(Until training camp starts at the end of July, Lions Lowdown will post five times a week using the list format.)

Riley Reiff, a first-round pick in 2012, was never expected to play a major role last season. He was drafted to fill in for Jeff Backus when he retired. Now the left tackle position is Reiff’s. Here are five reasons he will have an impact this season.

1. Even though he started just once (the one game Backus missed in 12 seasons), Reiff did line up as a tight end throughout the season allowing him to get comfortable with the speed of the game. 

2. Reiff spent all last season learning from Backus who was a willing teacher. Might as well learn from the best.

3. Reiff will still be able to pick Backus’ brain this year because the retiree has returned as a part-time coaching intern. He’s been on the field assisting the coaches, giving pointers to guys one-on-one.

4. Reiff will line up next to veteran left guard Rob Sims which will help.

5. Overall, Reiff has to be more comfortable with the whole situation. He’s a guy who, like Backus, as born to play football. This year he will be set loose.

 (Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)

 (Until training camp starts at the end of July, Lions Lowdown will post five times a week using the list format.)

 With more turnover in all three phases than last season, training camp will feature good competition. Here are the top five competitive positions.

1. Right cornerback opposite Chris Houston. Darius Slay was drafted in the second round, but he’s not been 100 percent yet due to knee surgery. He should be ready to go by training camp where he will battle veteran Ron Bartell and three corners who were rookies last season — Bill Bentley, Jonte Green and Chris Greenwood.

2. Linebacker to replace Justin Durant who was not re-signed. Expect Ashlee Palmer to have the edge due to experience but he’ll have to fight off second-year linebackers Travis Lewis and Tahir Whitehead.

3. Right tackle will be a battle between Corey Hilliard and Jason Fox. Hilliard has five starts in his career which is five more than Fox who is finally healthy.

4. Right guard is a toss-up right now. Bill Nagy should be a favorite but still hasn’t recovered from ankle injury last season. Strong contenders include Larry Warford, Leroy Harris, Jake Scott, LaAdrian Waddle and Austin Holtz.

5. Plenty of wide receivers on the roster, but it’s wide open after Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson and Ryan Broyles. If Patrick Edwards can stay healthy and has a training camp like last season he should nail down one of the spots. He was a standout at OTAs (organized team activities).

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)

(Until training camp starts at the end of July, Lions Lowdown blogs will be posted five times a week using the list format.)

While NFL teams must draft well to succeed, finding the hidden gems is a bonus too. Here are three undrafted rookies who have a chance to make the Lions’ 53-man roster.

1. Tight end Joe Fauria will tell you he’s an eighth-round pick out of UCLA. Since the draft is seven rounds, it’s his way of saying he’s undrafted. He claims he has a permanent chip on his shoulder and is working hard to prove he belongs in NFL. He’s one of five tight ends currently on roster along with Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Scheffler, rookie Michael Williams and Matt Veldman who was signed Monday. Nathan Overbay, who was on practice squad last year, was released last week. Dominique Curry was released to make room for Veldman. It’s an indication that Lions are happy so far with the 6-foot-7 Fauria.

2. Running back Steven Miller arrived via Appalachian State. The Lions first noticed him when they were scouting punter Sam Martin who they drafted in the fifth round. Miller is small — 5-foot-7, 172 pounds — but he’s speed and slippery. His best shot is by making the roster on special teams as a return specialist.

3. Offensive guard LaAdrian Waddle who played at Texas Tech. He’s 6-foot-6, 321 pound and has been solid through the OTAs. It’s highly unlikely he’ll earn the start at right guard, but he’s certainly got a shot at the 53-man or practice squad.

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)

Louis Delmas’ injured knee kept him out of OTAs and minicamp.

Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham expressed confidence in Delmas’ return on Wednesday. Thursday it was the same from coach Jim Schwartz.

“I have a lot of confidence. I mean, there’s no player I have more confidence in than Lou,’’ Schwartz said. “I’ve said so many times, he’s the heart and soul of our defense and he’s got an incredible amount of toughness. It took a lot of discipline from his standpoint, from him and from us, to sit this whole offseason out.’’

The coach said the main thing is to get his knee right. He expects Delmas at training camp and will schedule days off for him as preventive measure for his knee.

“(We’re) trying to be proactive with it, but where it is and everything else, we’ll just take it as it comes,’’ Schwartz said. “You know, we’re prepared either way. We’re prepared for Lou to be our leader on defense and to be out there for 16 games, but we’re certainly prepared for him not to be out there. Hopefully that won’t be the case ...’’

Last August Delmas underwent knee surgery and a quick return was expected. He missed the first four games and played in only eight all season. 

He tested the free agent market in March before re-signing with the Lions for two years.

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)

ALLEN PARK -- While there is competition between Jason Fox and Corey Hilliard for the starting right tackle spot, left tackle belongs to Riley Reiff.

Reiff was drafted in the first round in 2012 to eventually fill the shoes of Jeff Backus. He got one start in 2012 for the one game Backus missed in his dozen years playing for the Lions. Reiff also saw regular playing time lining up as a tight end.

