Detroit Lions rookie Kenny Golladay making steady progress

Carlos Monarrez | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Analysis: How the Lions handle Taylor Decker's injury Free Press writers Dave Birkett and Carlos Monarrez discuss Taylor Decker's shoulder surgery and how the Lions' offensive line stacks up without him on June 6, 2017.

So far, so good for Detroit Lions rookie receiver Kenny Golladay.

Actually, make that so far, so very good.

Golladay, the 6-foot-4 outside threat from Northern Illinois, has shown off speed, quickness, elusiveness and vise-like hands in the few practices open to reporters during organized team activities. Mind you, all of those attributes have come while players wear shorts and can’t hit each other.

But Golladay has looked comfortable in his early adjustment to the NFL.

“He’s had some nice days,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said Tuesday. “He’s a young guy, he’s learning. He makes his share of mistakes along the way, but he’s a big guy. He runs fast, he’s able to get open, he’s still kind of learning some route-running things. Still kind of learning some tricks of the trade, and that will be the case for a little while for him, but we’ve seen some nice things.”

No one would expect Golladay to be the second coming of Calvin Johnson this early, or perhaps ever. But Golladay has shown steady progress and demonstrated commitment to his craft off the field. That’s something that could go a long way, at some point, in helping him become the viable outside threat the Lions lack.

“He’s the right kind of guy,” Cooter said. “He’s really working hard. He’s really working hard behind closed doors even when we’re not out here practicing. He’s trying to get better, so we’re encouraged with him and want to keep him on that trajectory.”

Contact Carlos Monarrez: cmonarrez@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.

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