<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re a daily reader of our Detroit Lions training camp observations and\/or viewer of our daily camp recaps on Pride of Detroit Direct, you may have noticed a lack of Tim Patrick mentions. That\u2019s no accident, as it\u2019s been a slow first week of training camp, and he\u2019ll be the first to point it out.<\/p>\n
As he enters Year 8 in the NFL, he\u2019s trying to draw inspiration from Detroit\u2019s group of young, blossoming receivers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis probably one of the hardest training camps I\u2019ve been around, and for them to handle it the way they\u2019ve been handling it is very encouraging and inspiring,\u201d Patrick said. \u201cIt makes me want to go harder, because I\u2019ve been slacking a little bit, so they\u2019re picking up my game play.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to forget that Patrick, who caught 33 passes for 394 yards and three scores for Detroit last year, is still relatively new to the team. Last year, he spent his entire offseason with the Denver Broncos. He only landed with Detroit after he was cut at the end of Broncos camp. In retrospect, it\u2019s astonishing how quickly Patrick became a consistent contributor in the Lions offense, but now Patrick is learning that training camp is different.<\/p>\n
\u201cCamp is where you really find who you have, you bond with your teammates, you go to war with them every day, because camp is hard. This is my first time going through a camp like this,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n
Re-upping with the Lions after his strong 2024 season wasn\u2019t much of a decision for Patrick. The 31-year-old receiver was eager to rejoin a team with so many weapons.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy job is going to be easy,\u201d Patrick said. \u201cI just gotta beat the number, what, 4 cornerback? I should win that every single time.\u201d<\/p>\n
What has been particularly puzzling for Patrick this camp is that this is the first offseason he\u2019s been healthy in a while. He suffered a torn ACL in August 2022, tore his Achilles in July 2023, and spent all of 2024 offseason rehabbing from the Achilles. After playing in 16 games last season and balling out in the spring, it\u2019s only added to the frustration of his slow start at camp.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel great. That\u2019s why I\u2019m just frustrated that it\u2019s not showing right now, because in OTAs it did,\u201d Patrick said. \u201cTraining camp is a little different, I just gotta pick this shit up.\u201d<\/p>\n
But don\u2019t mistake frustration for a lack of confidence. It\u2019s only the second week of training camp, and the veteran receiver believes that as they get closer to the September 7 season opener, he\u2019ll be ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, starting off a little slow, but I promise you by the time the season comes, I\u2019m gonna be firing on all cylinders,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tim Patrick admitted he\u2019s had some early struggles at Detroit Lions training camp.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-detroit-lions"],"yoast_head":"\n