Detroit practiced in full pads Tuesday, and the offensive and defensive lines responded to the opportunity for contact by producing some of the most physical drill periods of camp. That physicality had a cost, however, when DT Nick Fairley was injured in a run drill.
Fairley missed a few reps before returning during team periods. He was clearly battling through pain and limping when the workout ended. Fairley missed four weeks of his rookie season after injuring his foot in camp last year, but Jim Schwartz said Fairley's discomfort Tuesday was unrelated to his 2011 injury.
"He was limping around, but it wasn't anything to do with his foot," Schwartz said.
Suh stellar while stopping the run: DT Ndamukong Suh had one of his best workouts of camp Tuesday, making multiple quality tackles in short-yardage run drills. Suh's sophomore performance was, by his own admission, not up to the standards he set during his All-Pro rookie season. His performance in camp this year, however, seems to indicate that he has regained his top form. His movement off the snap is improved over a season ago, and he's getting better penetration in pass-rush situations. Suh managed just four sacks last season after getting 10 in his rookie year. If he can reproduce his rookie-year effort in 2012, Suh can help alleviate pressure on Detroit's developing secondary.
Travis Lewis moving up the depth chart: Seventh-round draft pick Travis Lewis set two goals for training camp this season: First, to prove the poor scouting combine performance that saw him fall to the final round of the draft was an inaccurate representation of his skills. Second, he wanted to prove he had the ability to add key depth to the Lions' linebacking corps. Through three weeks of camp, Lewis' play indicates that he's well on his way to accomplishing both. He has taken first, and second-team reps when LB Stephen Tulloch missed time due to tendonitis flareups, and his intelligence gives him better positioning than most of Detroit's other young linebackers. Detroit is expected to keep seven linebackers on its final 53-man roster. If Lewis maintains his current level of play, he appears to have an advantage in the race for the final spot.
Follow Lions reporter John Kreger on Twitter at @CBSSportsNFLDET and @JohnKreger.