According to veteran writer Tim Twentyman, things got much more intense as the Detroit Lions put on pads for the first time this summer. One defensive lineman took advantage of the extra physicality by making a play that caught everyone's attention.

The Detroit Lions held their first padded practice of training camp on August 3, 2026. During an early team period, Tyler Lacy put pressure on starting quarterback Jared Goff.

Goff rolled out on a designed bootleg, expecting time to scan his receivers downfield. Instead, Lacy blew past his block and shut down the play before it could start. With no room to throw, Goff had to throw the ball to avoid taking a sack.

As noted on the Detroit Lions Official Website, Twentyman pointed out that this was the second straight practice where Lacy looked strong. Defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers walked over right after the snap to give Lacy a pat on the helmet.

The padded session also featured plenty of one-on-one trench drills. Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson split reps with offensive tackle Penei Sewell, while guard Christian Mahogany won two reps against defensive tackle Alim McNeill. 

Goff is the locked-in starter, while Lacy is fighting for a rotational role on a deep defensive line. A fourth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023, Lacy joined Detroit off waivers in 2025. 

Detroit is right at the point in camp where separation begins across the roster, and showing up in padded practices is the fastest way to get noticed.

Dan Campbell says padded practices will separate Detroit's roster

Head coach Dan Campbell spoke to reporters before practice about how much the energy changes once pads come on. As highlighted in a Sports Illustrated article, Campbell said, "by the end of this week, this roster will begin to separate itself." 

Campbell has praised Lacy earlier in camp, calling him a real football guy and a true professional who prepares the right way. Campbell described him as a physical player who fits the ideal big end role in their base defense. 

The team is also dealing with some injury moves. All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph kept working on the side during his knee rehab, while safety Brian Branch took his first outdoor reps since his Achilles injury. 

With injuries piling up in a few groups, younger players are getting more chances to show what they can do.

Every practice now carries extra weight as the team gets closer to its preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, followed by the regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

Which depth player do you think will impress the most before the regular season begins?

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Utsav Sinha