ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- After two days in shorts and another two in just shoulder pads, the Detroit Lions are expected to practice with all of their pads Friday for the first time this season.
This means coaches will get a chance to really evaluate some of the players on the roster bubble -- as well as others -- a little bit better as well. Lions head coach Jim Caldwell has often said a player was just in shorts when asked to evaluate someone, so this should give him the beginnings of a fuller picture of who he has on his 90-man roster.
"It's going to be a situation where we'll do maybe a little bit more heavy hitting, but you get most of your work in this league in terms of tackling and taking guys to the ground during preseason games," Caldwell said. "That's kind of where you get the majority of it. We'll do some isolated things, but for the most part you want to see whether or not a guy can carry his pads, run in his pads, in the heat."
He also wants to analyze the leverage players use when they have pads on instead of just shorts.
And now, a look at Lions news from across the Interwebs:
Ever wonder what it is really like to cover Calvin Johnson? Opposing cornerbacks give you an idea. How one team shut Johnson out. Johnson thought he was headed to Tampa Bay or Atlanta in 2007. Opinions from others on Johnson. Kevin Ogletree is pushing for a role at wide receiver. Offensive tackle Michael Williams out with an injury. Training camp report: Day 4.
The Lions might use Sam Martin on long field goals, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
It's a group effort coaching Matthew Stafford, writes Josh Katzenstein in the Detroit News.
The Lions cornerbacks don't think they need reinforcements, writes Kyle Meinke in MLive.
Apparently, Aaron Donald is impressing a lot of people at St. Louis' training camp, writes Joan Niesen in Sports Illustrated.