00:10Doug Harris, Scott Anderson, 97.1, open lines.
00:14We'll get back to phone calls coming up.
00:16But OTAs ongoing out at Allen Park.
00:20Dan Campbell met with the media yesterday
00:22and had some interesting things to say.
00:24Also heard from some players.
00:25We'll get an update from one of the players here
00:28coming up in a second.
00:30But one of the more interesting stories with this team
00:34is guys who have been hurt and can they stay healthy?
00:39It feels like there is a long list of players
00:42that have an expectation that can't stay on the field.
00:47One of them was a high draft pick a couple years ago
00:50at a position that they could really use some good fortune.
00:55And that is Ennis Rakestraw at cornerback.
00:57He was a second-round pick.
00:59Some people thought he was first-round talent,
01:01but he just hasn't been able to stay healthy.
01:08And here's what Dan Campbell had to say
01:10updating where Ennis Rakestraw is right now.
01:12There's another one.
01:41But it's done and it's done by theתחers.
01:59okay long way to go here but this is a position that they really could use some good fortune
02:05and ns rake straw was it was a popular pick when it was made his scouting report tenacious
02:15physical renowned for his aggressiveness his ruthless playing style his elite play recognition
02:22he excels in press man coverage and run support yes please i'll tell you what you read that now
02:30and i'm like who is this guy let's go right that that's that was his scouting report one of many
02:36i
02:36mean i just found one here but it was a scouting report out of missouri yeah and i remember that
02:41the draft was obviously it was the draft here in detroit when they took terry and arnold in the
02:45first round moved up to get him and then rake straw in the second round and they they double dipped
02:49on
02:49that position just like the eagles double dipped on that position with their first two picks uh with
02:55mitchell and dejean um it hasn't worked out all that favorable for the lions and with either player
03:02but specifically with it rake straw he just hasn't seen the field because of injuries and it's been
03:07so disappointing because you know a guy like that wants to get their career going wants to start off
03:12on the right foot and if you get hurt at some point during the season okay but you recover and
03:15go and
03:16move forward but that hasn't been the case with him and he still has yet to show really anything to
03:22anybody about what he can do i'm encouraged that he's healthy and has that opportunity now and
03:28hopefully he is completely healthy as dan campbell says he's added some good weight uh to bulk up a
03:33little bit to to be able to you know endure the rigors of the nfl but they could really use
03:39a little
03:40break with ns rake straw for a number of reasons first the position we talk all the time about it's
03:45a
03:45tough position group to stay healthy anyway the other thing is that draft class could use a little boost
03:50because that draft class hasn't yielded much no well it's good to hear that he's healthy
03:57and he's ready to contribute and play to the level of we have no idea because he hasn't played
04:04like you know like yeah i get the first step is be available and he just has not been available
04:09so
04:10at this point all i can read into is be available stay healthy and let's see what you are because
04:17we have
04:18no idea you can't count on anything with him yes we do he's a tenacious physical cornerback we're
04:23known for his aggressiveness rusev playing style and elite play recognition and he excels in press
04:27man coverage and run support kang duh he's played 46 naps on defense so were they all in his rookie
04:35season yep uh and it's rake straw stay healthy my friend uh all right next up from dan campbell
04:41yesterday meeting with the media look it is the most scrutinized position on the roster
04:47the edge opposite of hutch so dan campbell's asked for an update and to be clear here he said
04:55we can't tell all that much until we have pads on and we don't have pads on but he decided
05:03to get
05:03the full scouting report of what's going on because there's a bunch of new guys edge opposite hutch here's
05:08what he said
05:09what he said
05:34what he said
06:09Okay, so there's a few things in there. One, this pup Lucas has turned some heads. The pup Lucas is
06:16an undrafted free agent out of USC. Six, five and a half, 256 pounds. Edge defender who gets up the
06:26field, got up the field at USC. His career and his numbers, everything's kind of truncated because of some injury
06:33problems. None of that matters.
06:34They might have snuck one here that looked like he was going to be drafted, didn't get drafted, and ends
06:40up in Detroit. He's one to keep an eye on. DJ Wanham is going to be intriguing. Sounds like he
06:48has the leg up to win that job. Derek Moore's in the mix there. Peyton Turner.
06:53I was trying to find more information on why Peyton Turner could be a good ad, and I couldn't find
07:00anything. I tried really hard. Any thoughts on this edge spot opposite of Hutch?
07:06Well, Peyton Turner's got good size. Yeah. Well, as he said, he loves the length, right?
07:10Six, six and 270. I mean, it's one of those, I think he's just going to be a rotational guy
07:15at best with his team, but I think Wanham is a guy that they expect to be a starter. Yep.
