'Megatron' Adds To Imposing Dimensions
Lions Pro Bowl Wide receiver Calvin Johnson has packed on another five pounds of muscle to his 6-5 frame.
"My trainer was trying to get my swell on this offseason," Johnson said. "He's trying to add some weight to me legs and my shoulders. Just generate more power, more explosion. I think it's going to pay off."
--DT Ndamukong Suh had a busy summer, traveling to Europe and Australia and Mexico, among other places. When asked about it, coach Jim Schwartz said, "I don't care where I went this summer, somebody told me, 'Oh, I saw Suh in Australia, Oh I saw Suh in France.' There were more Suh sightings than Big Foot. But every single person that saw him said, 'Holy crap, he looks good.' He's in great shape. He's a pro. The best way to put it is, he's mature beyond his years."
DT Suh on battling against a second-year letdown -- "The sophomore season is not a slump for me. My goal is to increase and build off what I did last year. I want to really take it to another level and exceed what I did last year."
--WR Derrick Williams, fighting for a roster spot, has changed his number from 12 to 15. "I never liked the number 12, to be honest with you," he said.
--During the first seven-on-seven drill, the first team offense completed every pass (10-for-10). QB Matthew Stafford threw two long strikes to WR Calvin Johnson -- once beating CB Nathan Vasher by at least five yards and the other beating Jack Williams in similar fashion.
--Lions vice-chairman Bill Ford, Jr., doesn't generally comment about his football team, but he couldn't help throw a bouquet to coach Jim Schwartz and GM Martin Mayhew for his approach this offseason. "I really like the coaching staff and their approach to it all," he said. "They are very methodical. They've had a plan since Day 1 and they've stuck to their plan and it's paying off. I very much like the athletic makeup of the team and the emotional makeup of the team." As for not signing any big-name free agents, Ford said, "I think it's a function of our team needs. We are a much more complete team this year than we were last year. The team has really come together. There aren't a lot of holes."
--LB Justin Durant said one of the things that sold him on Detroit was its fearsome defensive line. Durant, 25, said he'd been eyeing the Lions since the first day he knew he was going to be a free agent. "Who doesn't want to play behind a line that has guys that are going to draw double teams and that's going to leave running lanes open for you to fill in and make plays," he said. "That's the perfect situation for me."
--CB Eric Wright comes to camp with a resume similar to Chris Houston's when he joined the Lions before 2010. Houston, after a promising start, lost his job in Atlanta but was revitalized playing in the Lions' system. Wright, who had eight interceptions in his first three seasons, fell off last season and lost his job, as well. "It's a brand new start," Wright said. "I'm just glad to be here and start fresh. From a defensive standpoint we have something special, a great front and potentially (great) on the back end."
--The following players were able to start training camp on time despite offseason surgeries: LB DeAndre Levy (groin), FS Louis Delmas (groin), RT Gosder Cherilus (knee), PK Jason Hanson (knee), OLB Zach Follett (neck), DT Ndamukong Suh (shoulder), DE Lawrence Jackson (foot), QBs Matthew Stafford (shoulder) and Shaun Hill (back) and WR Nate Burleson (elbow).
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We are going to keep the same mindset we had last season when everybody was saying we sucked and we'd be the same old Lions. Regardless if they are telling us how great we are or how bad we are, the people within these walls know we've still got to come out and play on Sunday." -- Nate Burleson on the positive national buzz surrounding the team.
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