'Get to the ball:' Derrick Moore's big day a preview of how Lions will use him

As Derrick Moore discussed his potential role on third down, fellow rookie defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard walked past Moore's media scrum after practice on Wednesday. Moore was telling reporters that Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard "looks at me as a guy who can get to the ball," while Gill-Howard shouted, "Big 8 is back!! Tell ‘em! Tell 'em you’re back, D-Mo! He had like 20 sacks today!! My goodness!! He’s fast!!"

Moore tried to keep a straight face, but eventually broke into laughter and told Gill-Howard to get a move on to the locker room. Big 8 -- the number Moore wore at Michigan -- was worth the hype after his best practice of camp.

"I feel like that’s what he wants to do on third down, he’s looking for guys that can get to the ball, so I just want to be one of those guys that Coach Shep trusts," said Moore.

It might not have been 20 sacks, but what good Hype Man has ever told the truth? After missing two weeks of camp and the Lions' first preseason game with a minor groin injury, Moore is indeed back. Aidan Hutchinson, per usual, was wrecking plays for Detroit's offense on Wednesday with another pile of sacks. This time, his fellow Wolverine joined him.

On third and 11 in the second period of team drills, Moore burst through the tackle and the guard on right side of the line for a sack of Jared Goff, while Keith Abney II -- another rookie seeing a good bit of work with the first-team defense -- met Moore in the backfield from the other side on a nickel blitz.

On another third and long in an ensuing period, Moore beat rookie right tackle Blake Miller cleanly for his second sack of the day. And on third and 10 in the final situational period for the starters -- a game-on-the-line sort of scenario -- Moore appeared to get pressure on Goff before he threw incomplete deep down the sideline to Jahmyr Gibbs.

On his second sack, Moore and Hutchinson converged on Goff from either side of the line.

"It was just a third down play," said Moore. "At that point, you gotta get off the ball. Also, you got Hutch on the opposite side so you gotta get there before he gets there. Sometimes that’s my mindset when I’m out there with Hutch, or anybody else, just get back there before he can because we got a deep defensive line room that can get to the ball. That’s my mindset on every third down, really on every passing down, just get to the ball as fast as I can because there’s other guys getting there before me."

Is that a sneak peak at what Moore and Hutchinson could do as a tandem this season? Moore smiled and said, "I ain't going to say too much, but it could be."

Sheppard was getting creative with his third down packages and blitzes Wednesday, and Moore was a prominent part of them. He might not play a ton on defense early in the season, especially after missing a good chunk of camp, but it looks like he's carving out a role as a situational pass-rusher, for starters.

And with the Lions missing some key parts in the secondary right now, generating pressure could be key to the defense getting off on the right foot.

Moore produced 10 sacks in his final season at Michigan, despite playing far fewer snaps than some of his counterparts in the draft. Take Reuben Bain Jr., the defensive end who went 15th overall to the Buccaneers. Bain had 9.5 sacks while playing more than twice as many snaps as Moore.

The Lions traded up to take Moore No. 44 overall, with the Ravens reportedly eyeing him at No. 45. The Ravens wound up taking Zion Young one pick later, who had 6.5 snaps while playing almost 100 more snaps than Moore.

With Moore, the pass rush juice is real. So is the possibility that he makes a real impact for the Lions as a rookie. Asked how he's improved since the start of camp, Moore pointed to his "comfort level within the play calls, going against the competition that I’m going against, just being able to be relaxed and play 100 percent and not thinking too much."

He especially enjoys sparring with Penei Sewell and Miller, Detroit's starting offensive tackles.

"Going against guys like Penei, you gotta bring your sh*t every day — excuse my language — because he’s coming every day. And no matter who you are, he’s not gonna slow down or take a play off, so you gotta be ready to strap your sh*t up and go," said Moore.

Moore is eagerly awaiting his preseason debut, Saturday against Washington. He sees it as another opportunity to "get back into the rhythm" after his injury, this time against a new opponent. He said he's looking forward to "going against different competition and seeing different looks and just showing everybody what I’m capable of doing."

Wednesday was a good preview.