“Riley is doing great, he is,’’ offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said on Wednesday. “Everything we’ve asked him to do, step into a role. When we drafted him that was the role we envisioned for him. We didn’t set that as the only possibility. He’s done a great job there and he’s making progress every day. ... We feel really, really confident in his ability to do a great job for us.’’

Hilliard and Fox have been alternating at right tackle with the starters through OTAs and minicamp.

“We’ll keep them as equal as we can and let guys work with different groups,’’ Linehan said. “... We’ll try to keep it to where their rotation seems to be similar from Day One. You might do something different and maybe flip it the next day.’’

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)

Here's a replay of today's live chat on the Lions. We discussed minicamp, rookies, Louis Delmas and much more. Check it out. Next live chat at 3 p.m. on Thursday, JULY 25. Happy summer!

 Matthew Stafford’s every move every Sunday in the fall is examined and then rehashed for weeks and months afterward.

  It’s part of the job description as the Detroit Lions quarterback or any NFL quarterback and he knows it.

  In 2012, even though he came up just shy of 5,000 passing yards the Lions lost eight straight to finish the season at 4-12. Not acceptable for Stafford or the team.

 His mechanics were scrutinized, even though he has made it clear again and again that he is not working on changing the way he passes the ball.

  He hears all of this.

 “It’s impossible not to hear it just because I watch SportsCenter like everybody else and I’m a person, too, but it’s not the main fuel. ... The main fuel for me is I want to keep progressing in the right direction,’’ Stafford said after the first day of the mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.

“I want to be a great quarterback and I want to be able to help this team win, and the only way I’m going to be able to do that is if I let nothing get in my way and just concentrate on what I’m supposed to concentrate on and get better at what I need to get better at,’’ the 25-year-old quarterback added.

He said he didn’t work harder this offseason — he works hard each offseason. It just happened that this offseason he stayed in town instead of working out elsewhere.

  Coach Jim Schwartz said Stafford has always been a hard worker. That has never been an issue.

 “You know, Stafford’s a very consistent guy in his approach to the game, the way he prepares for a week, the way he prepares in the offseason, training camp, those kinds of things,’’ Schwartz said. “There’s a confidence that goes with that. You know, Matt’s not happy with last year. None of us were happy with last year, but you also can’t overreact.

“I think that’s a balance we’ve talked about going through this offseason in not getting away from what you do and who you are knowing that you just need to improve on finer things. We have a lot of confidence that he will and he’s a great leader in setting that example,’’ Schwartz added.

Even though minicamp is a watered-down training camp — no contact, no one-on-one drills — every player can get something out of it even Stafford who is entering his fifth season.

“You know, every player is working on something and they’re also working through the scheme,’’ Schwartz said. “They’re working on precision in the passing game, making good decisions in the run game, you know, leading his team tempo on offense, decision making in the passing game and things like that. Every player has stuff that they’re working on this time of year and Matt’s no different.”

Stafford’s agent and the Lions are working on a contract extension, as they have been since last season ended.

That is not Stafford’s area of expertise.

He said he’ll play football and let his agent handle that.

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)

Tuesday through Thursday the Detroit Lions will hold a mandatory minicamp. Here are five things to watch for as they gather at Allen Park:

1. Safety Louis Delmas did not participate in OTAs the last three weeks because he is rehabbing his knee in south Florida. He’s in touch with the coaches and staff. OTAs were voluntary but this minicamp is mandatory. Seems like maybe we’ll see Delmas even if he’s just standing on the sidelines. Seems like the Lions would not have re-signed him if they didn’t think he could be on the field and, as is their way, they haven’t given any Delmas updates.

2. The right guard position will be one of the most contested throughout training camp and the preseason. Bill Nagy, who the Lions signed last season after he was released by the Cowboys due to an injured ankle, was thought to be a front-runner but he is still coming back from that injury. Rookie Larry Warford might not be ready to step in as a starter. That could be why two veteran guards — Jake Scott and Leroy Harris — were signed last week. We’ll see how Scott fits in this week. Harris is coming off knee surgery and isn’t ready to practice yet. Dylan Gandy has also been getting reps at the position which was left vacant when Stephen Peterman was not brought back.

3. Patrick Edwards has had a good offseason so far. Now he needs to keep it up. It’s time for other wide receivers to also get noticed. One thing for sure, Nate Burleson is up and running — it doesn’t appear he’s had any ill effects coming back from a broken leg.

4. Mikel Leshoure has not been 100 percent during the OTAs while dealing with a lingering hamstring injury. There’s real competition at running back this season, especially with the addition of Reggie Bush, so Leshoure needs to get back on the practice field. Last week he seemed certain he’d be fine for the start of training camp in late July, but not so sure about this week’s minicamp.

5. Not sure we’ll know who will be returning punts and kicks until we get a good look in preseason games, but still have to keep an eye on who they’re looking at during minicamp. It could be a way onto the 53-man roster for a guy like Steven MIller.

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)