OTAs and minicamp gave us a glimpse at what the Detroit Lions' starting roster will look like in the fall, but training camp is where most jobs and roles are won and lost.
Which position battle are you looking forward to most? I asked the Detroitlions.com crew, and here's what they had to say:
Tim Twentyman: Cornerback
Lions general manager Brad Holmes revamped the secondary this offseason, moving on from Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye and adding Cam Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley and Brian Branch. Don't forget about Jerry Jacobs too, as he's always performed when given the opportunity.
How fast can Mosley return from the torn ACL to compete with Jacobs for one of the starting spots opposite Sutton on the outside? When nickel cornerback Gardner-Johnson plays some safety, which we could see, will it be Will Harris or Branch in the slot? Where does Saivion Smith fit into the mix? Can an undrafted guy like Starling Thomas V make the roster? There's still a lot of new and moving parts at cornerback.
View some of the best photos from Detroit Lions offseason workouts, OTAs and minicamp.
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26), Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 8, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 3, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Lions Legend Calvin Johnson (81) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 8, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26), Detroit Lions running back Mohamed Ibrahim (33) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Matt Nelson (67), Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 2, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end James Mitchell (82) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. (0) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 19, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (41) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87), Detroit Lions cornerback Jarren Williams (24) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 23, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Steven Gilmore (36) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 12, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 12, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 12, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Chase Cota (88) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 12, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 7, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. (0) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 7, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 31, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 2, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16), Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 1, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 23, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 23, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 1, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions General Manager and Executive Vice President Brad Holmes during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Romeo Okwara (95) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 23, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Mohamed Ibrahim (33) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 15, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Antoine Green (80) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 13, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal (75) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 13, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 13, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26), Detroit Lions quarterback Adrian Martinez (18) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Brodric Martin (98) during rookie minicamp at the Detroit Lions facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 3, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Charles Harris (53) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 3, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Romeo Okwara (95) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 20, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow (77) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 18, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Assistant Defensive Line Coach Cameron Davis, Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54), Detroit Lions defensive lineman Josh Paschal (93) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 1, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Romeo Okwara (95) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 17, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley (17) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 18, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Charles Harris (53) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 19, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley (17) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 1, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Mike O'Hara: Linebacker
The battle at linebacker is the position that I'm most interested to watch because of the depth of the competition.
It isn't only the starting positions that are at stake. Who gets playing time in the rotation will be interesting to watch.
Alex Anzalone is in his third season with the Lions and is the leader of the linebacker core.
Jack Campbell was drafted in the first round and should make a strong run at the second spot.
Derrick Barnes' stock is rising in his third year. He has become a stronger leader in directing traffic. Malcolm Rodriguez will compete for playing time after a promising rookie season.
PJ's Pick: Running back
I'm looking forward to seeing how the offense can improve upon last year's performance as a whole, but the running backs are what stand out most.
There's obviously two new names at the top of the depth chart in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Montgomery didn't practice much during the offseason program, so I'm excited to see what he looks like lined up with the rest of the team. As for Gibbs, watch out for how he's used in the pass game during camp, especially in the slot.
While those two will be focal points of the offense, the battle at running back for spots down the roster should be a good one. Can Craig Reynolds, Jermar Jefferson, Mohamed Ibrahim or Greg Bell replace the 2022 production of Justin Jackson, both in the run game and on special teams? It's certainly worth watching to me.
View photos of the Detroit Lions' alternate helmet.
Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) wearing the Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) reacts to the Detroit Lions alternate helmet at the Detroit Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on April 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) reacts to the Detroit Lions alternate helmet at the Detroit Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on April 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) wearing the Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) reacts to the Detroit Lions alternate helmet at the Detroit Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on April 6, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) wearing the Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) wearing the Detroit Lions alternate helmet (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Editor's Pick: Defensive line
The edge rushers in particular. Despite not really adding to the position this offseason, it's a crowded and talented room. Second-year players Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston are looking to follow up impressive rookie performances.
Veterans Charles Harris (groin) and Romeo Okwara (Achilles) are back to full health after dealing with injuries last season, and the team re-signed productive defensive lineman John Cominsky this offseason.
I'm also excited to see where Josh Paschal is at in his second year. He showed flashes at the end of his rookie season after missing time with an injury. He should play much more of a role in Year 2.
As the saying goes, you can never have too many pass rushers, but I'll be interested to see how the Lions divvy up playing time at the position moving forward.
