Detroit Lions rookie running back Sione Vaki left Thursday’s training camp practice with a shoulder injury and did not return.
Vaki is a rookie who was a fourth-round pick by the Lions in this year’s Draft. He is a unique player, as the Lions have moved him to running back after he was predominately a safety in college at Utah.
Since reporting in the spring, he has been focused on developing his skills in the backfield. The Lions were enamored with the instincts he showed in a limited spurt at running back while playing for the Utes and are hoping to unlock his naturl skill set.
Detroit has assembled a deep running back room, headlined by the duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Vaki, Craig Reynolds, Zonovan Knight, Jermar Jefferson and Jake Funk are battling for the final spots at the position.
Knight did not participate at practice Thursday, but was present and did work on the JUGS machine and ran the hill. The four veteran offensive linemen who sat out Wednesday, including Frank Ragnow, Graham Glasgow, Kevin Zeitler and Taylor Decker, returned.
Brian Branch returned and took the field for many team periods. Those not participating included Knight, DJ Reader, Christian Mahogany and Kayode Awosika.
Here are observations from the Lions’ eighth training camp practice.
Early one-on-one battles
The Lions conducted a one-on-one open-field tackling drill early in practice. Among early intriguing matchups were Amon-Ra St. Brown matching up against Terrion Arnold and Jameson Williams squaring off with Ennis Rakestraw.
Williams trucked Rakestraw in an early rep, but Rakestraw got revenge by slamming the receiver to the ground in their next matchup.
Amik Robertson dominated his reps, twice taking down Kalif Raymond. The physical cornerback once again showcased his toughness in a difficult one-on-one setting.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone got back at Sam LaPorta after the tight end held the edge in one-on-one drills earlier in the week. Running back David Montgomery scooted past Jack Campbell.
Detroit also held a blocking drill, with LaPorta showcasing strong blocking against C.J. Moore. Derrick Barnes blew past his assignment.
On the offensive line, veteran Kevin Zeitler matched up against Levi Onwuzurike. The defensive tackle, who has been the subject of much hype this offseason, won off the ball, got lower than Zeitler and drove him backwards.
Robertson took his momentum into a one-on-one passing drill with Goff throwing, as he locked down an attempt in the direction of Antoine Green. The one-on-one reps are opportunities that players on both sides of the ball relish.
“We have one of the best offenses in the league, so whenever you get a chance to go against them it’s naturally gonna make you better,” said safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. “We look forward to it and take it as a challenge. But at the end of the day, they’ve gotta play us too so we’re getting them better as well.”
Sudfeld leading second-team
The Lions have an ongoing battle for the backup quarterback position. Once again, it was Nate Sudfeld and not Hendon Hooker leading the second-team offense.
After two good tosses by Jared Goff with the first team, Sudfeld took the field with the two’s. He hit Craig Reynolds , then found Kaden Davis who hit a strong juke in the open field.
Hooker had a strong start to his third-team reps, hitting Kaden Davis on a bullet. However, he missed on his next two passes and faced heavy pressure from Mitchell Agude. His final pass was incomplete in the direction of Shane Zylstra.
Davis standing out
Kaden Davis began the spring as a tryout player at Lions’ rookie minicamp. He worked his way into a roster spot and has since taken full advantage of his opportunity.
Davis has consistently showed up in camp, making plays at all levels of the passing game. He runs crisp routes and has been reliable, a trait the Lions are key on in the receiver room.
“It builds my confidence, but that’s what I’m here to do so that’s just the expectation when the ball comes my way,” Davis told Lions On SI. “I’m supposed to make the play and come up big for my team.”
The wideout starred Thursday with multiple big catches, including a touchdown grab from Sudfeld in red-zone drills. He will be tasked with continuing to produce throughout camp and the preseason to make a compelling case to make the roster.
“This preseason’s really big. I think that goes for anybody on any team,” Davis said. “You’re not only playing for your own team, you’re playing for every other team in the league in case things don’t go the way you expect them to when those roster cuts come.”
Red zone
The defense held the upper hand during the team’s first segment of red-zone drills. Goff tried to hit Daurice Fountain while scrambling, but Carlton Davis was in tight coverage.
Rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold also had a pass breakup with the first-team defense. When the second-team took the field, Ennis Rakestraw had another big moment when he intercepted Sudfeld’s pass.
It was the second interception of the week for Rakestraw, who has emerged nicely since the team began padded practices this week.
“Yeah, I like both of them. They’re really good,” Melifonwu said of the rookie corners. “They’re scrappy, they love to press and get hands on. So I like both of them a lot.”
The second-team offense bounced back, though, led by Sudfeld and Kaden Davis.
Sudfeld threw three touchdowns in this period, as he found Jahmyr Gibbs and Shane Zylstra in addition to the strike he had to Davis.
With the third team, Hooker turned on the jets on a scramble and got near the end zone. Officials conferred to discuss whether or not he reached the end zone.
The Tennessee product also had a touchdown strike to Donovan Peoples-Jones. His mobility and accuracy were on display Thursday, which is a sign of the encouraging things Ben Johnson has seen from the young quarterback.
“Listen, we’re coaching him hard, which means we’re throwing a lot on him and when he makes a mistake we’re letting him know about it,” Johnson said. “That’s what we believe in, because if he can handle that, then once he gets to these preseason games, it’s gonna be a cinch for him. He’s really gonna click and I really think he’s gonna flourish because of that. So he’s feeling it, he felt it a lot in the spring time. I think at this point now, he’s got a comfort level.
“You can tell that he really worked at his craft. He worked on calling the plays, getting in and out of the huddle, the procedure of it. Because once he got that part right, you can really see his talent coming to life. He’s a lot more accurate here in training camp, you’ve seen him on the move a little bit more. I think once we get into games we’ll see his legs really be a benefit for us. I’m pleased with the growth he’s had from the springtime here to camp, and we’ll see how far we can push him here over the next few weeks.”
Situational drills
The Lions’ first-team offense took the field for a situational drill trailing 30-24 with :31 remaining and two timeouts. Operating from the 41-yard line, Goff’s first down pass was broken up by Carlton Davis, but he found LaPorta on the second snap. After an incompletion in the direction of Williams, Goff hit Fountain to move the chains.
On first down with :18 remaining, Goff hit St. Brown to get the ball to the 10-yard line. He then hit St. Brown for a touchdown amidst heavy pressure from the defense.
The second-team offense didn’t have as much success. Sudfeld was facing a second-and-15 when he hit Tom Kennedy for 10 yards, but threw incomplete in Kennedy’s direction on the next snap. Facing a fourth down, Sudfeld’s pass was broken up by Ifeatu Melifonwu to end the drill.
The third-team offense took the field on its own 30 with 1:33 remaining. A penalty gave the offense a free five yards, and Hooker hit Zylstra for a first down. After a spike, Hooker again moved the chains with a completion to Jermar Jefferson.
Hooker hit Jalon Calhoun for nine yards, then the Lions ran the ball. After going hurry-up, the drill and practice were both brought to an end as Hooker was intercepted by linebacker Malik Jefferson.
Quick hits
1.) Jake Bates drilled Khalil Dorsey with a kickoff. Dorsey was first in line and the kicker plunked him.
2.) The Lions hit a snag during a hurry-up drill in which they attempted to rush the field goal team onto the field. It was largely disorganized and resulted in a missed attempt from Jake Bates. This was met with ire from Campbell, who clearly expressed his displeasure.
3.) Jameson Williams, David Montgomery, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs are all getting reps at kick returner. With the new rules in this aspect of the game, the Lions have the opportunity to get creative on special teams.
