Lions' Dan Campbell confirms a long held suspicion about the preseason

When the Detroit Lions preseason schedule came out there was some curiosity about who might play in the preseason games and if we might see some starters. It seemed easy to figure out the answer on the first game at least.

Dan Campbell and the Lions have looked at joint practices like an opportunity for players to get a lot of reps against competition and on Monday he talked about how players will be judged on these joint practices like they're games and it will be a part of their evaluation. So does that mean the team will follow the tradition of not playing starters after joint practices? It certainly looks that way.

"Some of the guys we know we're going to count on during the season, I don't see them necessarily playing, and if they do, not very many reps. But our young guys are going to get a lot of these, and developmental players are going to get a ton of these reps." Campbell said. " I don't see Goff playing in this one."

There you go. Plan on most of the starters sitting this one out, but keep an eye on some of the rookies going out there and getting some time. Just like last year when we saw Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell and Sam LaPorta, we're likely to see Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw. Arnold cleared concussion protocol by the way.

This game is mostly going to be about the young players setting themselves apart and showing what they can do in game action. Now that we know Goff is out, plan on seeing a lot of Hendon Hooker. He's going to get those reps Campbell talked about on Monday.

Next week when the Lions don't have a joint practice is going to be the one where we really wonder what the Lions do.

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