Signed, Sealed, Delivered
First-Round Pick LB Ernie Sims Joins his Team for his First Training Camp Practice
By Chrissie Zavicar
Detroitlions.com
July 30, 2006
ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- After four training camp practices over the past two days, the Detroit Lions finally had full player attendance after linebacker Ernie Sims signed a five-year deal and joined the team for Sunday’s morning practice.
It put a lid over the rookie signing process, leaving all focus narrowed in on the practice field.
“It’s great,” said Marinelli of signing Sims. “It’s a real positive. We’ve just got to get him going. He’s got all of the tools that we like. The attitude, that’s what I love about the guy; willingness and all of those kinds of things.
“We’ve just got to get him in and start pushing him.”
Sims looked good in his first padded practice as a Lion, but Marinelli and Defensive Coordinator Donnie Henderson are keeping things in perspective; Sims was experiencing just his first practice compared to the rest of his teammates who have already been through four in two days.
“For the first day – it was great,” said Henderson. “The thing you have to realize is that this is practice five for some of us and one for him, so it shows up a little bit quicker because of what they call ‘fresh legs.’ I’ll tell you what he did though: he flew around and ran, so that was good.”
As is generally the case in regards to the owner of the “fresh legs”, Sims received pressure from his coaches and fellow teammates. Instead of being intimidated, however, he used that pressure to fuel his fire.
“When I was out there I felt like I have a point to prove – I feel like I have to earn something,” said Sims. “Those guys, they’re talking back to me and everything and saying all kinds of things to me and I like that.
“That makes me better and it lets me know that I’m somebody and I’m doing something that they want to talk back to me.”
As far as Sims is concerned, he is not only going to receive playing time his rookie season … he is going to start. And according to Henderson, all of his players have the chance to create their own opportunity with solid play on the practice field.
“I’m not afraid to start either of those guys," said Henderson of Sims and second-round draft pick Daniel Bullocks. "I am not afraid to play anyone that we’ve got out there right now. However, I’m not just counting on them to be starters. I’m counting on everyone to be starters. I don’t know what the starting 11 is going to look like right now.”
The Lions drafted Sims with the idea that he was an all-out hard-hitter and he didn’t disappoint in his first practice. Sunday morning marked his first practice in pads and he was anxious to get that first hit in.
“That felt real good,” said Sims. “It always feels good to get a little lick in. I really couldn’t explode on him like I really wanted to but to get a little forearm in there felt real good.”
Though one might assume players don’t enjoy playing in pads because of the extra weight and hitting involved, Sims actually likes sporting full gear.
“I love putting on pads,” said Sims. “When we’re doing OTAs, you don’t have any shoulder pads on and you really can’t express yourself the way you want to express yourself.”
Despite his rookie status, Sims is confident in his abilities and is ready to test them against NFL athletes; especially those he has been watching while growing up.
“I definitely feel like I belong in this league and that I can compete with the NFL players,” he said. “It’s real exciting to get a chance to play against people I’ve been watching for so long like Ray Lewis. A player like that, it feels so exciting to play against them.”
Though Sims has been through just one padded practice, the Lions coaches are happy with what they have seen so far. In his first day, he displayed the talents and abilities that brought him to Detroit in the first place.
“He’s an explosive but instinctive linebacker,” said Marinelli. “His awareness inside-out to the ball, in the run game – he’s going to develop into a real good pass defender because of his movement. He’s got to learn those skills yet.
“He’s got some natural blitz ability; really good blitz ability. With Donnie, he’s got a good package in terms of blitzing and so forth, so I think we’ll be able to really utilize this guy.”
Lions sign top pick Sims to five-year contract
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