Pride of Detroit
Observations from Day 8 of the Detroit Lions’ 2025 training camp focus on the first scrimmage of camp.
The Detroit Lions held their first scrimmage of 2025 training camp in an effort to get their starters some reps, as most won’t play in the team’s upcoming Hall of Fame preseason game.
The Lions saw the participation levels of Alex Anzalone and D.J. Reed increase for this scrimmage, but Terrion Arnold was forced to leave the practice early to be evaluated for a hamstring injury. For all the details on the Lions currently injured players, check out our Lions injury updates from on Tuesday.
Erik:
The Lions held offense took the field for 10 possessions during their scrimmage on Tuesday, utilizing their starter on seven of them. Overall, the Lions’ first-team defense definitively “won” five of the seven series, and three of those possessions ended on third down sacks from Aidan Hutchinson.
On the first possession, the Lions opened the series with a run, and then got behind the sticks on a great play from Jack Campbell, setting up an obvious passing situation on third-and-long. Hutchinson made quick work of Dan Skipper and was in the backfield to secure the sack before the play even had a chance to unfold. This was a theme for the day.
The Lions had a seven-play series that ended in a missed field goal next, followed by a three-and-out. Then in the fourth series, the offense showed some life, but again ended up in a third-and-medium. Hutchinson, again, unleashed on Skipper and ended the series with another sack.
Two series later, the Lions’ first-team offense started on the opponent’s 40-yard line, but after two short gains, the offense had another third-and-medium, and once again, Skipper failed to hold back Hutchinson’s power—a third sack that killed yet another drive. While Jake Bates was able to successfully kick a 60-yard field goal to get points on the drive, this was a series that was certainly won by the defense.
Hutchinson is all the way back, folks.
Jeremy:
In addition to Hutchinson’s three sacks, the following players got to the quarterback during Tuesday’s scrimmage:
The Lions continue to be very aggressive with their pass rush, constantly sending extra linebackers and defensive backs into attack mode.
Erik:
In previous years, we’ve seen several Lions player make significant strides in their third NFL seasons. While it’s not often we see large jumps from established starters, it’s easy to see the improvements from third-year defenders Jack Campbell and Brain Branch.
Campbell’s physicality in the middle of the Lions...
