Gosder Cherilus News

Not every NFL rookie is able to step onto a depth chart and compete for Pro Bowls from day one.

But believe it or not, the next few months still count as an audition process for some of those recently-drafted rookies.

Detroit Lions fans have been clamoring for an improvement at left tackle for years even though Jeff Backus has started 177 straight games.

Today marks the start of the process, the four-step process, toward winning a spot on the Lions' 53-man roster.

Sims said he has gained 15 pounds this offseason, hoping to increase his power after weighing less than 300 the past two years with mixed results against bigger players such as Minnesota's 311-pound defensive tackle Kevin Williams.

There is a certain expectation that a first-round NFL draft pick is ready to contribute right away, but there's no guarantee Riley Reiff will be in the starting lineup for the Detroit Lions when the season starts.

In 2012 the Detroit Lions will look to prove the playoff run of last season was no fluke, but individual players will be looking to make statements of their own.

The Detroit Lions will hold their rookie minicamp this weekend. They will get their first look at newly drafted offensive tackle Riley Reiff .

Matthew Stafford is headed to Washington. Stafford is going to be at the White House and Pentagon on Thursday as part of the Financial Capability and Empowerment Summit.

Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril is getting a first-hand look at how his team handles the business side of football, and for better or worse, he said negotiations serve as a lesson for his teammates.

Filling the void at the No. 3 quarterback position may not have been the Detroit Lions' biggest priority, heading into last week's NFL draft, but it's not something they could take for granted either.