It’s another step towards actual football!

• This isn’t just draft week for the Detroit Lions. They’ll also open the first of two minicamps on Tuesday, which will be head coach Matt Patricia’s first opportunity to run some actual football drills with the team. The team still won’t be able to run full team drills, but Patricia will be able to start installing his mark on the team on both sides of the ball.

• Lions + Deep Ball = Lots of yards:

• Erik Schlitt of Lions Wire has an excellent breakdown of off-the-ball linebackers in this year’s draft—and underrated need for the Lions.

• 29 years ago today (Monday), the Detroit Lions franchise changed forever:

• Justin Rogers of the Detroit News created five different three-round Lions draft scenarios. Which one is your favorite? Mine is No. 1, even though I wouldn’t exactly be thrilled with Da’Ron Payne at 20.

• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has five players he thinks the Lions may be targeting with the 20th overall pick.

• Turns out the rumors were not true. Lions kicker Matt Prater and comedian Nick Swardson are not actually the same person. However, it does appear Prater may have converted Swardson to Lions fandom (he’s a Vikings fan).

• Chris Burke of The Athletic has a great interview with mid-to-late round defensive back prospect Dane Cruikshank from Arizona (subscription required). Cruikshank met privately with the Lions and said he feels Detroit is “one of the teams that is very confident” in him.