Allen Park — On Tuesday, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell, associate head coach and receivers coach Scottie Montgomery and assistant head coach and safeties coach Jim O’Neil met with the media. Here are the noteworthy highlights from those sessions.
Guard rotation
Last week, assistant general manager Ray Agnew noted there would be competitions that continue into the regular season, so when Campbell mentioned both Ben Bartch and Christian Mahogany while answering a question about the confidence in his offensive line on Monday, it was eyebrow raising.
On Tuesday, Campbell was asked for clarity regarding the team’s left guard situation and whether the Lions planned to play both Bartch and Mahogany against the Saints.
“Yeah, we could,” Campbell said. “Today they're going to split (first-team reps). I see them splitting on Thursday. I see them splitting on Friday. And then, if nothing's been decided by then, maybe they both play (against the Saints).
It’s been clear since the spring that Mahogany wasn’t going to be guaranteed a starting job. Not only did the team sign Bartch, but also traded for Juice Scruggs to add competition for that job.
After splitting first-team reps with Mahogany through the first couple weeks of camp, Scruggs was shifted to center to cover for starter Cade Mays’ injury. Mahogany briefly went unchallenged because Bartch was still recovering from a foot injury he suffered last season.
Bartch also missed time during camp with a concussion, but performed well during the closing stretch of the offseason program, including the preseason finale, to keep the competition ongoing.
Tom Kennedy
The Lions still have one open roster spot. Whether that’s ultimately filled by wide receiver Tom Kennedy, or he’ll simply serve as a game-day elevation off the practice squad, Campbell confirmed the team’s longest-tenured player will suit up in Week 1 against the Saints.
Campbell mentioned Kennedy as part of a list of glue guys that held the roster together before interjecting, “Yeah, Tom Kennedy is playing in this game.”
Following the release of Greg Dortch on cutdown day, it’s been assumed that Kennedy would handle punt return duties to open the season. In limited playing time last year, filling in for an injured Kalif Raymond, Kennedy thrived in the return role.
Tay Martin
Ahead of Kennedy’s pending promotion, the Lions continue to have just four receivers on the active roster. There’s the starting three — Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa — who were roster locks entering the offseason. Then there’s Tay Martin, an addition from the UFL in June, who surged into a job with a strong training camp.
Montgomery was asked how Martin separated himself from the pack after Campbell called the receiving room the deepest he’s had during a camp since joining the Lions in 2021.
“I had the ability to work him out (before he signed), of course,” Montgomery said. “His movement skills were fantastic. That's what gets the eye of a lot of people, your movement skills, but you still don't see any kind of physical demeanor outside of the tape, until you put the pads on.
“What made him stand out (after he signed) is his physical demeanor in the run game,” Montgomery continued. “There is a stamp that we want, that we're known by here, it’s our grit, our physicality in what we do. We saw him in one-on-one situations, in the hole, in the C-gap, on the perimeter, and he just continued to win those battles. Then when we transitioned into special teams, those battles showed up again. Now, if I see the physicality in the run game, I see you doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing on special teams, mentally, as a coach, I'm going to start working to try to find out, is there a way that we can see what you can do with the football.”
Getting Martin more involved in the passing game as camp progressed, he continued to impress. Behind the scenes, the receiver told Montgomery that he could play multiple positions, encouraging the coach to test his versatility.
“That caught my eye once again, so then I tested him in multiple positions,” Montgomery said. “He did a really good job of it. Then when we put him in games, he made plays when he had the opportunity to make plays.”
Juwan Johnson/Jackson Meeks
During Campbell’s final season in New Orleans, he led a tight end room that was headed by veteran Jared Cook and do-everything grinder Josh Hill, who the coach tried to bring with him to Detroit before the player opted for retirement.
Also in that room was an undrafted rookie, Juwan Johnson, who was making the difficult conversion from wide receiver.
Johnson worked his way into seven games as a rookie in 2020, but only made a small dent on the stat sheet, with four receptions on 10 targets for 39 yards.
