- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,264,452
- Reaction score
- 59
Seth McLaughlin did not want the opportunity to come this way.
No offensive lineman does.
Cade Mays’ wrist injury has opened the door at center for the Detroit Lions, and McLaughlin walked out of Monday’s practice knowing the next few weeks could change the direction of his season.
“Obviously, you don’t want the circumstances,” McLaughlin said. “It is an opportunity, though. I’m taking it one practice at a time and trying to get better.”
For McLaughlin, there is another layer to the story.
He is finally feeling healthy again.
McLaughlin has spent part of his own journey working back from injury, and he believes his body is finally responding the way he wants.
“It’s getting my feet back under me. I’m coming off the injury and getting back to moving at full speed. I’m finally feeling 100 percent this camp.”
That timing could not be more important for Detroit.
The Lions suddenly need someone capable of stepping into Mays’ spot, and McLaughlin is getting his chance at the same moment he feels physically ready to handle a larger workload.
“It’s cool. I’m excited for the opportunity. It’s not always exciting how you get the opportunity. I’m going to try to make the best of it.”
There is no bravado there.
McLaughlin understands why the reps are coming his way. He also understands what they could mean.
One of the biggest hurdles is developing chemistry with Jared Goff.
Before Monday, McLaughlin said he had done “not much up until today” with Detroit’s starting quarterback.
That changed quickly.
“It’s an adjustment. Being in the huddle with Jared, hearing how he goes through the plays and hearing his cadence is different. There’s definitely an adjustment period. The operation was pretty smooth today.”
Goff offered a similar assessment after practice, praising McLaughlin’s communication and decisiveness.
That is a good place to start.
Center is not just about blocking the defensive tackle lined up across from you. The position demands communication, timing and an understanding of how the quarterback wants to operate.
McLaughlin knows repetitions are the only way to build that.
“It’s great. With every quarterback, you have to learn their verbiage and the speed at which they operate in the huddle. It really comes down to getting those reps.”
And now he is going to get them.
McLaughlin has also begun seeing more work against Detroit’s top defensive front.
That means difficult reps are coming.
“I’ve gotten a few reps against those guys. Clearly, not as many as the guys who have been with the ones throughout camp. They’re great players, and they’re going to make me better. I’m excited to go against them.”
That is exactly what the Lions need right now.
If McLaughlin is going to prove he can handle the starting center job, practicing against Detroit’s defensive line will give the coaching staff a pretty quick answer.
There will be no shortage of physicality or pressure.
One of those matchups comes with a personal connection.
McLaughlin and rookie defensive tackle Tyleik Williams were teammates at Ohio State, and their relationship extends well beyond football.
“He played a lot of three-technique at Ohio State, so I didn’t get a ton of one-on-one reps against him in college. It’s really exciting. Tyleik is a great dude. He was at my wedding. We’re really good friends from our time at Ohio State. It’s fun to compete against him.”
Now they are helping each other improve.
“We’ll go through some of the reps and talk about what we felt. I’ll tell him, ‘This is what I felt on this play. This is what I did when you did that.’ It becomes a good chess match. He has definitely helped me get better.”
That kind of exchange is valuable during training camp.
Williams gets insight into how an offensive lineman is reacting to his rush plan. McLaughlin gets a better understanding of what a powerful interior defender is trying to accomplish against him.
Everybody wins.
Ask McLaughlin whether he is ready to start, and he is not going to give you a dramatic answer.
“I’m probably about as ready as everybody else is on Day 11 of training camp. There’s still a long way to go. I’m excited to keep pursuing it.”
That response fits everything else he said Monday.
There is confidence, but there is also an understanding that August football is about development.
“We’re at Practice 11 of training camp. You’re not going to be the player you want to be on the first day of the regular season yet. There’s still a long way to go. I have to keep getting better.”
That is probably exactly what Dan Campbell wants to hear.
The Lions do not need McLaughlin announcing that the job is his.
They need him stacking practices.
McLaughlin believes the way Detroit practices has prepared him for this opportunity, even though he had not been running with the starters.
“We get a ton of reps through OTAs and a ton of reps in training camp. Probably more than you get in a lot of other places. Even though I wasn’t working with the ones before, I’ve gotten a lot of reps throughout camp to keep improving as a football player. I’m ready to keep going.”
That could become one of the hidden benefits of Campbell’s demanding camp structure.
Backup players are not standing around watching.
They are working.
Now Detroit needs to find out whether all those repetitions prepared McLaughlin for the jump from developmental snaps to protecting Goff.
The preseason gives McLaughlin another chance to prove himself when Detroit faces Cincinnati.
He also has some familiar faces waiting on the other sideline.
“It’s another opportunity to get onto the field. I have a lot of friends over there that I’m excited to play against. It doesn’t really matter who Game 1 is against. It’s about going out there, executing and operating the offense.”
That last part is the key.
Detroit does not need fireworks from its center.
It needs clean snaps, good communication and an offense that operates without disruption.
If McLaughlin can provide that, the competition to replace Mays may start looking a lot less complicated.
Seth McLaughlin did not ask for Cade Mays to get hurt.
He did ask for an opportunity.
Now he has one.
McLaughlin is healthy, getting first-team work, developing chemistry with Jared Goff and facing a defensive front that will force him to improve quickly.
The Lions still have other options at center, but McLaughlin has the first real chance to make the job his while Mays recovers.
For the next several practices, every snap matters.
Continue reading...
No offensive lineman does.
Cade Mays’ wrist injury has opened the door at center for the Detroit Lions, and McLaughlin walked out of Monday’s practice knowing the next few weeks could change the direction of his season.
