Lions Planning Tough, Physical Practice. Chiefs Preparation Begins Soon

The Lions have entered their final week of training camp.

The Detroit Lions will have an intense practice Tuesday afternoon, leading up to their preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers. 

Their preparation for the Kansas City Chiefs, who they open the season against Sept. 7, could begin as soon as Wednesday. 

The team have relied on their depth throughout the first two preseason games, as many of the expected starters have yet to play a single snap. 

As a result, the strengths and weaknesses of the Lions' reserves has been on display. 

There have been encouraging moments, but certain units have drawn scrutiny for poor performance and inconsistency within the first two weeks. 

Though the depth has been a cause for concern, Dan Campbell has confidence in his team. The roster is stronger than it has been in years past, but there will naturally be areas of concern within the roster. 

"Listen, I'm good because, here's the thing, at the end of the day, no matter what happens, everybody's got holes," Campbell said. "We had a pretty damn good roster in New Orleans for a number of years, and we still had holes. It's never gonna be perfect, but we're so much farther along than we were two years ago. Look, we'll take it as it comes. Some of the things the other day -- you look at something and in the moment you're like, 'God,' collectively. But you realize that it's one person, here. And it makes it all look awful. And then the next play it's somebody else. So yeah, it's bad, but it wasn't as bad as it felt the other night, when I watched the tape. So, that's the positive side of it."

In particular, the offensive line and wide receiver depth have been exposed given their snaps. 

There have been encouraging moments as well as corrections that need to be coached up, amplifying the highs and lows of training camp. 

Notes

1.) Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes met Sunday and Monday to discuss the state of the roster. The duo have until Aug. 29 to finalize their roster ahead of the regular season. 

The ensuing practices leading up to cut day will be important for a number of players hoping to earn a spot. As a result, they will be subject to much evaluation. 

"This isn't shut off for a number of guys," Campbell explained. "We have an idea, we feel pretty good about, this is where we're thinking but that doesn't mean our minds are made up, either. So yes, absolutely, there's some guys that still have an opportunity here that could catch our eye."