1.) What was your biggest takeaway from Lions practice Friday?
Christian Booher: I think the biggest takeaway has to be that all the praise should be levied toward Jameson Williams. The hype has to be at least pretty real, and I'm looking forward to seeing him get going in full. Williams has had a very solid offseason, and appears ready to take his game to another level. I could see Williams getting back to the 1,000-yard plateau and getting closer to 70 or so receptions.
Vito Chirco: The Lions appear to have some solid depth in the secondary. It was nice to hear from our John Maakaron that Ennis Rakestraw put together some nice reps, including a near interception of Jared Goff. Detroit would greatly benefit from Rakestraw growing into a reliable contributor for the secondary in his second year as a pro. Maybe veteran corner D.J. Reed was on to something when he told reporters Friday that Detroit's defensive backs room is "full of dogs."
2.) Are you concerned about the backup quarterbacks?
Booher: Not quite yet. I think they still have plenty of time, and both will get four games of action in the preseason as they prepare for the regular season. Kyle Allen and Hendon Hooker still have plenty of work to do prior to training camp, and it appears that their performance at Friday's practice wasn't super inspiring, but I'm not pressing the panic button yet.
Chirco: I am a bit. Just as was the case last year, if the Lions have to go to their backups Hendon Hooker or Kyle Allen for any extended period of time, they'll be in trouble. But, that's the case with 99 percent of the NFL's 32 franchises when it comes to their backup quarterback situations.
Jared Goff is the be-all and end-all for the Lions under center, and the organization would be lost without him. I will admit, though, that I do believe Hooker is more prepared now than he was a season ago to come into a game and relieve Goff (or even spot start for him). However, I still believe Detroit would be playing with fire if it had to rely upon its backups.
3.) Marcus Davenport and Aidan Hutchinson had good practices. Does that give you a little more hope about the defensive line?
Booher: For sure, but I still need the consistency when the pads come on in training camp. I need to see Davenport stay healthy, and Hutchinson needs to get back being his old explosive self. It sounds like that's how they looked on Friday, which is very encouraging. But I think both players could create a nice tandem if able to suit up this year consistently.
Chirco: It does a bit. But, it was just one practice. And as the regular season kicks off (and progresses), I believe the Lions will realize they're in need of more pass-rush help. I don't believe that Davenport will be consistently productive enough, and there's also the chance that he doesn't stay healthy for a full season based on his track record. Consequently, Detroit is on the verge of entering another season without a sufficient pass-rushing mate for Hutchinson.
4.) How concerned are you about the absence of Alex Anzalone and Frank Ragnow at OTAs?
Booher: I'm not particularly concerned quite yet, but it is something to monitor. Both players are cornerstones of the culture, and could potentially hold out without a contract. Both players, I think, will have their financial demands met at some point prior to camp. But if they don't then, the Lions could be dealing with some new adversity with holdouts during training camp.
Chirco: I'm not deeply concerned. I say that because of the fact their absences aren't connected to physical ailments. At the same time, Anzalone and Ragnow being MIA during OTAs does prove they're legitimately upset with the current state of their respective contracts. That is definitely something for the Lions' front office, led by general manager Brad Holmes, to worry about.
Yet, at the end of the day, I don't envision Anzalone and Ragnow missing regular season action due to their unhappiness with their present contracts.
5.) What are you looking to learn this week at Lions practice?
Booher: This week, I want to learn more about the offense. With so many players sidelined this past week, I feel like more is to be learned about how veterans have progressed on both sides of the ball. After the defense seemed to be ahead of the offense in the first session, I'd like to learn more about how the offense is progressing under new offensive coordinator John Morton.
Chirco: I want to see how rookie offensive lineman Tate Ratledge continues to fare with a healthy dose of reps at center in place of Frank Ragnow. This will be a prime opportunity for Ratledge to prove his worth as a versatile lineman that can line up at various positions, including at center. I believe that the Georgia product will be up for the challenge.
I'm also intrigued to learn more about the playbooks of offensive coordinator John Morton and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard. As the Lions progress through OTAs and enter training camp, it will be interesting to see just how similar and different Morton and Sheppard are from their predecessors (Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn).