While the Lions’ secondary is still a work in progress, through OTAs, minicamp and the first week of training camp Chris Houston and Jonathan Wade have been lining up with the ones (the potential starters).

At training camp Houston often goes up against WR Calvin Johnson, a handful for any NFL cornerback.

Coach Jim Schwartz said when a corner goes up regularly against Johnson, he either sinks or swims and the coach thinks so far that Houston is swimming. Schwartz would like to see Houston make more interceptions, but so far so good.

This does not mean Houston and Wade will necessarily start when the Lions open the season at Chicago on Sept. 12, but their chances look good.

The Lions picked up Houston in March in a trade with Atlanta for late-round draft picks. He had started 37 games in three seasons for the Falcons.

Wade, who had started six of the 47 games he played with the Rams, was signed as a free agent.

(Follow me on Twitter @paulapasche.)