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5 Storylines to Watch During Lions’ Mandatory Minicamp

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5 Storylines to Watch During Lions’ Mandatory Minicamp


For the first time this offseason, the Detroit Lions will conduct mandatory team workouts.

From June 4-6, the Lions will host their mandatory minicamp at their Allen Park facility. The team will be out in full force, as many veterans who sat out the optional period will be required to participate. As a result, it will offer a full look at what the Lions have to offer.

For Dan Campbell’s group, it is a chance for the team to take its first steps toward their hopes of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

Here are five storylines to follow throughout the Lions’ three-day mandatory minicamp.

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Open opportunities

The Lions won’t have their roster in full force for mandatory minicamp, as some players will sit out while rehabbing injuries. Namely, the safety position could have an interesting look with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph sidelined.

As a result, some unheralded players could get a bigger look during the three-day event. Players such as Brandon Joseph and undrafted rookies Loren Strickland and Chelen Garnes could be the beneficiaries and spend some time on elevated defensive units.

No roster spots will be won in June, but players can certainly begin to form impressions on the coaching staff with a strong performance during minicamp.

Jamo’s growth

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Campbell spoke about Jameson Williams being the team’s most improved player ahead of the start of OTAs. Yet, he has had up-and-down performances during the two open sessions of OTAs.

With minicamp offering the opportunity for reporters to get a thorough look at the practices, this upcoming week should create a strong look at what Williams has to offer for the Lions in 2024. Is he going to simply be a deep threat? Or will he have more to offer for the offense.

Williams should statistically improve on last year’s numbers, but the opportunity is available for him to be a big time contributor for the offense. He can take more steps in the right direction with a strong performance at minicamp.

Extended look at Hendon Hooker

Much like Williams, Hendon Hooker is a player who has garnered a lot of attention throughout the offseason. After missing most of his rookie year to rehab a torn ACL, Hooker is getting his first taste of a full NFL offseason.

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He has been spotty in open practices to this point, so the three-day evaluation period should allow for more concrete observations as to his status. The Lions will give Hooker opportunities to claim the backup job, but he must perform in order to earn it.

Hooker has a ways to go before training camp, so minicamp should provide the baseline for his development heading into the final week of OTAs.

Cornerback rotations

The Lions have a revamped cornerback room, and as a result they have several ways they could combine their pieces. Carlton Davis appears to be the number one option, but the team has several ways it could go.

This is a luxury that defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has not had since coming to Detroit. It will be intriguing to see how the Lions mix and match their options including Davis, rookies Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw, Emmanuel Moseley and free agent Amik Robertson.

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Additionally, incumbents Kindle Vildor, Khalil Dorsey and Steven Gilmore will also be fighting for reps. It should be a very competitive three days for this position group.

Undrafted standouts

One storyline to follow throughout the offseason pertains to the undrafted rookies. In each of Campbell’s first three seasons, at least one undrafted rookie has made the final roster out of camp. As a result, the odds are with someone within this year’s crop making the team.

Could it be kicker James Turner defeating Michael Badgley in the kicking competition? Or one of three undrafted centers edging out a young offensive lineman for a depth spot? There’s also plenty of intriguing defensive players.

One other player to keep an eye on is Illinois’ Isaiah Williams. The undrafted wideout profiles as a slot receiver, but could also be of impact in the return game with the new kickoff rules.

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Detroit, MI

Rain-soaked Detroit job seekers show skills, grit at Comerica Park hiring event

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Rain-soaked Detroit job seekers show skills, grit at Comerica Park hiring event


DETROIT – Hundreds of Detroiters ditched the paper application and showed up ready to work Saturday, demonstrating their trade skills live in front of contractors looking to hire — right outside Comerica Park.

More than 620 people turned out for the event, braving wet weather to complete a hands-on skills course designed to let job seekers prove what they could do on the spot.

“We’re out in the rain and we’re supporting the city of Detroit,” said Luke Harris, one of the job seekers who participated.

The rain didn’t slow anyone down. Determined applicants trudged through puddles to finish the skills course, performing directly in front of contractors scouting for new hires.

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Guy Cohoon of Clark Contracting Services said he was looking for one thing above all else: “Anyone that wants to come in, work hard, and show up every day on time.”

Partners unite to put Detroiters to work

The event was organized by a coalition of local partners, including Olympia Development, the Detroit Tigers, the city of Detroit, and the Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters.

Tom Lutz, executive secretary treasurer of the Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters, said the goal is simple: open doors. “Getting those doors open and providing those opportunities is what we’re doing,” Lutz said.

