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'Crank Man' Dee Virgin cranks up the energy in bid to make Lions

Allen Park — When there's 90 players on the offseason roster, some inevitably get lost in the more obvious story lines surrounding the team.

At cornerback, for the Detroit Lions, plenty has been written about Darius Slay's pursuit for a contract extension, the position battle for the No. 2 job between Rashaan Melvin and Teez Tabor, and the big-ticket signing of Justin Coleman to play the nickel.

But successful teams are often defined by their depth, and while the top of the rotation carries plenty of intrigue, there are less-heralded players competing for jobs where they might be called on to offer critical contributions later in the year.