The Detroit Lions wrapped up the third and final week of organized team activities (OTAs). They have two days of mandatory minicamp next week before they go on summer break until training camp.
Throughout OTAs, head coach Dan Campbell talked about the importance of not reading too much into these practices. There was an emphasis on not celebrating small wins or highlighting standout players as the Lions want to keep the focus on next season.
However, that doesn't mean that there weren't important takeaways. OTAs still provided insight into what the final roster and rotation might look like.
Dan Campbell refuses to give Giovanni Manu his stamp of approval after guard reps
One of these takeaways was about Giovanni Manu. Heading into his third season in the league, the former fourth-round pick is running out of time to make an impression. He has failed to establish himself as an NFL-caliber offensive tackle so far. During OTAs, the Lions gave him a shot on the interior, but the results weren't particularly impressive.
While veteran offensive lineman Ben Bartch was sidelined with an injury, Manu took reps at guard. Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network noted that Campbell and the Lions still view him as a tackle, but wanted to give him a chance to see what he can do in a new position.
“It’s actually kind of worked out good to just see what he looks like at guard,” Campbell said. “He’s still getting tackle reps. We’re trying to give him the best opportunity to showcase what he has. And who knows? Maybe he is better at guard. We still think tackle, but if he can prove something then that’s good. So we’ll see.”
Reading between the lines, these remarks from Campbell speak volumes about how OTAs went for Manu. Other than usual coachspeak about giving a player a chance in a new position, there is not a positive word for Manu.
If these guard reps had gone well, one has to assume that Campbell would have mentioned it as a way to motivate a young player who has disappointed so far in his tenure, right?
Instead, Campbell drops a "who knows?" before saying "if he can prove something then that’s good," and adding a "we'll see."
That certainly doesn't sound like a head coach who has a ton of confidence in his player. Campbell clearly had a chance to underline the organization's faith in Manu, but didn't do so.
This further confirms what most Lions fans already knew. After the additions to the offensive line in the offseason, there is simply no room for Manu. Yes, he was always going to take time to develop, as he was brought in as a raw prospect. But he has shown very little progress over the last two years. Perhaps he may be brought back to the practice squad, but it seems like even this position change can't save Manu.
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