Filling leadership void, Kerry Hyder's progress important as Lions start spring

After two months, three meetings with the media and the beginnings of revamping the Detroit Lions' roster, Matt Patricia finally gets to start doing one of the things he most enjoys Monday.

Coaching. And meeting his players – many of them for the first time.

As the Lions open up their offseason program with the first phase of spring workouts, players will finally start to get a better feel for what Patricia is like in person and what could be expected of them this year. For others, it’ll likely be a first true meeting with their new position coach and, in the defense’s case, coordinator Paul Pasqualoni.

And they’ll start to get to know some of the free agents brought in – including in the…