Dan Campbell ushered in a new era for the Detroit Lions football team when he took over as head coach ahead of the 2021 season. In his second season, he is looking to build on the franchise’s struggles throughout its history. He knows that the fans are desperate for a winning team, and he wants to help them get it. For the team to play better than the 3-13-1 production they produced last season, they will need to see the development of many players. The Lions have a young squad, as the oldest player is Michael Brockers, 31 years old.

Going into the team’s annual “Family Festival” open practice session, there were four players that Campbell paid special attention to. “I’m excited to see what Barnes does today,” the head coach said. “I want to see what Kerby Joseph does today. You know, Iffy, what does Iffy look like? I want to see if we can get a really good, consistent day of hard work from Alim. There are some guys here that I’m looking for.” Of those four players, three are entering their second season as professionals. On the other hand, Joseph is a rookie coming out of Illinois. Both he and Melifonwu are competing for playing time at the safety position. McNeill is considered by some to be a potential breakout candidate for Detroit’s defense. This big sophomore from North Carolina State has received rave reviews throughout the season.