Detroit Lions: 6 Most Crucial Training Camp Position Battles to Watch

Training camp is close like a weekend on a Thursday. And just as you've been texting friends or significant others to make plans, more than a few Detroit Lions have been gearing up for their position battles.

The last of the personal workouts are being hammered out. Those with an eye toward excelling are studying film, trying to emulate the greats who came before them.

But the prep work comes to an end the first week of August. Let's take a look at what's on the line and who's participating while ranking the battles by importance to the team's success.

6. Backup Quarterback

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

A quarterback controversy can create a roar of rumors that overwhelms a team and divides its locker room. Kyle Meinke of MLive Media Group sets the grisly scene here:

"

Kellen Moore still working ahead of Dan Orlovsky at quarterback. Took every No 2 rep

— Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) June 4, 2015"

"

Sorry, Kellen Moore fans. Dan Orlovsky was back as the No 2 QB for most of practice

— Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) June 10, 2015"

Gripping.

Soon beat writers and eager fans on Twitter will inundate the players with questions about whether they're an "Orlovsky guy" or a "Moore guy." Luckily, the front office has made character a top priority when putting together this year's roster.

Or the entire thing will go by with a small measure of exposure once training camp gets underway. The media will pay attention to it; the fans will Tweet and Facebook about it. But its importance will fall quicker than a new car leaving the lot.

If the team has to rely on either player for a significant stretch of time, the season will be lost. Orlovsky has a career quarterback rating of 76.0 and averaged 1.1 touchdown passes per year. And while Moore showed nice anticipation and touch last preseason, he hasn't taken a single snap against a second-team defense, much less one stocked with a Clay Matthews or Anthony Barr.

So we'll give the story some shine while it plays out and then—hopefully for the Lions' sake—put it away until next March.

5. No. 3 Wide Receiver

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

The No. 3 wide receiver has been a source of constant chatter throughout the offseason. There's an intriguing mix of players, including a second-year rookie, a possibly recovered record-breaking college receiver and a wily vet looking to extend his career.

And no one has any clue which one will win the job. The mystery adds the extra ingredient that elevates this battle from merely sustenance to tasty appetizer.

But it isn't a main course. Whoever wins this job will probably see the sixth or seventh most targets in the offense behind the top three running backs and at least one tight end. Last year, Jeremy Ross saw 36 targets and finished seventh.

The early favorite is either Corey Fuller or Lance Moore.

Fuller, the sixth-round pick entering his third year, is the top backup for Calvin Johnson and would allow Golden Tate to slide inside. He stepped in with Jeremy Ross when Johnson was out of OTAs, per Meinke, and has experience with this team and system:

"

Corey Fuller caught only 14 of his 31 targets, but was targeted on a per snap basis as a #3 receiver.

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) June 2, 2015"

Moore, 31, is the wily veteran who knows the nuances of the offense from his eight years in New Orleans. He's enjoyed a solid performance so far, per Paula Pasche of Lions Lowdown, but it's unclear if he can fend off the younger competition.

Ryan Broyles and T.J. Jones round out the major competitors. The former needs to prove his speed and burst have regenerated after his numerous injuries, while the latter will be practicing with pads for the first time in two years.

4. Kick and Punt Returner

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

The photo above unfortunately sums up Jeremy Ross' 2014 season. It was an ill-advised decision to catch the ball deep and return it. He got to the 5-yard line.

He made far too many mental mistakes, calling fair catch more than any other team in the league or bringing a kickoff from deep in the end zone. And there were also the five fumbles. Things got so bad that he forced head coach Jim Caldwell's hand in the playoffs:

"

Caldwell said Golden Tate was going to return punts that were returnable, Jeremy Ross in for ones that were deep in the field.

— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) January 5, 2015"

A lot of these errors are correctable. Once Ross gets past the initial decision stage and holds on to the ball, he's one of the better returners in the league.

