ALLEN PARK — Even through two preseason games, the Detroit Lions are eager for the opportunity to get more reps against other NFL competition.
The next few times the Lions will hit the field — both in practice and in a preseason game — will be up against the Miami Dolphins.
Beginning on Wednesday, the Lions have a pair of joint practices with the Dolphins at the team’s facility before meeting in a preseason matchup on Saturday at Ford Field.
It will be a good chance for the Lions to get more live reps with competition outside their roster. It came together for coach Dan Campbell thanks in part to the Dolphins’ nearby game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
“They were going to be out there. We’d already had our set up with Houston the last week, so I didn’t know how much I wanted to do one before that,” Campbell said Monday. “I do like doing two joint weeks, if we can. They were already going to be in Chicago, so it just kind of made sense, like, all right, why don’t you guys come out here and play us and then we’ll get a couple of days of practice.”
Campbell knows Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, the Lions’ coach being a former Dolphins assistant and interim head coach in his own right.
Getting to go up against a high-power offense that features a lot of agility with receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and a defense that can be unpredictable can offer the Lions some valuable experience before the season.
“That’s a talented roster. They’re creative on offense and they’ve got a tough (defense). That’s that kind of Baltimore background,” Campbell said. “The scheme will be good. The speed on the perimeter will be really good for our guys, obviously, with what they’ve got. We’re looking forward to it.”
Unlike the Lions’ preseason games so far, this will be the first-team offense and defense’s first time to face opposing players.
Campbell hasn’t used his starters — save for specialists and getting rookies Tate Ratledge and Tyleik Williams action against the Atlanta Falcons — in preseason.
Now the starters can get that experience, but in a more controlled environment where the coaches can dictate what scenarios they want to see their key players experience against another team.
The Dolphins used their starters sparingly against the Bears, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and many top players on the roster playing in one drive before heading to the bench.
In their joint practices, we’re expecting top players from the Lions to get reps against top players from the Dolphins ahead of Saturday’s game.
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