Over the course of the next three days, the Detroit Lions will have their rookie minicamp at Allen Park, where they will work with draft picks, undrafted rookie signings, and first-year players who are coming in for a tryout. But there’s going to be a big hole.
Dan Campbell, the head coach of the Lions, will not be present for rookie minicamp, reported Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, for an unspecified personal reason. According to Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, Campbell won’t be able to participate in rookie minicamp at least until the first day, but in the end, it might not really matter.
Campbell is anticipated to rejoin the team later this month, according to Birkett.
Following Friday through Sunday’s rookie minicamp, the Lions will get together for full team OTAs on May 21–23. There will also be additional OTA exercises from May 29–31 and June 10–12, along with a required minicamp from June 4-6.
Dan Campbell will not attend the Lions’ rookie minicamp
At least two of the future head coaches of the NFL are among the former players that Campbell has gathered for his coaching staff. Therefore, whoever is in charge of rookie minicamp in lieu of the head coach will have capable hands. Regardless of their status (draft pick, UDFA, or tryout), it’s undoubtedly upsetting for those new rookies to have to wait to work with their head coach.
Without a doubt, Campbell would like to attend this weekend. Few coaches appear to be able to connect with players like he can, and at the NFL owners’ meetings in March, he was excited to start the offseason program with the goal of moving past the team’s loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game (h/t to Rogers).
“I think we’ve got to put a tremendous amount of stress on our players before the season gets here, starting in OTAs, but then certainly in training camp, a lot more than we have and just mold them and shape them and get them there,” Campbell stated. “That will be a positive experience for us. Because, well, you’re broken, so either you get better from it or you just get worse.”
“We will not crumble. We simply aren’t. It’s thrilling as we have too many excellent people.”
Before rookie minicamp on Friday morning, the Lions revealed the signing of Christian Mahogany, Sione Vaki, Mehki Wingo, and Giovanni Manu, their four Day 3 draft selections.
