As expected, the Detroit Lions are going to get a head start on training camp ahead of all but one team. This spring, the Lions opted out of two weeks of OTAs and three mandatory minicamp practices in order to accommodate for being in an extra preseason game—the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, July 31.
“For whatever reason, the league year started one week later than it normally does. That, and then we have the Hall of Fame Game. So, the combination of those, you bleed the offseason into this, and then you bring them back a week early—it was just, it just didn’t feel right.