That said, one Lions star shared why he was unavailable for OTAs following Thursday’s practice. According to Detroit Lions reporter Tim Twentyman, during OTAs, “Amon-Ra St. Brown told reporters he had a cleanup knee surgery in the offseason, but should be ready for training camp.”
While that’s frustrating news, St. Brown not being as available early in training camp could mean another Lions receiver will get some experience on the field. Even though St. Brown said he “should be ready for training camp,” it would make sense that he might not start out training camp 100%.
St. Brown is considered the top wide receiver for the Lions down the field. In 2024 season, he had 1,263 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns and a 115 receptions, the latter which was the most for the Lions. So, him missing OTAs is a bummer.
On a positive note, Twentyman also said head coach Dan Campbell commented that, “two players who have stood out this spring are RB Jahmyr Gibbs and WR Jameson Williams.”
Also good is that the team’s OTAs didn’t end in a massive fight, which is what happened with the New York Giants.
More Observations from the Detroit Loins’ OTAs
Other players could benefit from St. Brown not being available right now. As Candace Pedraza of SideLion Report noted in a June 5 piece, “Williams is getting a lot more attention as a result. And, given how high basically everyone on the Lions’ staff seems to be about Williams headed into the 2025 season, it’s a good thing that he’s getting the focus on offense from Goff.”
He adds that “This also allows for rookie Isaac TeSlaa to likely get more attention in OTAs. The 3rd round pick for the Lions has been hailed for his athleticism and strength, but we didn’t get to see too much of his pass catching abilities at Arkansas due to inconsistent quarterback play there.”
In a June 5 feature for the Detroit Lions, Twentyman also stated that with Terrion Arnold not doing OTA practices, it’s meant more opportunity for guys like second-year cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. to show their stuff. “Campbell said Rakestraw is one of the players who has stood out this spring. He also said the best players are ultimately going to play,” he added.
