Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell is ready to build on the lessons of his rookie season.
The former first-round pick was given additional duties in coverage and rushing the quarterback.
The defense has added talent on the defensive line and in the secondary, and the linebacker unit can count on the return of key players for another season, including Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes.
In a recent radio appearance on 97.1 The Ticket, Campbell talked about the progress he has made since his freshman season.
For the former Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker, the focus was on blocking and blocking, improving his understanding and recognition of route coverage, rushing the quarterback, and man-covering tight ends and running backs.
“I feel like I’ve worked a lot this offseason on how I take over blocks, how I get on blocks and get away from them instead of trying to pressure and play two-gaps. Coming from Iowa, our identity was to beat somebody. You play two-gaps. Here and in the NFL, the offensive linemen are so good when you try to do that. They just hold you down,” Campbell said. “Getting on blocks and getting away from them is something I’m trying to improve.
“I also look at route concepts like they come in zone coverage. I feel like I’ve wanted to progress in that, rushing the passer, one-on-one with defenders, I’ve tried to get better at that,” Campbell continued. “Man-to-man coverage with tight ends and running backs. I feel like that’s an area I need to improve in. It’s slow but sure, there are no big steps to success in any of those areas. I’m just going to keep working on what I need to do to be a good all-around player.”
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has seen Campbell develop during his rookie season, giving him the confidence to take on more responsibility.
“To be honest, I thought he had a really good season,” Glenn said. “But he just took the lead and started making the leap to becoming that guy.”
Detroit’s coaching staff is giving the second-year linebacker even more responsibility, knowing he can learn from mistakes and adapt to his role in the defensive scheme.
Duel against Detroit’s offense
For every member of the Lions defense, battling Detroit’s offense every day was an opportunity to grow. Ben Johnson’s offense is complex and full of talented players.
“You get to compete against the best, and that’s something we appreciate as a defense,” Campbell said. “Not just in the passing game, but in the running game. They probably have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Probably not. They’re the best offensive line in the NFL. And then you have two of the best backs in the NFL, in my opinion. I think those guys are just unbelievable. As far as the passing game, against Sam (LaPorta), I mean, he’s actually a receiver. He can block, but he’s a receiver, and he’s a damn good one. He’s a great guy. So it was good to compete against him. And then, obviously, Jared Goff has been in the league a long time and has seen a lot of football. So it was great to compete against him, too.”
This article was written by the Detroit Lions On SI staff. For more information, visit si.com/nfl/lions
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