ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- When Jimmy Graham was going through his arbitration hearing with the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions rookie tight end Eric Ebron was paying attention intently. He knew that eventually, he could be in a similar situation.

And after it was ruled that Graham was a tight end, not a wide receiver, Ebron changed his Twitter profile from tight end to "pass catcher for the Detroit Lions."

On the day he reported for his first NFL training camp, he explained the switch was not a political statement at all.

"I like it," Ebron said. "I'm just messing around. It's just funny."

He got the idea after he saw another tight end, Jordan Cameron, do something similar, and his agent had nothing to do with his Twitter profile switch.

Although Ebron was drafted as a player who could stretch the field for the Lions with rare tight end speed, he understands part of his role is to block. He said his position coach, Ron Prince, made sure of that.

Lions rookie tight end Eric Ebron says his Twitter bio in which he refers to himself as a "pass catcher" is just him "messing around." Elsa/Getty Images

Ebron has at least a few seasons before he can renegotiate his contract and would be a long way away from any sort of franchise tag situation, but the former North Carolina tight end knows the game is changing and more players like Graham could be coming.

"They still considering him a tight end and that's what we came to play," Ebron said. "But I believe it's evolving. That's really it. Everything evolves. The game evolves. Planet evolves. Things change.

"He's deserving of the money that he got and I thoroughly believe that through and through."

Detroit's rookies were required to report to camp Tuesday. Veterans report Sunday.