“Obviously, you don’t want the circumstances,” McLaughlin said. “It is an opportunity, though. I’m taking it one practice at a time and trying to get better.”
For McLaughlin, there is another layer to the story.
He is finally feeling healthy again.
You must be registered for see images attach
McLaughlin Says He Is Back to 100 Percent
McLaughlin has spent part of his own journey working back from injury, and he believes his body is finally responding the way he wants.
“It’s getting my feet back under me. I’m coming off the injury and getting back to moving at full speed. I’m finally feeling 100 percent this camp.”
That timing could not be more important for Detroit.
The Lions suddenly need someone capable of stepping into Mays’ spot, and McLaughlin is getting his chance at the same moment he feels physically ready to handle a larger workload.
“It’s cool. I’m excited for the opportunity. It’s not always exciting how you get the opportunity. I’m going to try to make the best of it.”
There is no bravado there.
McLaughlin understands why the reps are coming his way. He also understands what they could mean.
Working With Jared Goff Is the Next Challenge
One of the biggest hurdles is developing chemistry with Jared Goff.
Before Monday, McLaughlin said he had done “not much up until today” with Detroit’s starting quarterback.
That changed quickly.
“It’s an adjustment. Being in the huddle with Jared, hearing how he goes through the plays and hearing his cadence is different. There’s definitely an adjustment period. The operation was pretty smooth today.”
Goff offered a similar assessment after practice, praising McLaughlin’s communication and decisiveness.
That is a good place to start.
Center is not just about blocking the defensive tackle lined up across from you. The position demands communication, timing and an understanding of how the quarterback wants to operate.
McLaughlin knows repetitions are the only way to build that.
“It’s great. With every quarterback, you have to learn their verbiage and the speed at which they operate in the huddle. It really comes down to getting those reps.”
And now he is going to get them.
Detroit’s Defensive Front Is Giving Him a Serious Test
McLaughlin has also begun seeing more work against Detroit’s top defensive front.
That means difficult reps are coming.
“I’ve gotten a few reps against those guys. Clearly, not as many as the guys who have been with the ones throughout camp. They’re great players, and they’re going to make me better. I’m excited to go against them.”
That is exactly what the Lions need right now.
If McLaughlin is going to prove he can handle the starting center job, practicing against Detroit’s defensive line will give the coaching staff a pretty quick answer.
There will be no shortage of physicality or pressure.
Tyleik Williams Gives McLaughlin a Familiar Challenge
One of those matchups comes with a personal connection.
McLaughlin and rookie defensive tackle Tyleik Williams were teammates at Ohio State, and their relationship extends well beyond football.
“He played a lot of three-technique at Ohio State, so I didn’t get a ton of one-on-one reps against him in college. It’s really exciting. Tyleik is a great dude. He was at my wedding. We’re really good friends from our time at Ohio State. It’s fun to compete against him.”
Now they are helping each other improve.
“We’ll go through some of the reps and talk about what we felt. I’ll tell him, ‘This is what I felt on this play. This is what I did when you did that.’ It becomes a good chess match. He has definitely helped me get better.”
That kind of exchange is valuable during training camp.
Williams gets insight into how an offensive lineman is reacting to his rush plan. McLaughlin gets a better understanding of what a powerful interior defender is trying to accomplish against him.
Everybody wins.
You must be registered for see images attach
McLaughlin Is Not Declaring Himself Ready Yet
Ask McLaughlin whether he is ready to start, and he is not going to give you a dramatic answer.
“I’m probably about as ready as everybody else is on Day 11 of training camp. There’s still a long way to go. I’m excited to keep pursuing it.”
That response fits everything else he said Monday.
There is confidence, but there is also an understanding that August football is about development.
“We’re at Practice 11 of training camp. You’re not going to be the player you want to be on the first day of the regular season yet. There’s still a long way to go. I have to keep getting better.”
That is probably exactly what Dan Campbell wants to hear.
The Lions do not need McLaughlin announcing that the job is his.
They need him stacking practices.
Detroit’s Heavy Rep Load Could Help
McLaughlin believes the way Detroit practices has prepared him for this opportunity, even though he had not been running with the starters.
“We get a ton of reps through OTAs and a ton of reps in training camp. Probably more than you get in a lot of other places. Even though I wasn’t working with the ones before, I’ve gotten a lot of reps throughout camp to keep improving as a football player. I’m ready to keep going.”
That could become one of the hidden benefits of Campbell’s demanding camp structure.
Backup players are not standing around watching.
They are working.
Now Detroit needs to find out whether all those repetitions prepared McLaughlin for the jump from developmental snaps to protecting Goff.
Cincinnati Will Provide the Next Test
The preseason gives McLaughlin another chance to prove himself when Detroit faces Cincinnati.
He also has some familiar faces waiting on the other sideline.
“It’s another opportunity to get onto the field. I have a lot of friends over there that I’m excited to play against. It doesn’t really matter who Game 1 is against. It’s about going out there, executing and operating the offense.”
That last part is the key.
Detroit does not need fireworks from its center.
It needs clean snaps, good communication and an offense that operates without disruption.
If McLaughlin can provide that, the competition to replace Mays may start looking a lot less complicated.
Bottom Line
Seth McLaughlin did not ask for Cade Mays to get hurt.
He did ask for an opportunity.
Now he has one.
McLaughlin is healthy, getting first-team work, developing chemistry with Jared Goff and facing a defensive front that will force him to improve quickly.
The Lions still have other options at center, but McLaughlin has the first real chance to make the job his while Mays recovers.
For the next several practices, every snap matters.
Continue reading...
