ALLEN PARK – Matthew Stafford makes this NFL quarterback thing easy in most practices. But he really made it easy on Day 3 of padded practice for the Detroit Lions.
Stafford and the Lions were back on the field in Allen Park on Thursday after getting the previous day. The Lions quarterback missed on one, maybe two passes all morning. Not bad for someone practicing this week for the first time since November.
He slammed the ball around, pushing it into tight windows while flashing serious chemistry with Marvin Jones and TJ Hockenson (more on the tight end of the second year in a bit). He started the day with an image-perfect deep ball for Jesse James, who highlighted the snap and set the tone. Stafford was calm in the bush, looked good as he walked and ran the love all morning out of love from short to medium to deep routes.
“It’s enormous for me from that point of view, especially since we’re in training camp mode when we’re offending defense,” said Stafford Lions coach Matt Patricia. “One of the things we talk about a lot, and really that Stafford has done an incredible job, is just getting in and out of the huddle and having these changes really sharp and clever and that puts a lot of pressure. on defense when that happens.He is really very comfortable with the offensive system and can get guys where they need to go very quickly.
‘That kind of leadership and the command he has from the offense and the way he can run it at a high pace and it can correct or adjust it or apply changes on the field based on what he sees against the defense , you know that puts a lot of pressure on the defense. ”
Related: Rookie WR Quintez Cephus has a great day | Jeff Okudah works with backups from Lions on the first day of padded practice
The two throws that particularly caught me were both deep shoes. Stafford went deep for Hockenson, who found a perfectly placed ball over safetys Will Harris and Duron Harmon. Hockenson hit Harris on the ball and held him off while Harmon trained across the field, trying to recover.
The second was one of the final throws of the day, in which Stafford went to rookie corner Jeff Okudah. Stafford saw Marvin Jones’ way deep under the right wing. It was an aggressive throw that looked perfect from the moment it left the quarterback’s fingers. Jones ran along the sideline, and voila, the ball was there. Jones hit Okudah down the field, and there was nothing the corner could do with a ball that threw like that.
Stafford have not shown what looks like rest since returning to the field after missing eight games last season. He has been through three back injuries the past two years, but moves and walks like the quarterback he was before he had the injury. That’s great news for crime. He looks as comfortable as ever in his deep ball after throwing it more often and better than ever.
Related: Lions CB Amani Oruwariye impressed coaches, even starting defense early in year 2
Here are some more observations from the third day of padded exercise:
– Whew. Hockenson looked great Thursday, or with his middle in the grass or out in the slot. The thing that stood out was his ability to complete catches. The close end of the second year overcame Harris on one of his deep grips and looked like a center boxing for a handball on a few shorter receptions.
Hockenson seemed to be in better shape, and his jump off the line from a standing or crawling posture was nothing to worry about. Considering that he doubted his previously injured ankle earlier this week, his performances on Thursday presented some need for optimism.
‘Yes, I’m running to it. I’m doing everything I could last year, just trying to improve, ”Hockenson said Monday. “The ankle is still there, I still feel it, but I’m getting there. I’m 100%. ”
He looked 100% sure today. We’ll see how that holds up when he’s asked to block 250 pound block riders, because that has not happened yet.
– Speaking of tight ends. Undrafted rookie Hunter Bryant jumped early Thursday on some routes. His speed and refined routes are there, but the blocking and ball protection remain in effect. Pro Football Focus ranks him as the 106th run-blocking college tight end last season, and it looks like that, so yeah, Bryant is a work in progress.
He burned out Jayron Kearse safety early and went head-to-head with Tracy Walker next time. Bryant’s first step got the best of him, but Walker recovered and shot the ball out. It was an impressive play through the safety of the third year, and a learning moment for the young tight end.
– You know who knows how to block, though? Frank Ragnow. The Lions Center of the third year was so impressive to my bleachers that your former Lions tackle Lomas Brown was able to respond to the action. Ragnow rallied against Danny Shelton and got both additions better on both threads. Brown turned to the bleachers and said, “That’s how it’s done, boys,” and “we do not have to worry about anything.”
Ragnow is one of the best young internal offensive linemen in the league, and his continued development is hard to miss. The sound of the clash between Ragnow and Shelton was also hard to miss, which was a welcome return to football moment as I have ever seen one.
“I feel confident, but Danny is a heckuva player,” Ragnow said Thursday via Zoom. ‘That’s one blessing, a big blessing with this training camp, is that he will push me to get better. He works his tail off. He is talented. He does a lot of great technical things. He will make me a lot better. It is an honor to work with him as well. ”
Okudah’s feet were better on Thursday as there was no slip to report. He took over for Desmond Trufant with the first team near the end of practice, and worked alongside Justin Coleman and Amani Oruwariye.
– The Lions started the day with a handful of roster moves. Jashon Cornell was the replacement. The team also released undrafted rookie fullback Luke Sellers. This move opened the door for linebacker Jason Cabinda to get some work on fullback with Nick Bawden through practice limited this week. I did not have a great view on the specific drill, but the Detroit Free Press reports that Cabinda blocked on two live-action plays with short yardage. He led the way as runners Jonathan Williams and Ty Johnson moved the markers.
Cabinda came on for a fullback play in last season’s final against the Packers. The result? He dropped his shoulder and helped Kerryon Johnson plow forward for the score.
– Detroit also signed running backs Wes Hills (now No. 42) and Chris Lacy after the couple’s release in the past few weeks. Lacy made a remarkable play on Thursday, knocking Oruwariye to the climax and coming down with a beautiful catch on a throw from David Blough’s seam.
– Special teams got some work near the end of practice, with new coordinator Brayden Coombs sprinting to the field as he attempts a gunner role. The group did not get a ton of work in, but it looked like Matt Prater, Arryn Siposs and Jack Fox got at least one hit at startup.
I had a horrible view of the work of the field goal kicking unit. There was one miss of Prater you might have discovered from Downtown Dearborn, though. The Freep reports that this badly-missed kick came to the left with Siposs holding and Steven Wirtel snapping, as it did earlier in the week.
– Jonah Jackson is still handling the first team work at right back. That has been consistent through three practices, but with two rookies in Jackson and Logan Stenberg along with Kenny Wiggins? There is no statement about a wait rotation. Yet Jackson sees the part. Even more so on Thursday, getting better at Nick Williams in a one-on-one situation. Stenberg turned down the line, getting more work at center with the reserves.
– Jalen Elliott, the last Lions player to come off the COVID reserve list, made almost one hell of a diving interception. One from the air sent one for Tom Kennedy and Elliott came across the field to dive for the ball. It looked like he was making the choice, but the ball bounced off when he hit the ground. The roster was only on the game, adding some missing audience noise to the action.
Former Michigan State tight end Matt Sokol was back on the field but sporting a red no-contact jersey. Beau Benzschawel and Kevin Strong were also back, but Bo Scarbrough missed this week for the second time. Austin Bryant remains physically unable to perform list but was tracked to the sidelines with training staff.