Rian English-Barnhill, vice president of government and community affairs for Olympia Development, echoed that commitment. “We are all leaning in to put Detroiters to work,” she said.

For many attendees, the event represented more than just a job fair — it was a chance to change their trajectory.

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“I don’t know if it’s a for sure opportunity, but it’s an opportunity,” said Markiest Doss, one of the job seekers who participated. “Just ready to upgrade in life.”

Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.



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Detroit, MI

Michigan man dies months after alleged attack by DoorDash driver

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Michigan man dies months after alleged attack by DoorDash driver



A 75-year-old Wixom man who was allegedly attacked by a DoorDash driver back in December has died from his injuries on May 16, his family says

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Lloyd Poole’s stepdaughter, Lindsey Gonzalez, tells CBS Detroit that Poole and his wife had just gotten back from Ireland before this alleged attack, and they had plans to travel to Alaska. 

“It stinks that basically my mom and his golden years of traveling and being retired was taken away by this man,” said Gonzalez.

“He had seven different brain surgeries during that time, numerous infections during that time. He ended up with pneumonia a couple times. It was just a downwhirl spiral since everything happened that night,” said Gonzalez.

Police say on Dec. 28, officers were called to the area of Barberry Circle and Windingway Drive for a report of a man lying unconscious in the roadway. Authorities say that 40-year-old Ryan Daniel Turner, a DoorDash driver, went to the police station and admitted to punching Poole after he was confronted for speeding through the neighborhood.

“The medical examiner did rule the cause of death as homicide by blunt force head trauma,” Gonzalez told CBS Detroit.

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Records show that Turner was arraigned on one count of aggravated assault. He is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing. However, Poole’s family says they are frustrated that Turner is out on bond.

“I mean, he’s out on bond on house arrest on a tether, so he’s not going anywhere, but he’s still sitting out, and this happened to Lloyd,” said Gonzalez. 

CBS News Detroit reached out to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, which says it is aware of Poole’s death. It is unclear if charges will be updated.



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Grading Jack Campbell Detroit Lions Contract Extension

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Grading Jack Campbell Detroit Lions Contract Extension


The Detroit Lions checked off a major item from their offseason to-do list Thursday. 

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They inked linebacker Jack Campbell, the heart and soul of their defense, to a four-year contract extension worth $81 million (reportedly $51.5 million guaranteed). It was a well-deserved extension for Campbell, who was named to his first Pro Bowl and earned first-team AP All-Pro honors in 2025.

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The 25-year-old will enter the 2026 season as the second-highest paid off-ball linebacker in the NFL at $20.25 million per year, trailing only San Francisco’s Fred Warner ($21M/year).

Campbell led all Lions defenders – and finished second in the league – with 176 tackles last season, while playing in all but eight of the team’s 1,105 defensive snaps. He also notched career-high totals in sacks (five), forced fumbles (three) and fumble recoveries (two) while recording a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 90.2. It marked the second-best PFF overall grade among 88 qualified linebackers a season ago. 

In addition to his high-level production, Campbell has donned the green dot and served as the de facto “quarterback” of the defense the last two seasons, relaying calls to the rest of the unit from Detroit’s defensive coaching staff. 

Lions head man Dan Campbell offered high praise for the middle linebacker this past December. 

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“He’s our bell cow,” Campbell said. “He’s smart and he’s instinctive, and he is snap to whistle all out, all the time. In practice, too. And he doesn’t take plays off, he doesn’t take days off. He goes after the football, he’s a ball guy. So, he’s invaluable.”

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The fourth-year pro has grown into an immensely valuable member of Detroit’s defense, morphing from an inconsistently productive, part-time starter in 2023 (57.3 PFF grade) to one of the NFL’s very best linebackers. And the Iowa product has proven to be especially proficient against the run, with no less than a 75.9 PFF run-defense grade in his first three NFL seasons. 

Campbell has proven time and time again he’s capable of captaining a defense, and he’s more than validated Detroit general manager Brad Holmes’ initially criticized decision to select an off-ball linebacker at No. 18 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

“This is Jack Campbell’s defense,” Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard told reporters at the NFL combine in February. “And I don’t hesitate when I say that. This is Jack Campbell’s defense, and everybody in that locker room knows it, point blank, period. It all goes through Jack.”

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He’s more than earned the right to be the leader of Sheppard’s unit, and Detroit should be in good hands with Campbell patrolling the middle of the defense in 2026. 

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Holmes & Co. made an extremely wise decision locking up the gritty linebacker until 2030 and should be commended for such. At this present juncture, I believe the Campbell extension deserves an “A” grade.

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