One of the new additions to the Detroit Lions is not a player, but rather something to help the players.
The team has installed a hill at the northeast end of the training facility in Allen Park. Coach Matt Patricia had it installed to aid in training and conditioning.
“You know, the hill, or different training things that we try to do and improve on, are always thing we’ve researched that will help players and their training,” Patricia said earlier in training camp. “It could be anything from rehabilitation issues — or something that we use from that standpoint — conditioning, improving lower-body strength, lengthening run strides, protecting different muscle groups, and we use it in different capacities.”
The hill is similar to the one another Patriots protege coach, Bill O’Brien, had installed in Houston earlier in his Texans tenure. Of course, the original one is present at New England’s training facility.
During Friday’s practice session, the hill didn’t get much use. Defensive end Trey Flowers, who is on the NFI list and not practicing, ran up the slope a few times. Another defensive lineman ran up and down the hill right after the conclusion of practice.
