By CARLOS MONARREZ
DETROIT FREE PRESS
With players due to report for training camp Friday, the Detroit Lions still have not signed their first-round draft picks. But coach Jim Schwartz said he expects teams to sign their players quickly after the higher draft picks reach deals.
“I think, when you talk about first-round picks signing, there’s a domino effect with a lot of those,” Schwartz said today in a meeting with reporters. “So many teams wait for another team. And not just teams, agents wait. Nobody wants to be the first to stick their neck out, particularly from an agent’s standpoint. That’s just part of the business.”
Schwartz said assistant coaches have been in contact regularly with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and running back Jahvid Best, the No. 2 and No. 30 overall picks in April's draft, and the rookies shouldn’t have much ground to make up when they report to the team.
“Ndamukong and Jahvid are in really good shape,” Schwartz said. “They left here in great shape. They both had good spring workouts after the draft for us. They’re guys that we’re counting on. I’m sure, whenever they get here, we’ll get them up to speed pretty quickly, and they’ll be ready to go. Both of those guys want to be here.
“But it’s just part of the business that you accept, and with the system that we have right now is that you need certain players to sign and then, all of a sudden, three or four players around them will sign. All of a sudden, things will happen pretty quickly."
Players are scheduled to report for training camp between noon and 6 p.m. Friday. When they report, they will be assessed by trainers. That assessment, as well as a conditioning test before Saturday’s first practice, will help determine which players go on the physically unable to perform list.
“I think, when you talk about first-round picks signing, there’s a domino effect with a lot of those,” Schwartz said today in a meeting with reporters. “So many teams wait for another team. And not just teams, agents wait. Nobody wants to be the first to stick their neck out, particularly from an agent’s standpoint. That’s just part of the business.”
Schwartz said assistant coaches have been in contact regularly with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and running back Jahvid Best, the No. 2 and No. 30 overall picks in April's draft, and the rookies shouldn’t have much ground to make up when they report to the team.
“Ndamukong and Jahvid are in really good shape,” Schwartz said. “They left here in great shape. They both had good spring workouts after the draft for us. They’re guys that we’re counting on. I’m sure, whenever they get here, we’ll get them up to speed pretty quickly, and they’ll be ready to go. Both of those guys want to be here.
“But it’s just part of the business that you accept, and with the system that we have right now is that you need certain players to sign and then, all of a sudden, three or four players around them will sign. All of a sudden, things will happen pretty quickly."
Players are scheduled to report for training camp between noon and 6 p.m. Friday. When they report, they will be assessed by trainers. That assessment, as well as a conditioning test before Saturday’s first practice, will help determine which players go on the physically unable to perform list.
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