Detroit Lions Training Camp: 5 Early Storylines to Watch

The Detroit Lions are the last team to open training camp for a couple reasons.

For one, head coach Jim Caldwell is a players' coach. He does everything possible to make his players comfortable, and everybody loves a day off.

But don't mistake it as pandering. Caldwell retained the core of his coaching staff, meaning the Lions won't have to spend much time teaching concepts and can fine-tune instead.

Detroit isn't getting an early jump on its season, but there are a few stories that are already gaining steam. Click through to get yourself prepared for the preseason.

Eric Ebron's Performance

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Yet that burden is nothing compared to the weight of a top-10 draft pick.

Like almost every rookie tight end, Eric Ebron didn't pull down many receptions (25) or rack up many yards (248). And his lone touchdown didn't do anything to shield him from the pressure.

Ebron's athleticism (4.6 40-yard dash) and bulky frame (6'4", 265 lbs) should have made him a difficult cover for any linebacker or defensive back. However, it didn't click for him on offense, which led to a minimal role.

But there's hope for 2015. Golden Tate told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that Ebron is coming along, specifically stating "he's been phenomenal catching the ball and after the catch."

That last part is key. If Ebron can prove he's a threat after the catch, defenses will have to account for him underneath just as much as they would downfield. That will create holes that Matthew Stafford and his vast array of weapons will be able to exploit.

Teams draft players in the top 10 when they plan to feature them heavily. Now it's time to see if Ebron is ready.

Matthew Stafford's Comfort and Accuracy

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Bleacher Report colleague Ty Schalter recently wrote that Matthew Stafford was coming to a career crossroads. It wasn't well received by the fans, but the harsh truth rarely goes over well.

Stafford inherited the only 0-16 team in NFL history. It was going to take time to stockpile talent, and he needed time to develop, but those two conditions have expired.

The Lions now need to fully cash in on their investment. And accuracy is the key to unlocking large dividends.

Stafford has completed at least 60 percent of his passes twice, last year and in 2011. So while his 60.3 percent completion rate in 2015 was an improvement, there were a few instances that smacked of the younger Stafford.

The second Green Bay game was a difficult one to watch for Stafford backers. Schalter described "a lowlight reel of blown reads, miscommunications and just plain bad throws."

Yet there is hope to be gained from that experience. Stafford should be able to work through his reads quicker after another year in the same offensive system. And he still threw for three scores with zero interceptions in that game, so it wasn't a total bust.

Stafford has done enough to protect his career from that label as well. Now we need to find out if he'll be relegated to discussions about what could have been or take the tantalizing step that Lions fans have been pining for.

How the Offensive Line Gels

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

The new offensive scheme and the offensive line were two huge impediments to Matthew Stafford's season.

The first should have been removed with last year's experience and another offseason. It remains to be seen if the Lions have eliminated the second.

The front office has been working on a solution for years. Riley Reiff was a first-round pick in 2012. Larry Warford and Travis Swanson were Detroit's third-round selections the next two years. And Laken Tomlinson rounded out the effort in this year's first round.

The right tackle position will most likely be an undrafted free agent, but LaAdrian Waddle has demonstrated his worthiness as a starter in the past. However, an ACL tear has sidelined him since last season, and there's no indication of when he'll be back.

The talent should be there. Now the unit needs time to work together to create a chemistry and understanding of how each player fits together. The season likely depends on it.

The Defensive Tackle Transition

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Here's what Detroit lost this offseason, numbers via Pro Football Focus:

Player	Run Grade	Sacks	Hits	Hurries
Ndamukong Suh	17.6	8	12	37
Nick Fairley	5.7	2	3	17
C.J. Mosley	1.2	3	4	7

Here's what Detroit is replacing those with:

Player	Run Grade	Sacks	Hits	Hurries
Haloti Ngata (12 games)	10.5	3	2	20
Tyrunn Walker	2.2	3	1	14
Caraun Reid	-2.5	0	0	3

The Lions also added Gabe Wright in the fourth round. College numbers aren't kept in such painstaking detail, but Wright did have one sack and 17 total pressures in 2014.

They're also banking on Caraun Reid's active offseason to translate to on-field success. In short, there's a lot here to take on faith.

The bar set last year can't be this benchmark for this group in 2015. It's impossible to replicate Suh's effect, which is why Miami gave him a billionaire's starter kit.

However, Ngata gives Detroit a solid interior on his own. He'll eat up blocks in the run game and will provide an interior push on passing downs. Now he needs a running mate or two to step onto the field and step up to the challenge.

Kyle Van Noy's Role

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Eric Ebron kicked off this list, and now we boomerang back to the 2014 draft class to finish it out.

Kyle Van Noy spent the first half of the 2015 season on the PUP list. However, he looked the most out of practice once he hit the field.

He didn't attack opponents. The normal rookie hesitation seemed to be exacerbated for him, taking away his natural advantages of athleticism and instinct.

You don't force 11 fumbles, pick off 11 passes and defend another 21 in college like Van Noy did unless you understand the game.

That's the Van Noy that Teryl Austin must uncover. He needs to take him out of his head and put him the right positions to succeed. 

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.