The preseason is now more important for the Lions than ever before

We're not very far away from the Detroit Lions taking the field for the Hall of Fame game in late July. It'll be the first of the four preseason games that the Lions play this year.

Since Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes took over the team, the preseason hasn't been a big deal for them. The Lions have found that joint practices and regular practices are where they can really control the reps and the scenarios in which they put their starters in. 

So in that regard, the preseason hasn't really been that big of a deal. That's changing as of late, as the team has continuously grown through the draft. 

In the earlier days, the philosophy was more geared towards finding the starters who could immediately play and be a part of the foundation of the team.

Now it's more about finding players who can contribute now, but are really more geared towards the future of the team. Guys like Sione Vaki, Isaac TeSlaa, Giovanni Manu, and Miles Frazier. 

These guys should get some reps here and there during the regular season, but the preseason is going to be crucial for them to get an early look at in-game scenarios that they can't control, and give them a chance to learn how to overcome some of the adversity that they haven't seen in college ball. 

With the Lions sitting out the starters, you can make sure that the young guys can get the most live game reps possible. 

It's not just about the rookies, though. This year's preseason is big for a few guys who need to prove it once and for all. For Hendon Hooker, this will be his second full training camp and his second preseason. He's likely to be the starter of all four of these games, and he has the chance to put his best foot forward. He'll have to beat out Kyle Allen. 

Guys like Brodric Martin and Colby Sorsdal are sitting on the roster bubble before camp even starts. These games are going to be where they're going to get noticed. It's not going to be in these joint practices as much. 

In the past, the preseason was about giving some of the young players a chance to make the roster, now it's about shaping the future of the roster and also making sure that some of the picks you made in the past have grown.