Dan Campbell held his typical daily press conference ahead of the Detroit Lions’ 11th training camp practice on Tuesday morning. While there was nothing particularly out of the ordinary in Campbell’s press conference, it felt particularly dense with information. And rather than bombard you with several separate stories, I felt the easiest and best way to consume the news was to summarize some of the most interesting takeaways.
So, that’s what I did. Enjoy.
Devin White is starting to look like his All-Pro self
Without a doubt, Devin White’s career has
taken a drastic left turn. After earning second-team All Pro honors his second ever NFL season, his play has gotten increasingly uneven. The Buccaneers didn’t offer him an extension, he was released by the Eagles without playing a single snap for them, he started just one game for the Texans, and then even last year—when he started 17 games for the Raiders and finished third in the NFL in tackles—the tape revealed some mixed results and White went unsigned in free agency… until the Lions grabbed him last week.
Campbell knows White pretty well. When White was at the top of his game with the Buccaneers in 2019-20, Campbell was across the division, having to game plan against him as the Saints assistant head coach and tight ends coach.
The Devin White he’s seen a week into Lions camp is closer to that All-Pro Buc than the Raider who struggled.
“He looks like a different guy than what we saw in Vegas last year on tape. I mean, he’s moving well, he’s thumping, pretty smart,” Campbell said. “He’s got speed, still has that speed. And what I’m seeing right now, that’s what I remember in Tampa Bay when I was in New Orleans. That was the guy, he was a headache.”
The WR room is the most talented he’s seen—and the WR5/6 battle is HOT
I asked Campbell which wide receivers were sticking out besides the players at the top of the depth chart. For the most part, he opted not to name names, but rather offer high praise for the entire room.
“This is the best receiver room we’ve had since I’ve been here in camp, top to bottom,” Campbell said. “I mean, those guys are gifted. It’s a really good crew, man. And they’re all pretty tough, they’re all a little bit different the way they’re built. And every one of those guys has flashed on one day or another, has done something pretty damn good.”
But Campbell eventually let one name slip, and it’s probably not the one you’d expect.
“Tay Martin, man, makes plays every day,” Campbell said. “And he’s intriguing on offense, but he makes special teams plays every day. And that’s important to us.”
Martin comes to Detroit after a strong season in the UFL with the Columbus Aviators. The 6-foot-1, 184 pound receiver caught 42 passes for 483 yards and two touchdowns. He’s someone to watch during Thursday’s preseason game.
Keep an eye on Erick Hunter
Undrafted rookie Erick Hunter has been a fan favorite among Detroit’s 2026 UDFA class because of some ridiculously good tape and incredible production (102 tackles, 14 TFLs in 2025) at Morgan State. Many small school players enter the NFL in over their head, but Hunter has started to make plays on a daily basis, and Campbell has certainly noticed.
“He’s athletic and he takes notes, he listens, he works his tail off in practice,” Campbell said. “And every day he’s kind of another one of those guys that makes plays every day. And he certainly makes plays every day in special teams. Every day he’s making a block or he’s making a tackle. And you just see growth on defense.”
Campbell was quick to point out that he’s still very much learning and “doesn’t know what he doesn’t know yet,” but the effort he’s putting out both in the classroom and the field has stuck out.
Nick Whiteside ain’t scared
In my opinion, Nick Whiteside’s ascent has been the story of training camp. In a Lions cornerback room desperate for some optimism, Whiteside climbing from the bottom of the depth chart to the first-team reps has been an injection of hope.
Campbell has already commented about how Whiteside is making daily plays and is too hard to ignore right now. But what I found interesting about his comments on Tuesday was how it’s been Whiteside’s attitude that has been particularly impressive.
“Here’s what I love about Ironsides is it is not too big for him,” Campbell said. “He doesn’t care who’s across from him, he will compete and he’s going to try to use his craft. And he doesn’t go in a shell and he’s defeated before the play is even snapped.
“I mean, really, I know this sounds crazy, but some guys, man, all of a sudden, man, Jamo’s across from me or (Amon-Ra) Saint (Brown), and I’m already done, and the fear is already there. He is not that way. This guy, it doesn’t matter who’s there. He’s going to try to use his craft and compete and you love that.”
