Lions Lowdown

ALLEN PARK >> Teez Tabor soaks it all in.

The second-year Detroit Lions cornerback is in competition for the opening at cornerback opposite Darius Slay. It’s intense with Nevin Lawson, Quandre Diggs, Jamal Agnew and DeShawn Shead also in the mix.

“There’s a lot of extreme competition but that only makes the team better, it makes our room better,’’ Tabor said on Sunday, the third day of camp.

Also, in the back of his mind he’s thinking about a future as a football coach.

“I just love the game of football. Obviously you can’t play forever, I wish I could,’’ Tabor said on Sunday.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

First things first, he’s got work to do on the field at training camp. He’s feeling more comfortable in his second training camp.

Sunday was the first day in pads which featured a live session toward the end of the two-hour session.

“(Physicality) is one of coach’s biggest things. He wants us to be a tough football team. It’s just the game of football, usually the tougher team wins,’’ Tabor said.

The cornerback said the team was physical last year too it’s just that Patricia “emphasizes it a lot.”

Tabor, who is on the tall side for a corner at 6-foot, regularly goes up against 6-foot-4 wide receiver Kenny Golladay during camp drills.

“I love going against Kenny, him and Marv (Jones) are big guys, strong guys too and can high-point the football. Definitely some good work going up against those type of  guys being real physical,’’ Jones said.

Shead, a 6-foot-2 veteran who was signed as a free agent, has been helping Tabor develop.

“I learn a lot, we talk on a daily basis just about stuff we see out there on the field,’’ Tabor said. “We pitch things back and forth. I’ve learned a lot from him. He comes from a system where bigger corners are favored. And I’ve been taking little bits and pieces from his game.’’

Tabor speaks highly of Patricia or as he calls him Matty P.

Patricia, who is running his first camp as a head coach, is all over the field during each session.

“I’m pretty sure coach is involved in everything. I love it because one day I want to be a head coach. I kind of, everywhere I’ve been I’ve taken things from a lot of people,’’ Tabor said. “If I could be like one guy I’d want to be like him just because he’s not like (having) assistant coaches do the job. He demands what he wants and I feel like all great coaches have that quality, they’re going to demand greatness, demand everything they want and they get it.’’

Tabor has given much thought to his future.

“I want to be around the game of football. I’ve learned from a lot of people. I watch how (Patricia) runs his meetings, how he interacts with his players, how he cares about his players. He definitely cares about his players. Just everything, watching and learning,’’ Tabor said.

Tabor doesn’t keep a notebook but takes mental notes of what he can learn from Patricia and other coaches. He also likes how Patricia runs meetings. Same for Jim Caldwell who was fired in January.

“How (Caldwell) ran his meetings, it wasn’t always about football. It was about us being better men,’’ Tabor said. “He would give us stories from ancient times to two days ago, it was like you actually learned, he was real cool in his team meetings.’’

Tabor has much on his plate at the moment. Not only competing for a starting role, but also earning a spot on the 53-man roster. Like all of the Lions, he won’t talk about last year but he did improve as the season wore on. He played in 10 games, starting one.

ALLEN PARK >> First piece of business at Detroit Lions training camp on Sunday morning, was looking to see if Marvin Jones was on the field. Indeed he was.

Jones got tangled with a teammate in Saturday’s session and went to the ground. He walked it off, but sat out the second half of that practice.

Prior to practice, coach Matt Patricia said Jones was fine but would not elaborate or even say if he would be working.

“This was the first day of pads, obviously I was going to be out there,’’ Jones said.

It wasn’t scary when he went down — at least in his mind. Lions fans were holding their collective breath.

Five thoughts from Jones after the first three days of training camp:

1. A key theme under Matt Patricia is to play physical. Jones said that’s the way they played last year too. “Every team wants to and has to be physical in order to dominate so all we can do is keep working on that and this was the first day (in pads),’’ Jones said.

