The Detroit Lions took the field against the Cincinnati Bengals last Thursday, and while most of their big names sat it out, all eyes were on first-round pick Blake Miller. This dude, their projected starting right tackle, played the *entire first half*, and his debut is already sparking serious conversation about what it means for the Lions’ upcoming season.
PFF Says One Thing, Coach Campbell Says Another
Look, the stat sheet can be a buzzkill sometimes. PFF gave Miller a 66.6 overall grade, placing him 55th out of 166 offensive tackles who saw action this past weekend. He gave up two pressures on 24 pass blocking reps, getting a 68.1 pass blocking grade. Not exactly eye-popping, right? But hold up a second. Lions Coach Dan Campbell isn’t sweating the numbers. He’s been throwing Miller into the fire during training camp, pitting him against Aidan Hutchinson every day. Campbell’s focus is simple: reps, reps, reps. He said, “It’s a work in progress, and I think a lot of it right now is the pass protection… I like the run game, but it’s really , it’s the whole game. But listen, he’s in a good spot. And we are going to douse him with reps. We are going to find a way and he will find a way to be the guy.”
NFL Vets Are Buzzing About This Kid
Forget the PFF numbers for a sec, because the *real* offensive line gurus are seeing something special. Geoff Schwartz, an NFL offensive lineman for eight seasons, broke down Miller’s tape and was seriously impressed. He tweeted that Miller’s “Pass pro looked clean. Moved feet well. Good strikes. Mixed up pass sets which I loved.” Schwartz noted some early struggles in the run game but said Miller “Started to figure out later in the game.” The big takeaway? Schwartz said, “The thing I take away most is that he looked like he belonged. Sharp mentally as well. Handled some twists and movement well.” Then there’s Brian Baldinger, another long-time NFL guard, who echoed that exact sentiment! In his video narration, Baldinger concluded, “I thought it was a good debut for Blake Miller. Lot of football, played the entire first half. All you want to do is see improvement every day from him.” He even tweeted that Miller “Looked like he belongs.” When two seasoned pros drop that line, you gotta pay attention, right?
So, yeah, it’s early. And Miller’s still got work to do, especially with that pass protection. But the Lions aren’t messing around; they want him ready for Week 1 of the regular season. With these vets seeing such raw talent and composure, the stakes are high for Miller to lock down that starting right tackle spot. Can he keep improving daily and truly become “the guy” Campbell believes he can be? We’ll all be watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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