Insights from Week 2 of Lions OTA: Key Highlights from Thursday’s Practice

The Detroit Lions held their sixth OTA practice on Thursday at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, showcasing a mix of returning players and some notable absences. Notably, Terrion Arnold and Sam LaPorta participated in a limited capacity, mainly through walkthroughs. However, Kendrick Law is facing an indefinite absence due to a torn ACL sustained earlier this week, while Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are also expected to miss the remainder of OTAs and minicamp.

As with previous sessions, the practice began with an extensive 30-minute walkthrough, making up half of the total time spent on the field. This was followed by individual drills and a brief period dedicated to special teams, concluding with a short situational drill. The absence of a full-speed 7-on-7 session limited the scope for performance observations, as much of the practice was conducted at a slower pace.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell advised against drawing conclusions from the players' positions during drills, whether on the “starter” or “reserves” side of the field. Nonetheless, some positioning caught attention. Larry Borom took most first-string reps at right tackle, occasionally rotating in at left tackle for Penei Sewell. Rookie Blake Miller remained focused solely on right tackle. Mekhi Wingo also made strides by repping with the starters alongside Alim McNeill and Levi Onwuzurike, indicating positive progress for the third-year defensive tackle.

In the situational drill, the first-team offense faced a challenging scenario: trailing by one point with only 14 seconds left from the opponent's 48-yard line and no timeouts. The offense executed a draw play to Gibbs, gaining five yards before spiking the ball with five seconds remaining. Unfortunately, Jake Bates missed a 61-yard field goal attempt. The second team, directed by Teddy Bridgewater, struggled significantly, with the clock winding down to one second before Bates managed to convert a kick from roughly 50-60 yards out.

Amid the drills, third-string quarterback Luke Altmyer drew attention during press interactions, with Campbell praising his confidence and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing describing him as “unflappable.” Observers noted his arm strength, particularly during walkthroughs, where he demonstrated an ability to zip the ball on various routes. Additionally, several players participated in kickoff drills, including Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown.