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Safeties, Rookies, and Dan Campbell Highlight Lions Camp

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Detroit Lions OTAs will feel a bit different in 2023. For the first time in a long time, Detroit comes into voluntary workouts pre-June with expectations. Dan Campbell has changed the organizational culture one bitten kneecap at a time. There is an almost high-school football feeling to the team. It’s an oddly “pure” feeling for an NFL team.

Nevertheless, the Lions are not perfect. Questions still surround the roster, and after a few years of building the trenches and drafting well, the Lions changed up their strategy, and not everyone was happy about it.

2023 Detroit Lions OTAs Preview

The most significant question surrounding the roster has to continue to be the secondary. Emmanuel Moseley is coming off an ACL tear, and Tracy Walker is rehabilitating a torn Achilles and may not be ready. But the Lions drafted guys to produce immediately, and the pressure will be on that group to perform.

Lions Secondary Taking Shape?

Walker’s recovery seems incredible. The veteran safety suffered a torn Achilles in Week 3, and he was seen on the field with his teammates at the start of May. However, being on the field and being the same player on the field are separate conversations, and history tells us the latter could be difficult to accomplish for Walker.

Meanwhile, Moseley said that he was about five months out back in March.

“I would definitely say it’s going well,” Moseley said to the media of his injury recovery. “I’ve been putting in a lot of work. I’m about five months out now. We got a lot of time in between training camp, so I am going to continue to do that, and then when it’s time for me to get out there and go, I’ll go.”

MORE: Analyzing Detroit Lions’ Best and Worst-Case Scenarios

When training camp rolls around, Moseley will be nine months separated from the injury, which is seemingly beginning to become a longer timetable for many ACL returns. But again, there’s no guarantee that he’s the same guy when he comes back.

Detroit’s additions of Cameron Sutton, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, and Brian Branch should help quell concerns. However, only one of them is an outside cornerback.

The defense will undoubtedly try to win through versatility. Most of the secondary defenders have spent time at safety and cornerback in their careers. Walker and second-year man Kerby Joseph will likely patrol the back end early, so where does that leave rookie Branch, with CGJ likely holding down the overhang/slot role in their base defense?

Is there a chance that Ifeatu Melifonwu can win back some favor on the roster at CB with some of the questions on the outside?

Can Lions Rookies Make a Splash?

detroit lions otas
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell goes through drills during Rookie Minicamp Saturday, May 13, 2023.

After signing David Montgomery in free agency and already having D’Andre Swift on the roster at the time, it was a bit surprising to see the Lions select Jahmyr Gibbs No. 12 overall in the draft. Like Swift, Gibbs is a big-play threat, which gives the Lions a nice complement to the less-explosive Montgomery. Gibbs’ explosiveness should be on full display in the light and no-contact drills associated with OTAs.

Jack Campbell was another low-positional-value selection, but CBs were taken with each of the previous two picks, and Detroit likely didn’t love their options. Campbell is the kind of freak athlete the Lions have struggled to find at the linebacker spot over the past decade or so. But his first-round selection will undoubtedly create lofty expectations.

Sam LaPorta was another high selection, and at a position that historically takes time to develop properly at the NFL level. Look no further than T.J. Hockenson, who the Lions just traded away last trade deadline. However, it arguably fits the team’s most significant need in the draft.

Branch is the big one. Can he crack the lineup somehow? Where will he play? He’s not necessarily the sort of athlete that usually finds success covering receivers around the line of scrimmage, but he played almost exclusively in the slot at Alabama.

All Ears Are on Dan Campbell

He’s the best quote in the NFL at the moment. The former NFL tight end — unsurprisingly, if you know literally anything about the position — sounds like he’s about to cut a WWE promo any second.

But the difference between Dan Campbell and other coaches that have been quotable and a bit silly is that there’s a sincerity he possesses that doesn’t often exist in the coaching ecosystem.

He got emotional and cried after a close loss to the Vikings in his first season as a head coach. The coach’s emotions showed once again when he was asked a question about the Lions in 2022 during an episode of Hard Knocks.

“When you see your players give all that they have, and you lose that way, it’s tough,” he said. “You know, you don’t want that for them.”

There is a long list of memorable quotes from Campbell. And with likely even more microphones and cameras around, he’ll likely add a few more memorable moments to the list.



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Taylor Swift Is Shown Chugging a Beer on the Jumbotron at Super Bowl 58

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Global superstar Taylor Swift made it to the big game to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce. In the second quarter, it was evident that she was having a good time at the Super Bowl after taking a 12-hour flight from Tokyo the night prior.

Taylor Swift Seen Chugging Beer at Super Bowl

Swift’s attendance has been highly anticipated, as many fans questioned whether she would be able to make it to the big game since she had been in Japan until Saturday for her Eras Tour.

Sure enough, she made it to the Super Bowl and was seen making a grand entrance alongside Blake Lively and Ice Spice.

Swift made it back to the States with plenty of time to make it to Allegiant Stadium to support Kelce. After a leg of her Eras Tour, where she performed several nights in Japan, the singer appeared to let loose.

In a box full of friends, Swift was shown chugging a beer with Ashley Avignone. She was shown on the jumbotron and slammed her cup down after she finished her beer.

There was a mix of cheers and boos as Swift was shown on the big screen, and a long pass to Mecole Hardman was the only highlight of the first half for Swift and her friends. The 49ers led the Chiefs, 10-0, late in the second quarter.

On social media, Swift garnered plenty of support from NFL fans.

If you’re hating on her you can kick rocks man she’s the best,” one user posted on X

“The one thing I learned this season is that she is actually fun,” another said. 

“Booing Taylor Swift chugging a beer is so soft. She’s just one of us now and I respect it ,” another posted. 

At the time of the beer chugging, Kelce, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, has had one catch for a single yard. It came on the first possession, which ended up being a three-and-out. The Kansas City Chiefs hadn’t done much otherwise.

They did have a deep pass play to Hardman, which put them in the red zone, but Isiah Pacheco fumbled on the very next play — one that Kelce was surprisingly on the sideline for.

Swift and Kelce have garnered much media attention as their romance has taken off throughout this NFL season.

Swift was able to support her boyfriend at many of his games throughout the final stretch of the season, as her Eras Tour was on a break. But starting on Feb. 7, she went back on the road.

MORE: NFL World Reacts to Unbelievable Super Bowl Trick Play

Despite performing in Tokyo the night before the Super Bowl, she was able to make it in time to support her boyfriend due to the time difference and is having a good time doing so.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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What Happened to the 49ers Linebacker?

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The San Francisco 49ers sustained a massive blow during the second quarter of Super Bowl 58, as linebacker Dre Greenlaw left the game on a medical cart.

CBS Sports confirmed that the veteran Greenlaw suffered an Achilles tear, ruling him out for the rest of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

What Happened to Dre Greenlaw?

The outside linebacker, who had already been battling past injuries to his hamstrings and calves, left with what appeared to be a leg injury.

And somehow, his left leg looked like it buckled as he tried to trot onto the field with the Niners’ defense.

Greenlaw clutched his left leg in agony before being helped off the field.

CBS Sports sideline reporter Evan Washburn reported that the outside linebacker left with what was ruled as a lower leg injury. He was later determined to sustain an Achilles injury.

Greenlaw was declared out for the rest of the game.

Greenlaw Carted Off in Passenger Seat

Even more noticeable was where Greenlaw sat on the cart.

He ended up leaving not in the back of the medical vehicle but ended up riding shotgun with his leg injury.

One would think that with an injury like an Achilles ailment, medical officials would try to make the player as comfortable as possible before they leave. It wasn’t the case here.

MORE: San Francisco 49ers Depth Chart

Regardless, Greenlaw was replaced by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles for the rest of the first half. Greenlaw became the most significant injury of the game.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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NFL World Reacts to Epic Super Bowl Intro From CBS

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Super Bowl 58 is here and it’s going to be exciting. The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are facing off in the final game of 2023.

CBS is broadcasting the game and the opening was nothing short of amazing. How is the NFL world reacting to the electric Super Bowl-opening video?

Epic CBS Super Bowl Intro Garners Reaction From NFL World

The video, which spanned four minutes and 19 seconds, featured players from both teams talking about the big game and what it means to them. It also featured their families talking about their journeys to this point.

“Amazing intro! Reminds me of my dad! Bravo on the intro!,” one NFL fan said on X (formerly known as Twitter)

Additionally, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” played in the background, giving it a near-movie feel. “This was incredible.,” another person said on X. “And so, the @49ers and @Chiefs face that final curtain,” CBS Sports said.

The 49ers finished the regular season as the top seed in the NFC with a 12-5 record. After their first-round bye, they defeated both the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions to earn their trip to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl. Both of their victories came in comeback fashion, including an NFC Championship-record 17-point comeback.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, had a more uphill battle. Entering the playoffs as the AFC’s third seed, they finished the regular season with an 11-6 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens to punch their ticket.

Super Bowl 58 is a re-match of Super Bowl 54 when the Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-24. The win was the first in Patrick Mahomes career, as he also won Super Bowl MVP. Four years later, the Chiefs have made three more and won another. For the 49ers, this is their first trip back to the big game since.

The game kicked off at 6:30 p.m. ET with the 49ers receiving the opening kick. In addition to being broadcast on CBS, the game is also being streamed on Paramount+.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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