Red zone one-on-one: The wide receivers and defensive backs took part in a one-on-one red-zone drill Tuesday that I had a close eye on. I thought Amon-Ra St. Brown and Donovan Peoples-Jones were really good in the drill for the offense. Kerby Joseph had a nice interception in the back of the end zone for the defense and Brian Branch was pretty solid too.
Health at CB: It was good to see Carlton Davis III and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. return to the practice field Tuesday. With rookie Terrion Arnold set to return next week after missing some time with a pectoral injury, the Lions are getting healthy at cornerback at the right time with the season opener approaching Sept. 8.
Working their way back: It was also good to see defensive lineman DJ Reader and guard Christian Mahogany out at practice working off to the side with trainers. Both players have missed all of training camp due to a torn quad tendon for Reader and an illness for Mahogany. Reader is expected to start taking part in the individual portion of practice next week.
Release at the line: It's so fun to watch St. Brown's release at the line of scrimmage and how he gains separation in just his first few steps. It really is an art form. I've always regarded Las Vegas wide receiver Davante Adams as the best in the game at the line of scrimmage with his release, but it's something St. Brown has worked on and he's right up there. He juked Rakestraw in one red-zone rep and easily got a touchdown. He had the rookie in two steps. Impressive.
Fourth receiver spot: I thought it was a nice day for Peoples-Jones overall as he competes for the No. 4 receiver job behind St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond. He was good in the one-on-ones and also made a nice catch over the middle in a team period and had a nice block on a receiver screen play that allowed the pass catcher behind him to get a first down.
Big-play offense: Dan Campbell put the team through a lot of situational football on Tuesday and it was good team period work for both sides of the ball. The offense was able to throw a couple explosive plays on their practice resume. Running back Craig Reynolds showed off his underrated speed getting into the open field and busting loose for a 60-plus-yard touchdown down the right sideline. Undrafted rookie wide receiver Isaiah Williams took a screen 60-plus yards for a score on a nice call from OC Ben Johnson to catch the defense in a blitz.
Midseason form: After watching third-year edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson for 16 training camp practices now, I don't think it's a bold prediction to think he might lead the NFL in sacks this year or be right there among the leaders when it's all said and done. I write his name down for a sack it seems like every day, including Tuesday, and he also had a tackle for loss that looked like a safety.
Situational football: My favorite situation Tuesday had the offense given the ball at the defense's 17-yard line with 20 seconds on the clock trailing 27-21 and facing a 3rd & 12. Not easy, but the first play was a 15-yard gain to Jameson Williams to the 5-yard line along the right sideline. Williams ran a great route and Jared Goff put it right on him. Williams couldn't hang on to a diving attempt at a touchdown on the next play, but when in doubt find St. Brown, and that's what Goff did on the next play for a touchdown. Jake Bates added the extra point and the offense won the drill.
The tough catches: We all know Jameson Williams can fly and the deep ball is going to be a big part of his game, but it's the tough catches in a crowd or along the sideline that have to be part of his game too. He made a really nice catch with Rakestraw all over him in coverage over the middle to get the offense out of the shadow of their own end zone in one team period. He had the big catch in the situational drill mentioned right above, but he also let a diving effort slip through his hands in the end zone and couldn't hang on to what would have been a tough leaping catch along the left sideline earlier in practice that would have been a first down on a 3rd & long play. It's those plays where I think Williams can show a little more consistency.
