Pride of Detroit
Observations from Day 2 of the Detroit Lions 2025 training camp include notes on Hendon Hooker, Marcus Davenport, and Grant Stuard.
The Detroit Lions held their second practice of 2025 training camp, marking the start of Day 2 of the acclimation phase. An additional 15 minutes were added onto practice on Monday, but the team is very early in its exploration of what this roster has to offer.
Jeremy Reisman has already published a full participation report for Day 2 of training camp—including an update on Alex Anzalone’s hamstring injury—so I won’t waste time regurgitating the list. However, I would recommend checking out the piece because there are some encouraging signs that several players are on the road to recovery.
During his Monday morning press conference, coach Dan Campbell noted that he’s made it clear to Hendon Hooker that the QB2 spot is an open competition and gave him a list of things to work on this offseason, including urgency and footwork.
On Day 2 of camp, it was Hooker’s turn in the reserve QB rotation, and when he took the field in the QB2 role, there was improvement in his game. Throughout the day, Hooker’s footwork looked cleaner, his decisions were sped up (even improved from Sunday’s practice), and his accuracy was noticeably sharper. When he has time to set, the ball pops out of his hand, and on Monday, he was making throws even with a muddied pocket.
“The differences that I made this offseason by playing fast and playing on time and (on) rhythm, it feels completely different from last year. And OTAs, as well,” Hooker told the media after practice.
When asked to elaborate on the differences, Hooker explained that his processing has been a significant key to success.
“I think that I’m processing it a lot more. I have a lot more confidence in the huddle,” Hooker continued. “My teammates can see it, as well, because they’re giving me good feedback when I go in the locker room. Encouraging them, they’re encouraging me. It’s great to feel back into the groove.”
Hooker is translating that confidence into calmness on the field, and an extra effort to build chemistry with his pass catchers has helped elevate his game. This was one of, if not the best, training camp practice we’ve seen from Hooker, which is an encouraging sign for the next month of competition.
While the Lions ran a lot of deep routes on Day 1 of training camp, they were unable to connect on any long shots. That changed on Monday, as Jared Goff connected with Jameson Williams (twice) and rookie Isaac TeSlaa down the field.
The biggest play of the day came during 7-on-7s, when Goff baited the defensive back and uncorked a beautiful bomb to Williams 35 yards downfield. Williams ran a deep crosser, and with a little extra time in the pocket, Goff was able to...
