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

Nick Fairley has shown flashes of the defensive tackle that he can be in his first two years. Here are three reasons Fairley needs to improve this year.

1. Fairley has the athletic ability, he just needs to be consistent. With a younger defensive line, it will be more important than ever that Fairley and Ndamukong Suh take care of their business in the middle.

2. His foot was an issue in his first season and lingered into last season. He has to find a way to stay on the field. There’s been some talk of how he has slimmed down, but in minicamp he looked the same size as last year.

3. Fairley is confident that he and Suh can be the best defensive tackle duo in the NFL. Now they just have to prove it. He can talk the talk, now he needs to walk the walk.

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