But that's a steep price to pay, so the Lions are leaving no stone unturned. Detroit tried out Ameer Abdullah, Ryan Broyles, T.J. Jones and Quandre Diggs in OTAs and minicamp, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, and knows what Golden Tate can do from his days in Seattle.

However, the first and last players are likely to play too big of a role to warrant such a risk. That leaves the other three and undrafted free agent Vernon Johnson (a raw athlete in need of polish) vying for a spot that is featured multiple times throughout a game.

3. Strong-Side Linebacker

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Last year was a weird year for the linebackers.

No team wants to see its starting middle linebacker shelved by injury, but it allowed Tahir Whitehead to emerge as a viable starter, giving Detroit a small headache this year. How does the team get him on the field?

"

No question Tahir Whitehead stepped up in a big way last year, but healthy Tulloch still better option at MLB.

— Justin Rogers (@Justin_Rogers) March 5, 2015"

Since the middle is ruled out, that will force Whitehead to slide back to the strong side, where Kyle Van Noy was hoping to make his long-awaited debut.

While Van Noy did play 51 snaps last year, per Pro Football Focus, he has yet to flash his potential. Detroit snagged the BYU product by trading up in the second round. It expected big things from the rangy defender who could rush the passer or drop back in coverage.

None of that materialized. Van Noy spent the first eight weeks on the physically unable to perform list and looked lost when he finally arrived.

Now Detroit is hoping he finds his footing. Whitehead doesn't possess the natural skill that Van Noy has, but the latter doesn't have the experience or technical expertise.

The most likely scenario is a split role. Whitehead is the better run defender. Van Noy is a versatile defender who can create pressure or defend passes. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin will find ways to exploit both talents to give each one a chance to make an impact.

2. Nickelback

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Traditionally, a strong-side linebacker would carry more weight than a nickelback. Yet there wasn't a backer not named Whitehead or Levy who had more snaps than third-string nickelback Cassius Vaughn's 387.

There is some leeway in this argument. Last year's packages may not be an indication of this year's scheme since Ndamukong Suh is gone, giving Teryl Austin a reason to keep seven bigger bodies on the field.

However, the league's propensity for passing and Austin's reliance on defensive back tackling mean the roles should stay fairly similar—especially if rookie Quandre Diggs keeps putting on a show.

"

The emergence of rookie Quandre Diggs in the nickel during minicamp likely made waiving Bill Bentley much easier. #Lions

— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) June 18, 2015"

The sixth-round rookie has supposedly already knocked off one veteran. Injuries may have been the final nail in Bill Bentley's coffin, but veteran Josh Wilson is seemingly healthy. He just may not be that good.

Wilson graded out as the 75th-best cornerback in 2014 and 76th best in 2013. He's on his fifth team and on the wrong side of his 30th birthday.

The most heated competition should theoretically come from Lawson. The only issue is if he can make a full recovery from the nasty dislocated foot before training camp begins.

1. Defensive Tackle

Rogelio Solis/Associated Press

The youth movement continues up front.

Tyrunn Walker is the eldest candidate at 25 years old. All three players are looking to break out early in their careers, but none is as invested in 2015 as Walker. He signed a one-year deal with eyes on cashing in after showcasing his quickness in Detroit's attacking scheme.

In just 197 pass-rushing snaps, Walker created 18 total pressures, finishing with the 17th-highest pass-rushing productivity rate among defensive tackles. He's hoping to stretch that production to starter's minutes.

But the buzz of the offseason has revolved around Caraun Reid and his new look. The second-year fifth-rounder spent his summer with Ndamukong Suh, and Kyle Meinke noted that the coaches have awarded him properly:

"

Even with Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker both here, Caraun Reid continues to operate with starters at DT. (Alongside Ngata today)

— Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) June 16, 2015"

Gabe Wright is also fighting for a spot in the rotation, although there hasn't been much hearsay regarding the first team. His quick first step will ensure he sees some time on passing downs, though.

All advanced stats, grades and positional rankings are courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist who has written about the Lions on multiple sites. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter about how wrong he is @BrandonAlisoglu.