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Three early candidates for the Detroit Lions training camp darling.

By Ash Thompson

TOLEDO, OH - OCTOBER 15: Wide receiver Teo Redding #9 of the Bowling Green Falcons makes a catch during the third quarter while being defended by a Toledo Rockets defender at Glass Bowl on October 15, 2016 in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Andrew Weber/Getty Images)
TOLEDO, OH - OCTOBER 15: Wide receiver Teo Redding #9 of the Bowling Green Falcons makes a catch during the third quarter while being defended by a Toledo Rockets defender at Glass Bowl on October 15, 2016 in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Andrew Weber/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 01: Wide receiver Steven Mitchell Jr. #7 of the USC Trojans is tackled by defensive lineman JoJo Wicker #1 of the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first quarter at Los Angeles Coliseum on October 1, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 01: Wide receiver Steven Mitchell Jr. #7 of the USC Trojans is tackled by defensive lineman JoJo Wicker #1 of the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first quarter at Los Angeles Coliseum on October 1, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

You wanted a three-technique

JoJo Wicker does one thing. That thing is not going to be a featured part of the Lions defensive scheme, but on those occasions where they need it, if it is coming from anywhere, it could very well be Wicker.

Lions fans were screaming, and justifiably so, for some interior pass rush. Many mock drafts sent the Lions players like Maurice Hurst or Taven Bryan, players who would have been great fits in Teryl Austin’s defense but would have been completely wasted under Matt Patricia.

The Lions took their shot with an undrafted free agent to fill a role that will likely only exist during two-minute drills. Sylvester Williams and Ricky Jean-Francois are not going to provide it. Wicker may not even be able to provide it in a legitimate NFL game.

He will, however, be able to do it against other team’s fourth-string offensive line. In the first preseason game, get ready to start asking who this Wicker kid is. I would not be shocked if he looked like the best player on the field in the fourth quarter of the first preseason game.

Wicker provides an initial burst at the snap that the Lions other defensive tackles are missing. Because the Lions front office and coaching staff are clearly borrowing heavily from the Patriots philosophy, it is likely that the bottom of the roster will be populated with players that bring one trait to the table that Matt Patricia thinks he can use occasionally. It’s not hard to find a use for interior pass rush.

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