Brown looks forward to working with Cherilus during camp

THURSDAY, JUNE 26

It is difficult for any rookie emerging into the NFL ranks and the Detroit Lions’ rookies are no different.

But Detroit’s first-round selection Gosder Cherilus will be lucky enough to have the help of an alumnus who has plenty of experience in a Lions’ uniform: former NFL offensive lineman Lomas Brown.

Brown on if he has talked with Cherilus: “Yeah, I talked with the big fellow. We had great conversation – a real delightful guy. I really like Gos, he seems like he has the right attitude. When we talked, he said all the right things and let me know he’s a hungry individual that wants to get better. Anytime you’ve got a guy that’s willing to listen and a guy that’s hungry, you can teach him everything else. That’s what I’m excited about him with.”

Brown spent a decade with the Lions and will take any excuse to get back around the team.

In 2005, he was a coaching intern with the team during training camp.

Brown in 2005: “I was nervous my first day. It felt like I was going to camp, my hands were sweating, I had a few butterflies in my stomach, but I think it was just the excitement of being around the guys again.”

This year, he will join the team for training camp with the intention of helping Cherilus who – as Brown described – will be ‘thrown into the fire.’

Brown: “I really do (enjoy teaching). Now, the coaching thing – the structured coaching thing – I can’t get a grasp around that. But doing what I’m doing (at different youth camps): I can come out, visit different schools, different kids, meet different coaches and everything – I can learn a lot of things and that’s what I like. And, of course, it keeps my Lions’ fix going now that I’ll probably be able to work with Gosder.”

So what are Brown’s impressions of the young, eager lineman?

Brown: “I (have seen him) out there at a practice. With any first-year guy – any first-year player – there’s going to be things you’ve got to work on. He’s got so much going through his head right now, he’s a little slow on the snap counts, but things like that you can teach, you can correct things like that.

“So, again, I’m glad he has the attitude that he has that he’s willing to learn and he wants to learn. I think he’s going to be pretty good. I’m thinking we’re probably going to throw him in there in the fire so we’re going to have to speed up this learning curve, too.”