We are a few days before the opening of the Lions pre-season in Detroit in Canton, Ohio, for the match of the renowned temple, and the coach Dan Campbell has an interesting decision in his hands.
During most of his mandate, Campbell chose to rest the most – if not all – of his beginners during the pre -season. Regarding high -end starters, Campbell chooses to prepare the regular season for these players via internal melee and joint practices. This year, the Lions are hosting a total of three joint practices, giving these people the same opportunity to obtain what is close to live representatives.
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But Campbell has already indicated that he could end up playing two potential starters in pre-season this year. When asked if the recruits will play in the pre -season – with strong inference on the choices in the first and second round Tyleik Williams and Tate Ratledge – Campbell said that these players needed a little playing time.
“I think all these guys must play in a match or games,” Campbell said on Saturday. “So, I think our young guys will – I see them playing in this game. Now, will I say that it is written in the stone right now? No, I am not. But I think that I would like to play these guys. This is the good news. We had four games here starting with the Hall of Fame to make them representatives, so it will be the plan.”
It is not controversial to think that young players should get a pre-season game. In fact, these are exactly the kinds of players who will benefit from the action of the game. However, Williams and Ratledge are a bit different. On the one hand, they are already damn good players. Second, these players are currently split to start roles in relatively thin positions. If they injure themselves during the pre-season, it could be devastating.
The question of today of the day is therefore:
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Should Tyleik Williams, should Tate Ratledge play in pre-season?
My answer: Yes, but both should be relatively short. Over a quarter of a game seems a little too much.
Let’s first look at these positions. If Williams was to undergo an injury – after the loss of Levi Onwuzurike and the current injuries to Alim McNeill and Mekhi Wingo – Lions would be online to start someone like Pat O’Connor alongside Dj Reader. If it is not him, we are talking about Chris Smith, Raequan Williams or Keith Cooper. These are players who are not even projected to make the team.
And if Ratledge undergoes an injury, Detroit would probably be by default to one of the two veterans of the team: Netane Muti or Kayode Awosika. It is not exactly a nightmarish scenario, but these two have almost no work with beginners so far.
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With Ratledge, in particular, I think that the additional work is worth it. The Lions will have a tonne on him this year, and the offensive line is essential to the success of this team. Since the Lions have already rebounded it between the center and the guard, the more representatives it gets, the better. I think the depth is a little better in this position, so if they wanted to play Ratledge a little over a quarter, I understand.
Williams also crosses a little position transition. Although he has played a lot of three techniques (3T) at the university, he will be invited to make more than operate a block and two shots in the defense of Detroit. Lions see a potential for precipitation in him, which requires an entirely new approach to his game. In this sense, Williams will likely benefit from a certain playing time in pre-season. However, the team is simply too beaten and bruised during the defensive tackle that I would not extend its opportunities beyond a series or two.
What do you think? Vote in the survey below and share your reasoning in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
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