Dan Campbell’s no-hype ‘pajama party’ take on OTAs fits Lions’ offseason approach

ALLEN PARK -- Dan Campbell and nan building “pajama party” are nary strangers to each different erstwhile it comes to nan Detroit Lions and organized activity practices successful precocious May.

The Lions coach has ever utilized that building to nonstop location nan reasoning that these are unpadded practices and jobs are won and mislaid successful August, and not precocious May. But he took it different measurement guardant pinch nan team’s return to action this past week. Campbell was not budging connected his stance to not hype anyone aliases immoderate position group up this clip of year, saying it’s simply not worthy it.

MLive’s Dungeon of Doom podcast was astatine nan squad installation connected Friday to watch practice, perceive from Campbell, different coaches and executives, not to mention respective players aft nan on-field session. Hosts Kory Woods and Ben Raven weren’t amazed by Campbell’s reside aliases avoidance of unpadded hype season.

The guys noted that while immoderate mightiness return Campbell’s comments aliases demeanor successful a antagonistic aliases dismissive way, that’s not really we received it. This each felt to fresh pinch his pre-existing return connected this clip of nan shot calendar, and pinch nan team’s tweaked attack to nan offseason. From skipping rookie minicamp and associated practices to nan all-business schedule merchandise erstwhile astir are focused connected flexing their imaginative muscle, this fresh that approach.

Raven and Woods noted that it wasn’t Campbell being disengaged aliases disinterested; this was him reference nan room aft past season, and sticking to his existent feelings and outlook connected May’s unpadded practices. It’s astir getting up to speed, moving pinch your teammates, learning nan playbook and getting nan mentals caught up connected nan quest to get fresh for training camp.

Raven laid it retired plainly, Friday was nan team’s 3rd practice, guys are knocking nan rust off, pinch rookies getting backmost to shot aft training for nan draught process aft a grueling assemblage shot season. Nobody is hitting. Nobody is successful pads. The linemen haven’t moreover clanked successful nan trenches.

“I would opportunity this. I did announcement a alteration successful his disposition, but it’s -- I won’t opportunity it was mad,” Woods said of nan coach’s approach. “To me, it seemed for illustration focused, locked in. It’s each astir business.”

We covered each of this and much in our observations from Friday’s OTA believe successful Allen Park. It was a mostly ammunition believe of walk/jog-throughs, pinch a seven-on-seven convention betwixt nan discourtesy and defense to extremity nan time of work. The Lions person 2 weeks of OTA practices near and past 2 days of mandatory minicamp successful mid-June earlier breaking for summer.

“But I’m done pinch nan hype of nan pajama statement successful May,” Campbell explained of his stance. “... I’m not hyping anybody up, not successful May, it’s not worthy it.”

See beneath to perceive to nan latest afloat section from nan Dungeon of Doom podcast. To taxable mailbag questions for early episodes, email [email protected]:

• Why Lions RB says his caller position coach is nan 1 he’s ever needed
• ‘It’s present now’: Lions DT feels for illustration himself again aft quiet return from injury
• Lions rookie tackle soaks up each OTA rep alongside Detroit’s veterans
• Our favourite photos from Lions’ first outpouring OTA
• Analyzing everything we heard and saw pinch Lions’ return to action for OTAs

I screen nan Detroit Lions for MLive aft starting my profession pinch nan MLive sports desk, Jackson Citizen Patriot, MLive Detroit and nan trending news team. I americium a lifelong Michigander, Central Michigan...