Six years later, he’s become one of the game’s better pass-catchers at the position. He’s coming off a season where he hauled in a career-best 77 balls for 889 yards.
Campbell said he can take no credit for Johnson’s development, which was still in its infancy when the coach departed for Detroit.
“The move was made, and it was obviously really good for him, for his career,” Campbell said. “He's a big skill player, a mismatch player, and the things where he stays on the move, keeping vertical — he's got range, he's got length, he can track the ball. He’s come a long way, but I think that was always the vision for him, so, I'm not surprised where he's gone. I know when I was there, it was like, ‘Man, this kid might be able to develop into a receiving threat as a tight end, slot,’ and he’s been able to do that.”
Several years later, the Lions are attempting to chart a similar path with Jackson Meeks, who permanently shifted from receiver to tight end this offseason. And it’s easy for Campbell to draw parallels.
“I think that's the vision (for Meeks),” Campbell said. “When you see what the guy is, just kind of the skill set, the makeup — because not everybody can make that move. Everybody's dying to find those, and every year it's, ‘Hey, man, this guy, he's played basketball, or he's been a receiver here, we're just going to move him.’ There's a lot more that goes into it than just that.
“We felt like Meeks has those qualities, man,” Campbell continued. “He's got the wiring for it. He's tough, he's competitive, he's smart. And obviously, his skill set, to be able to work the middle of the field, it's intriguing, and that's why we wanted to move him.”
Kerby
Kerby Joseph has rejoined the team after taking some time away to address a personal matter.
The former All-Pro safety remains on the physically unable to perform list to open the season due to a nagging knee issue, meaning he’ll miss at least the first four games. However, due to a rule tweak, he’ll be able to practice as soon as Week 3.
Both Campbell and O’Neil were light on details with the plan for Joseph going forward.
“Yeah, he’s here,” Campbell said. “We’re good. Ramp(ing) it up.”
O’Neil deferred to Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes to set the plan of action for both Joseph and Brian Branch, who is working his way back from a torn Achilles. The position coach is more focused on the players he’s working with to backfill the absences — Avonte Maddox, Chuck Clark and Thomas Harper.
O’Neil was highly complimentary to the development of both Maddox and Harper. With Maddox, O’Neil reminded everyone he was signed to be a slot corner, but has proven to be a natural at safety, demonstrating instincts and an ability to process from the different sight line several yards further back from the line of scrimmage.
The coach also praised what the veteran defender brings to the huddle.
“He kind of brings this calming presence to the huddle, that veteran presence,” O’Neil said. “If stuff goes bad or you lose momentum, I think that some of the younger guys can look to those guys and it’s just, ‘Hey, guys, we're good, calm down, mext play. Because those guys have been through some wars, and they've been through it.”
Northville high school
O’Neill and Montgomery’s sons play football for Northville High School and both scored touchdowns in a dramatic, season-opening win over Lake Orion last week.
I was asked in the mailbag last week what Campbell does to allow for his assistants to support their sons playing high school sports, so I took the question directly to Montgomery.
“Outside of those times and situations (where my sons play on Sunday), he's created an environment where as long as we get our work done, he'll let us get to where we need to get to, which that's unusual,” Montgomery said. “It is very, very unusual. But from a support standpoint, it makes you feel good. He understands. He's been through it, he saw it, he's witnessed it. He knows what it's like, also, to turn around and look up and see your parents in the stands as a support piece.
“…He gives us all the opportunity, as long as it works for the best of the team, to be able to sneak out, see a game, come back, finish your work,” Montgomery continued. “If you've got to sneak out 6-8, come back at 8-11, 8-12. You've got to do (what you’ve got to do) to get your job done and be supportive of your family and your kids.”
Practice participation
Every member of Detroit’s active roster was in uniform during the portion of practice open to the media. Only practice squad offensive tackle Devin Cochran was working off to the side with a member of the training staff.
The participants included edge defender Derrick Moore, linebacker Jimmy Rolder and defensive back Christian Izien, who were all dealing with injury concerns when the team concluded the preseason.
The team isn’t required to release an official injury report until Monday.