Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes have both talked about how they are further along this offseason compared to where they were a year ago after both took on their new roles with the team.
The Lions begin the first phase of the three-part offseason training program conducted at Detroit's training facility in Allen Park this week. It will last the next eight weeks and include the team's mandatory minicamp in June.
"It's going to be good," Campbell said of the start of the offseason training program. "Just to be out of the COVID restrictions and everything else, open the building up and not have to do virtual meetings, it's going to go a long way. So I do feel like we're going to be able to do a little bit more than we did last year, which is good."
View photos from the community celebration downtown to commemorate the awarding of the 2024 NFL Draft to Detroit.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Detroit 2024 NFL Draft Countdown Clock during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Cheerleaders and Detroit Lions Drumline perform during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Fans greet Detroit Lions Mascot Roary during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Detroit 2024 NFL Draft Countdown Clock during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan speaks during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans speaks during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Mascot Roary and DJ Ray during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Fans greet Detroit Lions Mascot Roary during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Charles Davis speaks during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer speaks during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer speaks during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Mascot Roary and Detroit Lions Cheerleaders during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Visit Detroit President and CEO Claude Molinari & Downtown Detroit Partnership CEO Eric Larson unveil the NFL Draft Countdown Clock with the help of kids from the Boys and Girls Club during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
DJ Ray during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Drumline during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist speaks during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Cheerleaders and Detroit Lions Drumline perform during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Fans meet Detroit Legend Lomas Brown (75) and Detroit Legend Jason Hanson (4) during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Fans during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Fans during an event to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit in 2024 at Campus Martius in Detroit, MI on April 14, 2022. (Mike Ferdinande/Detroit Lions)
Phase One consists of the first two weeks of the program with activities limited to meetings, strength & conditioning, and physical rehabilitation only.
Phase Two is the next three weeks of the program, and it includes on-field workouts with individual or group instruction and drills and plays with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walkthrough pace.
Phase Three consists of the last four weeks of the program. In Phase Three, teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity (OTAs) and a minicamp. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.
"We're going to have a good turnout of our guys," Campbell said. "I would anticipate just about all of our guys here, if not all of them. At least, if not by April 19, within a week or two of that, for sure when we start in-classroom stuff."
The Lions were supposed to have an extra minicamp last year because Campbell was a new hire, but COVID-19 restrictions prevented that from happening.
Now in year two, Campbell said the team is in a much better spot with the offseason training program kicking off and the NFL Draft just a little more than a week away.
"This year we're already going to be ahead," Campbell said. "Certainly anytime you at least kind of have your system in a little bit and now you can go back and watch your own cut-ups. Last year AG (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) is pulling them from New Orleans and some things. Now we can watch ourselves and our own schemes and just continue to grow and learn and move on and go to level 201 now, if not more."
