season and said the team wanted him to play tight end full time in OTAs, and Meeks spent the offseason bulking up to play the position.

He gained 20 pounds through regular weight room workouts and a diet high in protein formulated by the Lions’ nutrition staff, and he’s spent the spring playing in the 230- to 235-pound range, about 10 pounds more than what Campbell asked him to report at this offseason.

“I for sure feel the difference, but I still feel like myself,” Meeks said. “The strength staff’s done a great job of getting my legs stronger, just continuing to work on full-body strength because I’m playing a new position and I’m dealing with bigger D-ends. … You see Hutch [Aidan Hutchinson], I be messing around with Hutch, telling him that I’m ready. He knows I moved from receiver to tight end, so he kind of just giggles when he goes against me. It kind of makes me very upset, but nah, just getting used to it, man. I’m getting used to it. I’m trying to give myself the best chance.”

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# Detroit Lions see ‘tremendous growth’ from rookie LB Jimmy Rolder
full article at link

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Hamilton said Rolder already has shown “tremendous growth” understanding NFL football concepts after starting just one college season for Michigan football.

Rolder has played primarily with the second-team defense this spring, but he could eventually challenge for a starting job at linebacker this fall. The Lions return Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes as starters, and Malcolm Rodriguez is the favorite to replace Alex Anzalone in the starting lineup for now.

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# For Detroit Lions, ‘nothing off the docket’ with Brendan Sorsby, NFL supplemental draft
article at link

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# Why Detroit Lions are challenging CB Terrion Arnold after tough spring
full article at link

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But even that has become a delicate subject for him to discuss after Lions coach Dan Campbell strongly implied Arnold would have to fight to preserve his starting role when the team reconvenes for training camp next month.

“We’ve got a lot of good guys in that room and he knows this; he’s got to go earn it,” Campbell told reporters Wednesday.

It wasn’t a comment that could be easily dismissed, and Arnold didn’t try to downplay its implications. But he did reject the notion that he feels pressure to lock down his spot once he is cleared for contact.

Competition, he said, is “what the NFL is all about.”

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The Lions certainly are looking for better returns from Arnold, who has yet to fulfill his perceived potential since entering the NFL as a first-round pick in 2024. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, in fact, is demanding Arnold improves. He made that clear in February at the NFL scouting combine.

“It’s no more of this – aw, he’s still a pup,” Sheppard said then. “No, he’s not. He’s expected to play at a high level. “

To this point, Arnold rarely has. His coverage has been iffy and marred, at times, by costly penalties. His playmaking ability has also been lacking, which is underscored by a pedestrian career stat line that includes just one interception. But worst of all, he has struggled to stay on the field. Last year, he pulled his hamstring in training camp. He then hurt his groin in the season opener against Green Bay, missing the second half of that game. Not long thereafter, he suffered the initial shoulder injury and later a concussion that sidelined him multiple weeks.

“If you don’t have that, or you don’t have coaches who are going out there to find guys to replace you, to push you, it’s not going to get the best out of you.”

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But he has yet to complete a full recovery in the time since. While Arnold told reporters he is “feeling better,” he said he is “about 75%-80%” healthy at this point, which is why he was a limited participant throughout organized team activities and minicamp. When media was present, Arnold was seen, by and large, going through walkthrough periods with the reserves instead of the first team. Don’t read into that, defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend advised.

DRAFT WOW: Detroit Lions see ‘tremendous growth’ from rookie LB Jimmy Rolder

“He’ll get his job when he gets back out there,” Townsend said. “But he’s got to get back out there first.”

Until then, Arnold won’t be able to regain control over the conversation that surrounds him.

So, he determined that it’s pointless to engage in it right now.

“Some things are better left to address,” he said. “Some things are better left unsaid.”

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made me think of the Arnold article when reading this
# Minicamp unable to answer all the questions facing Detroit Lions

That’s encouraging news, considering the Lions coach kicked off organized team activities May 29 by issuing an ominous warning about the nature of his team and how it has been affected by the trappings of success.

The thrust of Campbell’s mandate was “getting back to a little bit of the no-nonsense.”

“But then the better you do, the more you do, the more hype, the more you’re doing this, you’re doing this,” he said in May. “This player gets paid, this coach, this whatever, this coach moves on now and it’s all this other stuff that has nothing to do with what got us to that point.”

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# Lions’ slimmed down offense could pay big dividends in 2026

Rather than overload players with new plays and complicated installs this spring, Campbell said the Lions focused on the concepts they do best and dressed those up to look different for defenses.

