Although Brandon Pettigrew is still listed as the starting tight end for the Lions and rookie Eric Ebron is a quick-rising prospect, Lions coach Jim Caldwell doesn't want fans to forget about Joseph Fauria, who is listed as the second-team tight end on the team's unofficial depth chart.
"He’s been having a real fine camp," Caldwell said, per the team's official website. "One of the things that he and I had a little discussion about back during the offseason was that he was challenged by the fact that he thought that everybody kind of pigeonholed him as an individual that was just good in the red zone. That he’s deficient in blocking and things of that nature.
"He set out to prove all the skeptics wrong in that regard because he’s been blocking well. He’s working at it. He’s a linear guy, he’s pretty tall, but he can bend his knees. Obviously, we know what he can do in terms of pass catching. That height is something that you can’t teach and he’s got good hands. He really does provide a natural threat to the opposition."