Dan Campbell hints at who will play in Lions’ preseason video games

In lower than every week, the Detroit Lions will open up the 2025 NFL preseason with the Hall of Fame Game towards the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night time. While the sport result’s fully meaningless, it is going to be each group’s first alternative to get their rosters some invaluable recreation reps.

As all the time, although, the query is which gamers will truly be on the sector. If custom follows, neither group will play any of their big-time starters, however Lions coach Dan Campbell did give some perception into how he’ll deal with their younger gamers. When requested if he expects the group’s rookie class to play this preseason, Campbell harassed that it is going to be vital for them to at the very least get a couple of video games in.

“I think all of those guys need to play in a game, or games,” Campbell mentioned. “So, I think our young guys are going to—I see them playing in this game. Now, am I going to say that it’s written in stone right now? No, I’m not. But I think I’d like to play those guys. That’s the good news. We got four games here starting with the Hall of Fame to get them some reps, so that’ll be the plan.”

While it wasn’t expressed outright, it definitely looks as if Campbell is referring to Detroit’s high two picks: defensive sort out Tyleik Williams and offensive lineman Tate Ratledge. Both of these gamers are at present lined as much as be Week 1 starters at their respective positions, so it could be a small danger to place them on the market within the preseason. However, given their vital roles, it’s additionally crucial that they’re ready for his or her first little bit of NFL motion.

That expertise could also be notably valueable to Ratledge, who noticed motion at middle for his first three coaching camp practices earlier than kicking again to his faculty spot at proper guard for the final three days.

“We’re putting a lot on him,” Campbell mentioned earlier this week. “He’s drinking out of a fire hose right now. But there are things that we saw with him in college at Georgia that we felt like, ‘You know what? We think this guy can play center.’ We knew it was going to take some time. When that’s something you haven’t done in games, it’s going to take a minute.”

It’s unclear if we’ll see Ratledge at middle or guard within the preseason—or whether or not he’ll ultimately chill inside to protect when the Lions return to coaching camp on Monday. Either method, it definitely seems like he—and the remainder of Detroit’s rookie class—will get some intensive work throughout this yr’s preseason.