Detroit Lions Weblog

Jordan Dizon, Takeo Spikes, Leigh Bodden, Caleb Campbell, Camp Ensues

The Lions have entered training camp without signing 2nd round draft pick Jordan Dizon(oops, he’s signed now!), a player whose success in the cover-2 is crucial to any aspirations the Lions have for their ‘08 season.

Dizon, given his DUI prior to the draft, is truly damaging the supposed “character” appellation that the Lions applied to him upon his early selection in the draft. Would Chris Spielman hold out, with such a large challenge ahead of him?

The Lions would really like to sign Takeo Spikes but, apparently, he has decided to keep visiting other teams in order to avoid submerging himself within another disastrous situation akin to the one he left behind in Cincinnati, earlier in his career. Spikes would go along ways towards buying the Lions some crucial developmental time for some of their younger linebackers, that’s for certain.

Leigh Bodden was given a four year contract extension by the Lions yesterday. Is it me, or are my Pat Swilling, Scott Mitchell, and Bill Schroeder- (Oh, there have been so many more!) new Lion “disaster sensors” failing me in regards to Bodden? Shouldn’t Bodden actually have to perform in order to garner an extension and raise? I am a cynical Lions fan to the end, I guess.

I was sick of hearing about Caleb Campbell upon his 7th round selection in April, and the hubbub surrounding his change in playing status really confounds me. In one regard, Campbell is U.S. government property, right or wrong, so I don’t believe that he has got a legitimate beef by being called to service.

That being said, what is the Army thinking? If they had waited, they still would have gleaned a lot of positive publicity from Campbell’s pre-season performance, and given that he wouldn’t have likely made the team, still would have him back for active duty in a couple of months.

Now, they have a bit of public relations disaster on their hands. Has their ever been a 7th round draft pick in the NFL who has generated this level of discussion before? Did I forget to mention that Campbell was ONLY a seventh round draft pick, by the way?

I am glad that training camp has begun. It reduces my consternation, somewhat, but I am more hopeful entering the season knowing that the Lions will likely not being facing Brett Favre in either a Packers, or more improbably, a Vikings jersey.