07:20And when they draft Derek Moore in the second round, you're expecting him to be maybe a pass rush specialist
07:25for his first year or two until he gets a full feel for what it's like to play that position
07:30in the NFL.
07:31But at least these are guys that I think you can count on to be healthier than what we've seen
07:40in the past when they've relied on Marcus Davenport or others.
07:44But I think Wanham is, he's at least an average player, and that's pretty good to have average on that
07:51side.
07:52But we're all going to remember what it was like to have Elkanin Muhammad and just wreaking havoc on quarterbacks.
07:57But Elkanin Muhammad may not have been the complete defensive end to play in any down situation because of a
08:03run game, whereas Wanham might be.
08:05So there's reason to be more excited about the pass rushing this year than there was last year.
08:12But they still have to fill the shoes of Elkanin Muhammad, who was very productive for them in terms of
08:16getting after the quarterback.
08:18Now, I know Dan Campbell's got to answer these questions, Doug, because this is what, you know, you get up
08:21there and these questions are going to be asked.
08:23But I'll refer back to what he said earlier this year, which is, I'm sick of the pajama party praise.
08:28You know what I mean?
08:29Like, he's right.
08:30When the pads come on, then we'll really find out.
08:32But you don't want to praise anything too much.
08:33I will say this, though.
08:35It's clear to me they targeted length because he mentioned it a couple times.
08:39Like, they target a specific attribute from these ends, opposite Aiden Hutchinson, right?
08:43Guys with length, like he said, and some athletic ability.
08:47But then again, Marcus Davenport, he looked like he fit the part to a tee from a size point of
08:52view and length as well.
08:53So stay healthy, provide something that we haven't had opposite Hutch, it seems like, since, you know, maybe Zedaria Smith
09:01at some points.
09:02But other than that, yeah, that's what I heard out of that, at least.
09:05All right, final thing here.
09:07DJ Reed actually spoke to the media as well.
09:09He's back from injury at the corner spot.
09:12At one point, though, one of the questions that was asked of him was, right now, you've got a bunch
09:17of fill-in safeties.
09:18Guys who are asked to be more than seat warmers waiting for Kirby Joseph and Brian Branch to come back.
09:25These guys need to make plays for you.
09:27What are you seeing from the veterans that they brought in at the safety spot?
09:31What are you seeing from the veterans that they brought in at the safety spot?
10:05You know, it's interesting because I think they've done a decent job.
10:09Like, they've got guys that I think can hold down the fort.
10:12You know, Roger McCreary, that ESPN story a couple weeks ago, said he might be one of the most underrated
10:17signings of this offseason.
10:19I'm a Chuck Clark fan.
10:20He can hit you.
10:22Scott, this safety spot, it's like, hold on tight, man.
10:26And let's hope that they aren't a weakness.
10:29I think there's a chance that they can at least be average and hope that other people on defense can
10:34make plays.
10:35Well, I think it's probably the area I was most critical of with the draft because they didn't address the
10:39safety in the draft.
10:40And it looked like it was a pretty deep draft for safeties.
10:44So, getting a bunch of players that have NFL experience, whether it's at safety or at nickelback or whatever the
10:50case is,
10:52okay, that's nice on paper to have some of that to replace.
10:55But, I mean, with Brian Branch, you don't know when he's coming back.
10:58And Dan Campbell basically threw his hands up and said, how about I say December?
11:01Because I don't know.
11:02Anything else is going to be gravy and let's work with that.
11:05But somebody's going to have to start at safety for this team from day one.
11:09And maybe two guys might have to from day one, depending on what the status is with Kirby Joseph after
11:13going through a training camp.
11:15But, you know, they got a couple guys.
11:17But I do think that they're just, for the most part, fill in guys.
11:21I'm a little more encouraged by Roger McCreary than anything else.
11:24But with a safety position, yikes.
11:27Yeah, clearly the safety positions are a big question mark because of the injuries.
11:30So, these guys, you don't want to ask them to do too much.
11:33They're not going to be Pro Bowl, all Pro type safeties more than that.
11:36You know, so what they have to do is just hold on to Ford as best as possible.
11:40Hopefully the corners are, you know, I like McCree a lot, actually, Gator.
11:43I like, you know, DJ Reed.
11:45Terry and Arno, hopefully he has, you know, he lives up some upside that he showed when they took him.
11:50But the safety's just kind of got to be, don't let big plays happen behind you.
11:55Hold on to Ford.
11:55I guess we're not expecting you to be Brian Branch, Kirby Joseph, but don't be the obvious weak link.
12:00There it is, the latest from Detroit Lions OTAs.
12:03You want to keep talking Lions?
12:05248-539-9797.
12:08Got a question for Tiger fans.
12:10Straight ahead.
12:11You're on Carson Anderson on 97.1.
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