Detroit Lions open OTAs as position battles loom: ‘There’s one spot, go earn it’
—
The Detroit Lions have the best safety tandem in the NFL in Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, and safeties coach Jim O’Neil said free-agent addition Avonte Maddox will be the team’s top backup at the position this fall.
Maddox played primarily as a nickel defender in his seven seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, and his addition means Ennis Rakestraw will spend the bulk of the summer working at outside cornerback.
The Lions kept four safeties on their 53-man roster most of last season, with the fourth safety playing a key special-teams role. That likely will be the case again this fall, and O’Neil said the competition for the last roster spot is fierce.
“Wegotfiveyoung,unprovenhungryguysthatthere’sonespot,goearnit,”O’Neilsaid.“Andit’sexcitingtoseethoseguyscompeteandobviouslyintheOTAs,thenthetrainingcamppracticesandthey’llgetthebulkoftheworkthroughoutthefourpreseasongames.Sowe’rewaitingononeofthemtopop.
“Hopefullytwoorthreeofthempopandweendupinagreatsituation.”