It’s a similar approach to the one Ben Johnson took when he ran the Lions offense in 2022-24 and routinely talked about making the same plays look different and different plays look the same.

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“It’s the shifts, it’s the motions, it’s the turbos, it’s the stacks, it’s the stack inverted,” Campbell said. “And so the presentation for the defense is different. You make them have to talk, you make them have to communicate to adjust on the run. And so it’s just enough sometimes. That’s where you’ve got to be disciplined on defense. You’re trying to stress those guys, and so that’s what the uptick has been. OK, the playbook is kind of reduced right now, but we’ve done a lot more bells and whistles with it, which is good.”

MINICAMP OBSERVATIONS: Bigger, better Jackson Meeks finds new home at TE

The Lions have one of the more potent collections of offensive skill talent in the NFL with Jared Goff at quarterback, Jahmyr Gibbs at running back and Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams at receiver.

They’ve ranked top five in scoring and total offense each of the past four seasons but lacked efficiency and continuity in missing the playoffs last year.

Campbell demoted Johnson’s replacement, John Morton, as play caller last November and fired him after the season, and hired Petzing after three seasons as Arizona Cardinals OC to run the Lions offense this fall.

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# Lions still formulating training camp plans for injured S Kerby Joseph

Joseph, the Lions’ interception leader each of the past four seasons, missed the final 11 games last season because of a cartilage condition in his knee he indicated is career-threatening.

Joseph declined multiple interview requests this spring, including one Wednesday, but has been a regular on the sideline at practice, where he’s been engaged with teammates and gregarious with reporters, a stark contrast to the somber mood he displayed while dealing with the injury last year.

Campbell said during OTAs this month he wasn’t sure what to expect from Joseph this fall but that the 2022 third-round pick has “done everything he can do to this point” to manage the injury. O’Neil said that includes staying immersed in the defense by watching old film and taking part in extra meetings.

SORSBY WATCH: For Detroit Lions, ‘nothing off the docket’ with NFL supplemental draft

“We are trying to be as smart as we can and not push this until we absolutely have to because once we’ve done that, then we’ll know one way or another,” Campbell said June 4. “And it’s not worth it right now. We’re just slowly building, continuing to strengthen there. He’s getting treatment. He’s done some of these different things at different places to try to help. So, I feel good about that. I feel good about that we’ve done everything we can and so has he.”

O’Neil said Joseph and safety Brian Branch, who’s expected to start camp on the physically unable to perform list as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon, are “both highly motivated” to return to action.

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Meeks is a Joker, Meeks is a smoker
Meeks is a midnight toker

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I am irrationally rooting for him to be the next Antonio Gates

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That wouldn’t suck.

I’d be psyched if he’s .8x Oronde Gadsden, Jr.

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I’ll take 1 game with 3 TDs like Zylstra has for us that one time

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His 2022 might be the highest ratio of TDs/Target of any NFL season in which a receiver caught 4TDs or more. Zylstra had a TD on 26.7% of his targets in 2022.

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TeSlaa?

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Zylstra. 11 catches on 15 targets for 4 tuddies in 2022.

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Was watching “Lions Talk Live’“ this morning.

Looks like there’s some hopeful news on the JKerb front. He’s had stem cell therapy and a experimental therapy in South Korea that looks to be paying big dividends.

He’s been making the cuts, with little or no pain.

Here’s hoping!

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Pulling for Meeks to be the next mikhael ricks!

Mostly just wanted to remind everybody of Mikhael ricks

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I just wanted to remind everyone of Cub! Roary’s original sidekick!

IMG_8111
IMG_8111750×763 95.7 KB

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From when mascots looked dumb but people looked smart!

Quality of mascot costumes and proper dress in public are inversely correlated 1:1

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Is the cub a kid or a midget? Body proportions appear to be that of a midget. And wtf is up with the mouth, looks like really bad/twisted taxidermy

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Straight out of a nightmare

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I don’t know anything about Lions Talk Live and who runs it - is this a reputable show run by people with sources? Where did they get the info from, and has anyone else who covers the team reported this? Also, when did they see it, because they aren’t practicing now to my knowledge.

This would be great if true, but just wondering if this is like Dave Birkett saying this, or Tom in the meat section at the grocery store. :winking_face_with_tongue:

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Even the Lions have a dark past…

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If Meeks emerges as an even better than average pass catching TE, that may be the opportunity to let LaPorta go….I love him, but I dont see how the team can afford to make him the highest paid TE in the league :man_shrugging:…especially if they still plan on paying Branch and Gibbs