A day after Jeff Daniels and Jeff Fisher visited Detroit Lions training camp, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and former Tigers great Willie Horton checked out practice. Izzo was very impressed with the team and the job Jim Schwartz has done as he gets ready for his third preseason as Lions coach.
With the preseason opening on Friday for Detroit, Thursday was the final day of preparation for the Lions. The coaches were able to determine which players won't be playing on Friday, and they also got a chance to see how the injury situation looks. Here's the latest:
- WR Calvin Johnson didn't practice, but he did go through the warm-ups. The Lions are making it sound like nothing is wrong, and Johnson was talking like he plans to play on Friday.
- OT Gosder Cherilus did practice, which is a great sign. He seems likely to play against Cincinnati.
- OT Tony Ugoh was mysteriously absent for the second day in a row. His status going forward seems to be up in the air, so the Lions signed OT Kirk Chambers and waived/injured OG Jeff Maddux.
- WR Titus Young also missed practice again as he continues to struggle with a hamstring injury.