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Detroit Lions to open offseason program today

Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions receiver Jameson Willams (9) stretches alongside quarterbacks David Blough (18), Jared Goff (16) and Teddy Bridgewater (10) before an NFL football practice, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, in Allen Park, Mich. Williams was expected to speak to reporters for the first time since the NFL reduced his suspension for gambling. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)AP

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ALLEN PARK -- A few weeks after the Detroit Lions bowed out of the playoffs in historic fashion, Dan Campbell finally mustered the courage to gather his staff and pop in the tape from the the NFC championship game. You know, a game in which they coughed up a 17-point lead in the second half.

And they watched only the second half.

“We didn’t even watch the first half,” Campbell said recently. “We just watched from the third quarter on, and kind of charted a little bit of everything on what went wrong scheme-wise, decision-wise, player-wise. ... 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. But that experience is going to play well to us. Because look, you’re either going to get better from it, or you’ll just get worse because you’re broken. And we’re not going to break. We’re just not.”

Today, the hard work of finally healing from that stunning night in San Francisco can begin.

Players have reported to Allen Park for the start of the offseason program. No on-field work is allowed, but players can participate in meetings, strength/condititioning and physical rehabilitation.

After two weeks, the Lions can move into Phase 2 of the offseason program. At that point, players can begin working on the field with each other and coaches, although the offense and defense cannot face each other until Organized Team Activities begin on May 21. OTAs run May 21-23, May 29-31 and June 10-12

There is also a mandatory minicamp on June 4-6. This is the only portion of the offseason program that isn’t voluntary, although the Lions have historically had high attendance rates throughout the program under Dan Campbell. And with their eyes firmly on a Super Bowl next season, here’s betting most of the roster will be in town today.

Rookie minicamp hasn’t been announced yet, but if the Lions follow previous seasons under Campbell, that camp will run May 10-12.

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