Detroit Lions’ Tahir Whitehead happy with linebackers’ progress – Detroit Free Press

Free Press sports writers Dave Birkett and Shawn Windsor discuss what they saw from Lions rookies Kenny Golladay, Teez Tabor and Jarrad Davis and their expectations in Year 1 on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017 in training camp. Detroit Free Press

Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead stretches at Ford Field, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017 in Detroit.(Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)

After the first week of training camp, the Detroit Lions' new-look linebacker corps is taking shape and making its mark literally, if you count the stick marks rookie Jarrad Davis has left on offensive players during padded practices.

I think as a group weve been doing a great job of really pushing each to get better, linebacker Tahir Whitehead said. I think we have depth. That and itself and just challenging each other is going to definitely make the group better.

The linebackers are charged with a lot. They have to simultaneously support the run defense and pass coverage. The Lions ranked 30th in the NFL with 26 sacks last season and, as Whitehead pointed, teams have to take holistic approach to rushing the passer.

More: Lions 1st-round pick Jarrad Davis living up to the hype

It definitely goes hand in hand, he said. Sometimes you need to give the defensive linemen a bit more time to get to the quarterback in order to get those sacks. The pass rush definitely frees up the back seven to get interceptions with rushed throws and everything. If the back seven takes care of everything in the pass, then its probably going to free up the defensive linemen to get to the quarterback.

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One issue Whitehead took umbrage with was the linebackers weakness last season against tight ends, who victimized the Lions early and often. According to Pro-football-reference.com, the Lions gave up nine touchdowns last season to tight ends, fifth worst in the NFL.

They get paid, too, Whitehead said. Guys go out there, they make plays. Weve made a bunch of plays against tight ends. Its not like they went out there and fried us up all year long.

So I wouldnt say thats anything alarming, by any means. You wont necessarily know what were playing, what coverage were playing, so I could care less what people think about our defense.

Contact Carlos Monarrez: cmonarrez@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.

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Detroit Lions' Tahir Whitehead happy with linebackers' progress - Detroit Free Press