2. Jones and Golden Tate have put up consistent numbers the past three seasons. Last season they each surpassed 1,000 receiving yards. So far they’ve looked strong in camp. “Any player in the League they want to be consistent and kind of stay on top for the length of their careers. That’s what everybody strives for is to be consistent,’’ Jones said. “We have a good time doing it. We’re out here working. Last year didn’t really matter but we want to keep it consistent and keep making plays.’’

3. Jones and Tate are 1A and 1B on the depth chart and it doesn’t appear like that will change under Patricia. They cheer each other on. “I just get excited to watch (Tate) play that’s how we all are,’’ Jones said. In 2017 Jones had 61 catches for 1,101 yards and nine touchdowns while Tate had 92 catches for 1,003 yards and five touchdowns.

4. Since the run game stunk last season, a real emphasis has been placed on it in training camp. That’s all good with Jones. “It starts up front, you want to run and that’s going to to open up everything and vice versa. We’re out here just working and being a better team,’’ Jones said.

5. Jones, who is entering his seventh NFL season, takes his role as a mentor seriously. Second-year wide receiver Kenny Golladay has said how much he depends on Jones when he has questions. It’s not just young wide receivers that Jones can help. “Anything I can do even with the defensive backs, we all coach each other up. I spend time coaching the young DBs and the your wide receivers as well because we’re all a team,’’ Jones said. “As soon as you get those guys going and getting acclimated to the NFL the better. …  As much knowledge as I can instill in everybody than I’ll do that. Maybe people have got something to say to me I always listen, that’s part of being a great player is sharing knowledge and gaining knowledge.’’

ALLEN PARK >> It’s a big step for NFL wide receivers when they take the step from their rookie year to year 2.

Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay, who had 28 receptions for 477 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games as a rookie, is in that position now.

“The coaches have high expectations, I have high expectations. I just want to open these coaches’ eyes,’’ Golladay said on Saturday. “I want to let them know I’m here to work hard each and every day. I want to make plays for this team.

A third-round pick in 2017, he played well enough last year to have earned confidence from Matthew Stafford and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter.

He can take a big leap this year to join top receivers Golden Tate and Marvin Jones who each had 1,000 receiving yards last season.

It’s been done before.

In 1992, Lions wide receiver Herman Moore took a gigantic leap in his second year. The 1991 first-round pick was a disappointment as a rookie with just 11 catches for 135 yards and no touchdowns. He came back the second year with 51 receptions for 966 yards and four touchdowns. He just kept improving and still stands as the Lions’ second-best receiver of all-time.

Not to compare the 6-foot-4 receivers too much, but certainly it shows there is a chance for Golladay to dominate.

Five thoughts from Golladay after the second day of training camp on Saturday:

1. He’s playing at about the same weight as a year ago but says he is stronger. “As of right now how I’m different from last year is I want to come out here every day and make plays, of course I wanted to do that last year,’’ Golladay said. “Right now I have to dominate every day and that’s something I’m looking forward to.’’

2. While he won’t share his personal goals for this season, but talks about the big picture. “As far as training camp, I’m trying to come out here each and every day and get better. That’s about it,’’ Golladay said. “Just work on the little things — routes, catching the ball, running after the catch, tucking the ball away. That’s about it.’’

3. While he’s taller than his teammate Marvin Jones, he certainly can learn from the veteran receiver. “When we’re in the meeting room I ask questions here and there, I sit right in front of  (Jones) and I can lean back easily and ask him anything. I watch him as well,’’ Golladay said. “It’s great to have someone on the team — of course I’m taller than him — but he plays as if he’s my height with his jumping ability. He’s still lanky.”

4. He’s made a few nice catches in the first few days and said he feels good. “Tomorrow we get the pads on. A lot of people are excited right now and everyone should be. It’s fun to get back out there and start football back up,’’ Golladay said.

5. While he was just getting acclimated to the NFL as a rookie, this year he can focus solely on football. “I’m a year older, I’m more familiar with the offense each and every day, I’m trying to learn every position on the field as far as the receiver standpoint goes,’’ Golladay said.