Tag: dan campbell

Teddy Bridgewater will compete for the Detroit Lions No. 2 QB spot

Veteran QB won’t participate in camp until next week

ALLEN PARK — Teddy Bridgewater has not arrived to Detroit yet, but coach Dan Campbell is fired up about adding him to the Detroit Lions roster.

Campbell and Bridgewater worked together for two years at the New Orleans Saints in 2018 and 2019. The coach has not hidden his appreciation for the veteran quarterback who is expected to compete with Nate Sudfeld for the No. 2 quarterback spot.

“When you’re with somebody for two years you get a really good feel of what they’re capable of and the way they’re wired, the way he thinks. I’ve seen him work, I’ve seen him run the offense, I’ve seen him in critical moments, I’ve seen him develop talent, the receivers,’’ Campbell said on Tuesday before the first joint practice with the Giants.

“We lost Brees, he goes 5-0. He went in there and kept the ship afloat and kept it heading right where we needed it. That means a lot to me,’’ Campbell added. “That’s all we need, to me that’s one of the reasons I wanted him here, but he’s not here yet.’’

Campbell said he didn’t see Bridgewater doing anything with the team until next week. The Lions have joint practices with the Giants today (Tuesday) and Wednesday, followed by a preseason game on Friday at Ford Field. Next week they have practices with the Jaguars on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 18, at Ford Field.

The coach specifically mentioned how Bridgewater excelled at working with the young receivers in New Orleans.

“He would come in the day before the game and he would take those young receivers, go through the whole game plan. Tell them what they’re looking for, here’s the coverage, here’s what I’m thinking, how are you running this, I don’t like that,’’ Campbell said. “He ran the scout team, he was competitive, running cards. It was awesome, man. He’s that type of guy, he’s an unbelievable teammate, he’s a pro, he’s a vet, he handles his business.’’

Bridgewater, 30, was with the Miami Dolphins last year where he played in five games with two starts, throwing four touchdown passes and four interceptions.

It will take him some time to catch up with the Lions.

“The bad news, it will be new terminology for him. So it’ll take a minute to get up to what we’re saying. The good news is that Teddy has been in every system you can imagine right now,’’ Campbell said. “He’s been through probably six different verbages, offenses, he’ll know the concepts — it’s just you call it this, I’m able to do this. That will take a little bit. But listen, Teddy’s a pro, he’s going to study the heck out of it, he’ll pick it up. He’s going to pick it up pretty fast. I’m not concerned. It will take a little bit.’’

Getting Bridgewater to work next week is key. Campbell said he needs to see if he’s still got it.

Lions handle expectations with Giants coming in for workouts

ALLEN PARK — With expectations high for the season and Ford Field season tickets sold out for the Lions’ season, coach Dan Campbell does not feel more pressure.

“I don’t feel weight, I feel the wind under my freaking wings,’’ he said on Saturday as he spread his arms like he was going to fly. 

“I love this man, this is outstanding. I love our fans, they feel it like we feel it. This is not a burden, this is not pressure, this is not weight, this gives me inspiration is what it does for me and our guys,’’ he added.

Campbell was preparing for the team’s last big practice on Saturday prior to the joint practices with the N.Y. Giants on Tuesday and Wednesday at the team’s practice facility.

He learned a few things from last year’s joint practices at the Indianapolis Colts.

“I love what we did. There were a couple of things, maybe a couple more team periods here and there, maybe we come together more. That was one of the things I loved,’’ Campbell said. “At the very end we were all on the same field, our offense was watching our defense. Then we switch it. We’ll do some of that at the very end of both days, which I like. I think it’s important that your teammates see what’s going on on the other side of the ball.’’

The combined practices allow Campbell some flexibility in who will get the reps in the preseason contests.

“There’s going to be a few players where this is their game reps. That was part of the allure for me too,’’ Campbell said. “We can really load our guys up with great looks, a lot of volume and intensity, then they might sit in games.’’

The Lions and Giants will open their preseason with a game on Friday, Aug. 11 at Ford Field.

The next week the Jacksonville Jaguars will come to Detroit for joint practices on Wednesday, Aug. 16 and Thursday, Aug. 17, with a preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 19 at Ford Field.

Lions right tackle Penei Sewell continues to impress Dan Campbell

Third-year starter says he wants it all

ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell has left zero doubt about how he feels about right tackle Penei Sewell.

“Look, I can’t say enough great things about Sewell I mean he’s – there’s a reason why he was the first pick we had two years ago because we wanted to build around a guy like him. He’s our foundation,’’ Campbell said on Friday. 

OK, those are big words. But he wasn’t done.

“He’s one of those pillars that we talk about. But I mean he is something else. He’s a man on a mission. I feel like we’re a team on a mission, but he is a man on a mission and you talk about being wired right, a guy that comes in every day, puts in the work and he’s got so much ability, but he’s got the right attitude too and I think that’s what makes him dangerous if you’re the opponent, so he’s right where he needs to be,’’ Campbell said. 

 On the first day in pads Friday, Sewell continued his stellar play. 

When told about Campbell’s complimentary words, he said: “I set high goals for me, I have high expectations for myself. He knows that, the team knows that and I just try to work at that each and every day,’’ Sewell said. “Everyone knows the everyday battles of coming out here putting the pads on, putting the helmet on, but you’ve got to put that behind you because there’s a bigger purpose than myself which is the team.’’

It’s sometimes said in the NFL the biggest “ability” is availability. Sewell is good there too. He hasn’t missed a start in his first two seasons with the Lions playing 16 games in 2021 and 17 games in 2022. Last season he even caught a touchdown pass.

Sewell was one of four Lions on offense to be named to the Pro Bowl last season and is considered one of the top right tackles in the NFL.

He’s been on an upward trajectory since he was drafted in the first round (seventh overall) in 2021 out of Oregon.

“The moment I got that call to come into this building. I knew that I got to bring myself into this building knowing I’m something different. And believe that God blessed me with different gifts than anybody else,’’ Sewell said.

It wasn’t easy at first, like any rookie he had to make the adjustment to the NFL.

“There were definitely training wheels without a doubt. … For the most part when it comes to the team aspect I feel like I fit in with the group of guys here. There was some training wheels with techniquewise and everyday consistency,’’ Sewell said.

At training camp this year expectations are high for the Lions who finished last season 9-8 and out of the playoffs.

“I want it all man, nothing less. I don’t want to give you guys specifics, that’s between me and the man in the mirror,’’ Sewell said. “I want it all. Individual teamwise, familywise — I want it all.’’

And that’s just one more reason Campbell loves having Sewell on the roster.

“If he loses, it bothers him bad, and that’s what you want. You want a guy who believes that there’s no way he should lose any rep, no matter who he’s playing and – so he’s shown up, he’s in shape, he’s lean, he’s mean and I’m glad he’s ours,’’ Campbell said.